Walgreens Has a 'Happy and Healthy' Formula

Walgreens released the second edition of its Happy and Healthy magazine in April, putting pop music star Fergie on the cover while introducing two new private labels.Distributed in stores with a digital edition viewable on walgreens.com, the magazine's 24-page spring issue employed Fergie (of music group The Black Eyed Peas) to front an exclusive line of Markwins International's Wet n Wild cosmetics — a "Fergie Center Stage Collection" that launched in February. The cover directs readers to a Q&A with Fergie inside while promoting $1 off a purchase of the new cosmetics for Balance Rewards cardholders.Walgreens similarly leveraged a relationship with singer Taylor Swift to jazz up the magazine's debut issue last November. (See "Walgreens Makes ..." in Related Articles.)Also in the latest issue, Walgreens introduced a baby products brand called Well Beginnings, as well as a hosiery line called West Loop. (Additional support included a Facebook update for the former and an ad in the May in-store coupon book for the latter. See Related Images at right.)A spread showcasing Well Beginnings products — which include diapers, wipes and formula — promotes a "buy one, get one half off" deal for Balance Rewards cardholders. The ad also carries a list of do's and don'ts for parents from Dr. Lisa Thornton, a pediatrician who regularly contributes content to Walgreens' "Happy and Healthy" blog. Walgreens similarly introduced the sustainability-focused Ology label in the first issue. A media release accompanyng the launch had former executive Joe Magnacca (see Related Articles) promising to use the magazine to showcase "private brands." To that end, the second issue devotes multiple pages to both Ology and the Good & Delish premium-food brand, and a smaller section to West Loop.The Ology spread features a top-10 list of "No-No" ingredients that aren't used by the brand, including ammonia and chlorine bleach. A spread for Good & Delish promotes the two-part season finale of NBC series All-Star Celebrity Apprentice, which aired May 12 and May 19. The finale prominently featured Good & Delish ice cream products.Throughout the magazine, Walgreens dangles 5,000 Balance Rewards points with purchase of $30 in qualifying SKUs from Ology, Well Beginnings, Good & Delish, Nice! and Well at Walgreens.The chain promoted the availability of the spring issue in its April 21 circular and on its Facebook page. Supporting P-O-P materials include A-boards, window posters, endcap headers, shelf tags and ceiling signs. The magazine is distributed via counter trays at checkout and in the photo and beauty departments.Among other activity, the spring issue:showcases summer-related merchandise alongside health tips from Alison Sweeney, host of NBC's The Biggest Loser.promotes a sweepstakes and instant-win game that awards a grand-prize trip to a Biggest Loser Resort. (See "Walgreens Sets ..." in Related Articles.)activates its "Answers at Walgreens" platform in a feature about allergies.presents beauty advice from actress Olivia Wilde, a Revlon spokesperson. The feature also touts deals on select Revlon lip and hair products.presents two pages of private label coupons, one with 16 offers valid April 21-May 18 and the other with four sets of weekly offers during the same time frame.

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