Novartis Consumer Health is turning to direct marketing in a bid to
overcome consumer fears about its new ’functional food’ range,
Aviva.
Aviva launches in October with products which the drug and nutrition
company claims will improve people’s heart, bone and digestive
health.
The brand includes drinks, biscuits, breakfast cereals and cereal
bars.
Novartis has hired direct marketing agency Joshua to develop a direct
mail, inserts and door-drop campaign.
Fiona Godwin-Brown, director of responsive marketing at Joshua, said:
’It’s the type of product that needs explaining to make people
understand that it’s not spooky or creepy, but uses natural
ingredients.’
Direct mail will be targeted at its core consumers, who it has
identified as aged 35 and over, with some concerns about their heart,
bone and digestive health.
Joshua parent Grey is using Healthy People, its specialist agency based
in Germany, to create the above-the-line campaign. This will be used to
raise brand awareness.
Novartis hopes that the launch of Aviva will expand the functional foods
market, which is already worth pounds 230m (Mintel).
Benecol, the functional spread from McNeil Consumer Nutritionals, has a
5% share of the spread/dairy category, despite a price of pounds 2.49.
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