Future of Naturals

1.     Thinking about all the healthcare categories for which you could buy/use OTC products, which ones do you think are most appropriate for “natural” products—why?  Which healthcare categories do you think are least appropriate for “natural” products—why?  

-I'd want a natural solution for all OTC products, there is nothing that I would deem inappropriate.  As long as the natural version was effective, I'd prefer to use it.

2.     What barriers/concerns keep you from using more “natural” items?  What do you wish they could fix, change &/or invent in the future & how would this help?

-As long as they are effective, I'd use them.

3.     I want to understand your impressions of a few different healthcare companies that could offer “natural” products in the future.  For each company, please blog about their strengths, weaknesses & credibility when it comes to “natural” products.

a.     Bayer and C. Pfizer - Not credible, too much of a big pharma company.  They'd have to do a lot of convincing me to make me believe certain products of theirs were actually natural.

b.    Johnson & Johnson - When I think of Johnson & Johnson I think of a family company, which makes me feel like they are a bit more credible.

4.     Thinking about the “conventional” OTC healthcare brands below, which brand/s do you think are better suited to evolving their product line to include “natural” products?  For each, explain why it makes sense, what this brand “brings to the party”.  Conversely, which brand/s do you think are less suited to evolving their product line to include “natural” products?  Again, for each, please explain why it doesn’t make sense.

a.     Claritin  

b.    Aleve

c.     One-A-Day

d.    Advil

e.     Centrum

f.      Robitussin 

g.    Tylenol

I think they all make sense.  I don't have different answers for different products, because as a blanket statement, I feel like it always makes sense to have a natural product when possible.  If you told me that any of the above products had a natural version, I'd use it.  Again, assuming it works.

5.     On the following page is a description of a new line of products.  First, blog about your overall interest in this idea.  What do you like/dislike about it?  I like that it's an entire line of natural products with different items to help sooth a variety of issues.  Which products are more/less interesting to you & why?  They are all interesting to me.  Then, consider the follow 2 options for naming/branding this new line.

a.     If it came from a new-to-the-world brand, how would you think/feel about it—what are the pros/cons of this line coming from a new brand?  I'd definitely have an open mind.  The only cons is that it isn't an established and trusted brand, but it's also a pro because it has the opportunity to have a fresh start and prove itself.

b.    If it came from “the makers of One-A-Day”, how would you think/feel about it—what are the pros/cons?  Does the One-A-Day brand fit with products that go beyond multivitamins—why/why not?  I typically associate One-A-Day with vitamins, but vitamins = being healthy, so this makes sense to me.  I'd use them!