Prevacid's Pitch Now In More Than 100,000 Stores

Pharmaceutical brands are big business, and the competition is fierce. Pharma brands are exploring inventive and aggressive ways to reach existing and prospective consumers, which often means promoting them like many other mainstream products.

So it's no surprise that Prevacid 24HR, an over-the-counter competitor of Prilosec OTC (both drugs are designed to ease the symptoms associated with heartburn) is flooding retailers with in-store promotions that rival even the most aggressive consumer marketing tactics. Even before its November launch, Prevacid 24 HR was being touted by retail superstores Costco, Target, and Wal-Mart, grocery stores Kroger and Safeway, and drug chains CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.

Over 100,000 retailers are now making use of a variety of marketing materials, including an eye-catching giant Prevacid capsule attached to a floor stand. On the capsule are brochures printed in English and Spanish, along with coupons good for $2 off the product. Participating retailers are even creating their own customized versions of in-store displays and the accompanying TV ads.

The in-store promotion is part of an integrated campaign including TV, print, and online with a reported launch budget of a whopping $200 million. The campaign better work – or execs at Novartis, Prevacid 24HR's creator, might find their stomachs churning.