For the same type of product, why do consumer needs vary in intensity? For a uniform category of products, why does market performance fluctuate between growth and decline? This phenomenon is particularly prominent in today's pharmaceutical market, especially for Over-The-Counter (OTC) drugs. So, what causes lead to this phenomenon? This series of questions truly puzzles people. Product power is the trigger for these issues. Product power refers to a product's ability to attract its target audience, which can be simply referred to as product power. Product attractiveness is composed of three independent core forces: motivation, imagination, and influence. Each of these forces can independently exert influence, attracting the target or consumer group from different angles. Product power is the core factor in building OTC marketing strategies. The stronger the product power, the higher the consumer demand, and the market performance shows an upward trend.
In the practice of marketing's 4Ps, product is the most fundamental element. Its specific form can either be tangible products or intangible services. From the perspective of consumer demand, the existence of a product is meant to satisfy consumer needs, while product power represents how well the product fulfills those needs during the consumption process. Therefore, building product power becomes the first issue that enterprises need to address in marketing practices.
So, how can pharmaceutical companies enhance their product power?
1. **Product Quality**
Discussing enhancing product power without considering product quality is just empty talk. Product quality can even be said to be the lifeblood of a company. Without product quality, brands, growth, and competition are all "complicated," especially in the pharmaceutical industry where product quality is the cornerstone for a company's survival and development. Product quality has not only become a perpetual theme for modern enterprise growth but also an important weight for brands to achieve "long-term prosperity."
**Case Analysis:** Good products on the market don't necessarily sell well, but products that sell well must be good ones. Maintaining the stability and continuity of product quality is the foundation for pharmaceutical companies' existence, directly relating to brand reputation, loyalty, and brand safety. Even though many companies have passed national GMP certification, there are significant differences in product quality. Many cases of adverse reactions in patients frequently reported in the media are good examples. Therefore, medicines absolutely cannot compromise on quality and must innovate in quality to surpass competitors.
Company A has already passed EU and New Zealand GMP certifications at its Shijiazhuang base. It has established three production bases certified by the EU and the US FDA in Shijiazhuang, Daxing Beijing, and Miyun Beijing. The base's scientific research, production, quality control, and commercial talents are largely international in background. The base was designed under the leadership of a foreign expert team, adopting all modern pharmaceutical high-tech and equipment to establish a quality control system suitable for international pharmaceutical production standards. Modern production lines, reliable product quality, and strong production capabilities have become the core competitiveness of the company’s products, providing strong support for achieving outward orientation, surpassing, and aligning with international standards.
2. **Product Positioning**
When it comes to positioning, I believe everyone is familiar with it. Product positioning refers to the position a product occupies in the consumer's mind. Product positioning includes functional positioning, quality positioning, market positioning, etc., but the key lies in consumer perception.
**Case Analysis:** Product A clearly states in its function and indication: "Used for bone joint disease due to blood stasis obstruction and cold-dampness blocking the meridians, symptoms include: joint stabbing pain or dull pain..." meaning it specifically targets osteophyte problems, ensuring effective treatment for osteophytes with product power backing it up. The stable consumer base over the past decade also confirms this point. More importantly, after recognizing the potential of specialized ointments for osteophytes, the company actively retained the original product name “Bone Hyperplasia One Patch Miracle” on the new packaging. The product packaging also specifies “Before being approved as a new drug in 2000, it was a health medicine approved by a certain province, named Bone Hyperplasia One Patch Miracle.” This greatly facilitates effective connection with old customers of Bone Hyperplasia One Patch Miracle.
The product focuses on being a "specialized ointment for osteoarthritis (osteophytes)," which is realistic and can smoothly transfer the Bone Hyperplasia One Patch Miracle market. In the long term, the company occupies the valuable brand positioning of "specialized ointment for osteophytes," ultimately forming its unique core value, giving consumers a unique reason to purchase, and establishing itself firmly in the market.