The potential in prevention
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From every direction we are bombarded with the bleak: recession, health threats from over-eating or disease, terrorism, environmental destruction. It’s enough to send anyone into a flat spin, as we desperately seek ways to make everything feel better and to manage our fears. One only has to think of First Defence or the surge in antibacterial, impregnated tissues and in home air purifiers, or simply think of the hard-hitting power of Corsadyl advertising. Fear and control are natural bedfellows and when the message hits the right balance, can put brands at the top of many peoples’ shopping list.
Consumer behaviour to counteract the bad is a powerful trend. In a world of uncertainty where insecurities can swamp us, we look for solutions that help us stay in control, predict the unpredictable, and help modern living become more bearable. And for personal care and OTC brand owners it represents a great opportunity.
You only have to look at the ubiquity of sanitising gels, when swine flu came upon us - to see the potential in easy ways to combating health threats. Innovations in self-diagnosis and early warning are already here: with sun exposure bracelets, pollution monitoring contact lenses, home use dental cameras through to caffeine measuring strips to check the strength of your daily latte.
So how can your brand help consumers future-proof themselves against the baddies? Is there scope to develop brands that not only pamper and preen, but also protect and prevent? Highly advanced anti-ageing formulations are now the norm, but what’s the next step? Are there implications for personal care beyond skincare? What added value can your lipstick or a mouthwash, your skin cream or shampoo achieve by going beyond moisturising or deep-cleansing into the realms of protection or prevention? Ideally, can you offer a sustainable advantage, making products that are both a pleasure to use and which help manage our anxieties about the long-term damage we’re doing to our world? Products that close the virtuous circle and present a real win-win.
Sadly, we are all too well-informed nowadays to think that if we close our eyes the nasties will go away, so the best course of action is to choose brands that help us counteract them. Peace of mind after all, can be half the battle. And for brand owners that means making the most of the positives, turning prevention into an enjoyable experience, and ensuring a brighter future for us, and our planet in the process.
