Case study marki Alka-Seltzer Album Superbrands USA 09/10

1. ®
THE MARKET that time, the original six-inch-
Food and drink are at the heart high doll was insured for $100,000
of family gatherings, holiday cele- and kept in the vault of a Beverly
brations, and connections with Hills bank. A true icon, Speedy
friends. Whether it’s a holiday or Alka-Seltzer returned from retire-
weekday, individuals enjoy seeking ment in 2007.
out good times with friends
and family. Super Bowl festivities, THE PRODUCT
summer picnics, and Thanksgiving The original Alka-Seltzer was
meals are all times when it’s easy introduced as a remedy for
to overindulge. headaches and indigestion. It is a
While food and drink help peo- combination of aspirin (acetyl-
ple connect, overindulgence can salicylic acid), citric acid, and
lead to heartburn, acid indigestion, sodium bicarbonate. The product is
upset stomach, headache, and body available in the form of two large
ache. For more than 75 years, Alka- effervescent tablets (one inch in
Seltzer® has been providing fast diameter) that need to be dissolved
relief to millions of consumers with in a four-ounce glass of water.
its unique formula designed to alle- Once dissolved, the acid and bicar-
viate both stomach and head pain. bonate react, producing carbon
dioxide gas (the “seltzer” in Alka-
ACHIEVEMENTS Seltzer). The word “alka” is derived
Alka-Seltzer is one of the most from alkali.
iconic brands in American history, People ask all the time, “What
generating great nostalgic imagery is effervescence?” They’ve heard
that has kept the brand a mainstay that term associated with Alka-
of popular culture for more than 75 Seltzer for years. Is it the bubbles?
years. In fact, Alka-Seltzer has What makes the bubbles? Do those
long been associated with effervescent bubbles work?
some of the most memo- The short answer is “Yes, it's the
rable and oft-quoted ads in bubbles!” They're the result of a
U.S. television history. series of chemical interactions that
Rooted in American in the United States. speed the delivery of the medicine and bring fast
popular culture, the Alka-Seltzer was intro- relief. Effervescence refers to the unique and lively
brand is well-known for duced by Miles Labora- bubbling form that creates “The Alka-Seltzer
its creative and memo- tories and was brought to Experience.” After dropping the tablet into
rable advertising cam- market as a remedy for water, consumers know that relief is on the way.
paigns, including “Speedy headaches and indigestion. Simply put, the medicine dissolves fast and is
Alka-Seltzer” and the famous Known as a popular brand ready to go to work the instant it’s ingested. The
jingle “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz.” with a rich history, the efferves- time it would take for the body to dissolve a pill
Other famous award-winning cent Alka-Seltzer tablet gently is eliminated.
campaigns include 1969’s breaks up and dissolves Alka-Seltzer is now available in a wide
“Mama Mia, That’s a Spicy away indigestion, heart- variety of flavors and formulas, including
Meatball,” 1971’s “Try burn, and pain. original and lemon-lime flavors, as well as
It, You’ll Like It,” and In 1951, the famous Alka-Seltzer Extra Strength for the most power-
the 1972 spot “I Can’t baby-faced character ful relief, Alka-Seltzer for Heartburn Relief,
Believe I Ate the Whole Speedy Alka-Seltzer Alka-Seltzer Wake-Up Call for hangover symp-
Thing,” which went on to was born, featuring toms, Alka-Seltzer Gold for gentle relief, and
become one of Newsweek an Alka-Seltzer tablet Alka-Seltzer PM for nighttime relief. The prod-
magazine’s 10 most memo- body with hat and effer- uct continues to be a tried-and-true remedy for
rable lines of the decade. vescent wand. Originally known heartburn, acid indigestion, upset stomach,
as Sparky, his name was changed headache, and body pains. Word of its effective-
HISTORY by a sales manager to reflect that ness is found not only on drugstore and pharmacy
Launched in 1931, Alka-Seltzer year's promotional theme, “Speedy shelves, but also throughout the TV airwaves via
remains one of the most well-known Relief.” Speedy Alka-Seltzer creative and memorable advertising campaigns as
over-the-counter products was retired in 1964. At well as on the Internet.
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2. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
In March 2008, Bayer Consumer Care
launched Alka-Seltzer Wake-Up Call,
which includes a special combination
of ingredients to relieve headaches and
body pain, while fighting the fatigue
associated with hangovers. As a result,
consumers don’t have to suffer the con-
sequences of overindulgence from good
times with friends and family. Alka-
Seltzer Wake-Up Call packs a maxi-
mum-strength pain reliever and caffeine
into a refreshing, effervescent citrus
product that is gentle on the stomach.
It’s better than a single-ingredient pain
reliever because it can relieve both
morning headache and fatigue. Sym-
ptoms commonly associated with hang-
over — minor aches and pains with
fatigue and drowsiness — are not nec-
essarily a result of excessive drinking.
For many people, these symptoms can
result from no more than a late night
with one or two drinks.
PROMOTION
Eight Alka-Seltzer commercials have
won Clio awards, the ad industry’s
equivalent to the Oscars. The remedy’s
first spokesman was the animated, stop-action 1970 campaign. In 1971’s “Try It,
sprite from the early 1950s, Speedy Alka-Seltzer. You’ll Like It,” the protagonist
Twenty-four-year-old radio actor Dick Beals samples an unusual dish recommended by his that provides this dual stomach-and-head bene-
served as the voice of Speedy in more than 100 waiter — with disastrous results. Even though fit to consumers.
commercials. Speedy Alka-Seltzer reigned for “Ralph” couldn’t believe he “ate the whole thing” • Reliable. Alka-Seltzer has a long heritage. The
more than 10 years, and in the 1970s again in 1972, that line lived on in pop culture through products are a staple in many households.
graced TV screens singing the new “Plop, Plop, the rest of the decade. In 2005, a remake of “I • Spirited. Over the years, Alka-Seltzer has lever-
Can’t Believe” was launched in aged its heritage in humorous advertising to
honor of the brand’s 75th anniver- connect with its consumer.
sary in 2006. The ad is a playful
salute, featuring Doris Roberts
and Peter Boyle of Everybody
THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
Loves Raymond fame. In each of
ALKA-SELTZER
these historic ads, the fictional
sufferers have experienced upset
stomach and pain from overindul- H Alka-Seltzer sold more than 300 million
gence, and Alka-Seltzer has been tablets in 2005, enough of the one-inch
the remedy providing relief to tablets to stretch all the way from New York
them all. City to Moscow, Russia.
Over the years, the brand has H The original Speedy puppet was lost en route
moved away from traditional to the Philippines in 1971, but was found in
advertising and focused on inno- an Australian warehouse five years later.
vative online and viral campaigns.
H Speedy appeared in 212 commercials from
1954 to 1964.
BRAND VALUES
Alka-Seltzer is a brand that peo- H Searching for Speedy’s voice talent took more
ple associate with relief from than 400 auditions.
overindulgence in food and drink. H Paul Margulies, father of actress Julianna
The values most associated with Margulies (of TV show ER fame), wrote the
the Alka-Seltzer brand are: “Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz” theme song.
• Effective. For more than 75 H Kim Basinger and Morgan Freeman have
years, consumers have been appeared in Alka-Seltzer commercials.
relying on Alka-Seltzer for its
H In 1998, political strategist husband and wife
Fizz, Fizz” jingle, which ran from 1975 to 1980. effective relief. In return, Alka-Seltzer has been
James Carville and Mary Matalin appeared in
Speedy appeared with Buster Keaton, blasted off committed to providing the highest-quality
the “National Capital Relief” ad to promote
in a rocket to the moon, and sang and danced relief to its consumers.
Alka-Seltzer.
with Sammy Davis Jr. • Multisymptom. Consumers use Alka-Seltzer
The Alka-Seltzer brand’s best-loved television products not only to treat their upset stomachs H Alka-Seltzer used to be sold in glass tubes,
spots have traditionally focused on fictional but also to combat their headaches with body which were discontinued in 1984 to reduce
sufferers like “Jack,” the star of the “Mama aches. Alka-Seltzer is different from other costs and eliminate breakage problems.
Mia, That’s a Spicy Meatball,” an award-winning antacid brands as it is the only antacid brand
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