The Online Advertising Playbook: Proven Strategies and Tested Tactics from The Advertising Research Foundation

Brand Growth, Rewards, and Loyalty

Leverage Integrated Multichannel Communications to Launch a Line Extension: Tylenol Eight-Hour Relief

To grow, pain relief brands rely heavily on brand extensions that meet the needs of new segments. As baby boomers seek to stay young by working out and doing strenuous exercise, Tylenol saw a need for a longer-lasting pain reliever for muscular soreness related to so-called active pains from exercise and sports. The company formulated Tylenol 8 Hour.

Tylenol’s consumer insight revealed that men took pain relievers to treat their aches and pains after sports workouts. That might have been enough right there, but not all guys are that physical and their need for pain relief would be occasional at best. Looking to develop a strong niche market, Tylenol instead focused on a mind-set, the “weekend warriors” who like to play hard and exercise vigorously, those for whom “not playing is not an option.” These warriors like the simplicity of “one and done” to cope with the lingering effects of achy muscles and mild tweaks, unlike, say, parents who carefully monitor their children’s dosing and don’t want them to take any more than needed to deal with an acute situation. Sounds great, right? Now the question is: How do you carve out a messaging strategy that speaks directly to the weekend warrior and doesn’t get lost in general advertising against the larger demographic? Attitude targets are terrific, but if your brand can’t address them through media channels, ...