Pharma Business: Printed Alu-Alu / Cold form foil for brand-name visibility.

PharmaBusiness
Printed Alu-Alu / Cold form foil ensures
High brand-name visibility & retention in patients mind. This helps in preventing brand substitution … allowing undistorted brand growth

In most parts of the world, pharmaceutical brands are marketed in blister packs. While PVC-based blister packs protect the formulation at a functional level, the branding of pharmaceutical products in these packs often lacks sufficient visibility and retention in patients’ minds.

The brand name on PVC-based blister packs is printed on the blister lidding foil along with various statutory details. The small printed surface area of the blister lidding foil diminishes the prominence of the brand name, making it difficult for patients to read and remember. This vulnerability exposes brands to the risk of being substituted by cheap copies or counterfeits.

It has been observed that in India, some brands are recognized by patients based on the color of the blister film rather than the brand name (e.g., pela/lal/hara color ka pathi). In such cases, copycat brands also market their products with similar colored blister films, making it easy for the authentic brand to be substituted.

It is high time pharmaceutical companies deploy smart packaging techniques to make their brands stand out, ensuring that the brand prescribed by the doctor gets registered in the minds of patients and thereby preventing brand substitution.

“Printed Alu-Alu” packaging bridges this gap. Unlike PVC-based blister films where branding is not prominent, in the case of Alu-Alu, the pack and pocket size being larger, allows branding to be printed and visible on the Alu-Alu side as well.

Some brands are already packaged in “Printed Alu-Alu” with their unique branding and complex graphics, making them stand out in the minds of patients and protecting them from getting substituted. Some also have the company name printed as part of corporate image building.

Innovative packaging can help pharmaceutical brands stand out, making them less vulnerable to substitution and thereby contributing in improving sales

August 6, 2024

Business Strategy