We know that people get frustrated and/or confused when they are faced with too many choices and where the benefits aren’t communicated. This is particularly true in low engagement categories, where people aren’t particularly active, inspired, or dare I say, overly interested in the category.

Often in healthcare and wellness people are coming into the category blind with no understanding of what is important, what to look for and how to navigate.

Take the humble plaster…

My son had cut his knee quite badly (trip to A & E). My father (a GP), had given me strict instructions on how to look after his “wound/cut”. Armed with a picture of said wound dressing, I went to Boots.

First problem – said item was not in stock.

Second problem – how many different types of plasters are there?

When I was growing up, there was less choice. You had the tan fabric plasters (which always managed to curl up at the edges and collect all sorts of things) and waterproof assorted plasters (remember, there was always that random small round plaster which served no purpose whatsoever).

Now I know things have moved on, but I was not expecting to be standing in front of the shelf for a good few minutes trying to figure out if I needed spray on plasters (!), fast healing plasters, cushioned, waterproof or wash-proof (what’s the difference?), scar reduction, hydrocolloid (what?) faster healing…

Eventually, I took the easy way out and bought what was on offer!

So, the moral of the story is, Healthcare and Wellness Brands shouldn’t assume people have any knowledge of their category prior to entry.

Brands need to help facilitate understanding at shelf, to enable people to pick the right product for their needs. Otherwise, people like myself will start by selecting a product based on price, rather than the benefits your brand is offering compared to your competitors.