What’s in a Name?

A recent newspaper article re fruit bars highlighted an issue we face constantly. Misuse of product categories/names/research is a problem we constantly face as we focus on bringing the best of breed (category) products in the Wellness/Vitality area to the consumers attention.

The article titled “Health Imposters” said of fruit bars;

Even if they say they are 100% fruit, fruit bars don’t have the water, fibre or vitamin content of fresh fruit.

We had one client (Australian Food Innovators) – the only company in the world, that could dry fruit and produce a fruit bar that was nothing but 100% real fruit with nothing (inc Sulphur, preservatives etc) added in the process at all and retained the full fibre and nutritional makeup of real raw fruit. Sure it didn’t have the full amount of water … but some of the water extracted in drying was added back before being made into a convenient very healthy snack.

So whilst most bars that call themselves fruit bars don’t come close to real fruit at least one does. But it doesn’t stop all the rest making the claims and therefore creating false perceptions.

Another client VibroGym produced the original and most researched Whole Body Vibration Platform. Now there are hundreds of copies – varying greatly in quality. Vibrogym invested plenty in getting volumes of university research done to support claims re the benefits of Whole Body Vibration Training. The machine was the first and only to be approved as a medical device in Europe and Australia in terms on Bone Density improvements, Cortisol reduction etc.

Now every other machine out there makes all the same claims re the research despite working and feeling vastly different from VibroGym. So why pay $15,000 for VibroGym (who employ Physios, Exercise Physiologists etc.) when you can buy one off TV shopping networks for less than $1000??

Another client PhysioTherm produces the Rolls Royce of Far Infra Red Cabins/Sauna. Made of the best timber and using the best heating elements backed by scientific research. But you guessed it. There are hundreds out there making the same claims and leveraging the same research for their cheap imitations.

Why pay $5,000 plus for the finest workmanship backed by research from a company that is a specialist when you can go to the Hardware store and buy one made from fine Burmese timber treated with God only knows what for $1000??

As such, whilst once upon a time being first to market and staking a claim to owning a category was vital it certainly doesn’t pay in the Vitality business. Others simply copy the product or bastardise the claims to suit their specific needs.

But … whilst reading and understanding the basics of labels etc is important some due diligence and research before buying products to improve your Wellbeing and Vitality is time and money well spent.

As always if it seems too good to be true, it generally is.