Toothbrush - Braun electric toothbrush

Drug Store News - New products expand Braun's customer base

As Pirjo Valiaho settles into her new appointment as president of Braun, a promotion earned earlier this summer, she stays focused with the company's goal of making sure it is reaching a broad base of consumers.

Valiaho, a 16-year veteran will be based in Woburn, Mass. On a recent trip to New York, she discussed some of Braun's forward-looking plans with Drug Store News.

"We are aggressively driving the market by introducing a full range of new products in oral care and shave that offer a broad range of price points," Valiaho said.

In Braun's shave segment, the Ultra Flex Integral, Braun's premium shaver, will make its way to drug store shelves in time for Christmas. The Ultra, which launched this March and retails between $120 and $200, was previously only available in department and discount stores. A spokesperson for Braun said the company has already signed on four drug retailers for the premium shaver.

Braun is also expanding SKUs for the Flex Integral, Braun's mid-priced razor, which drug retailers have offered in the past. Flex Integral retails between $50 and $100. This Christmas, Flex Integral will be available in green and yellow.

"I think drug stores are learning from the mass trade; they are experimenting with pushing the envelope in terms of selection. Instead of offering six razors at $39, they're looking to offer two at $39, two at $49 and two at $69," Ian Crichton, marketing manager for Braun's shave products, said.

And, for a limited time this holiday season, Braun will offer the Pocket Twist razor, a pocket-size, battery-powered razor that comes with a twist-cap. Pocket Twists will come in red, yellow and blue and will retail between $9.99 and $14.99.

"I think at the point-of-sale, [Pocket Twists] are going to make a statement. We've had some very good response from the trade on them," Valiaho said.

Earlier this year, Braun introduced the 3D Plaque Remover toothbrush, an item that carries a $120 price tag, the highest price point in Braun's oral care line. At the same time, Braun addressed the lower-end of the price-point spectrum with the D-6, a product meant to appeal to "new consumers" in the power-assisted dental tool market. It retails for $29.99.

Merchandising efforts, Valiaho said, will focus on "displays that show consumers the products' price-point spectrum."

For the first time, Braun is working with a major drug chain to display Oral-B power toothbrushes. A power wing is set to emphasize the brand's mid-priced products, which include Interclean and the D-9. Another drug chain will merchandise Oral-B products along with Gillette products in an encap.

Braun also finished new creative to support the 3D Plaque Remover, which will receive nearly $13 million in advertising for the rest of 1998.

"In this market where the competition is so high, it's hard to capture the consumer. So, we focused [the ads] on 3D's technology, how we're reaching the new dimensions in electric oral care and, more importantly, what it means to the consumer," Valiaho said.