Building the brand nutrozinc a zinc supplement syrup for kid master project in business and marketing management

TRệễỉNG ẹAẽI HOẽC Mễ TP. HCM
HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES
SOLVAY BRUSSELS SCHOOL

MBMM4

Nguyen Huu Diem Phuong

Building the brand nutrozinc - A zinc supplement syrup for kid

MASTER PROJECT
MASTER IN BUSINESS & MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Tutors name: Dr. Bui Thanh Trang

Ho Chi Minh City
(2010)


i

DECLARATION
I declare that this study does not incorporate without acknowledgment any material
previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university; and that to the best of
knowledge it does not contain any materials previously published or written by another
person except where due reference is made in the text.

…………………………………………….
Signature of the Student

December 15th, 2010
Nguyen Huu Diem Phuong
Master of Business and Marketing Management


ii

ACKNOWNLEDGEMENT
This project would not be possible without the advice, assistance, cooperation and
encouragement from a number of people. I would like to acknowledge their help and
support. The most important individual has been my tutor, Dr. Bui Thanh Trang, who gave
guidance and valuable advices during the last four months. Thanks to Dr Trang, this project
has been made possible.
Moreover, I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Tran Manh Hao, my mentor in
I.A.M. Vietnam, who have supported me during the development of this project. I also
would like to thanks Solvay Business School Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City Open
University and all proffessors who have lectured and shared valuable practical experiences
during the MBMM program.
Last, but not least, I wish to thank my family members for their love, assistance,
encouragement and patience.


iii

TUTOR’S COMMENTS

I am writing to confirm that the project entitled:
BUILDING THE BRAND NUTROZINC – A ZINC SUPPLEMENT SYRUP FOR KID
A product belongs to Supplement Category, Pharmaceutical
Prepared by

Ms. NGUYEN HUU DIEM PHUONG
has satisfied the requirement for a Master’s project in Business and Marketing
Management.
I, therefore, recommend that the project be presented.

Bui Thanh Trang


iv

CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 3
i.

Rationale of the project .......................................................................................................... 3

ii.

Problem statement .................................................................................................................. 3

iii.

Scope of the project ................................................................................................................ 3

iv.

Research methods ................................................................................................................... 3

v.

Structure of the project ........................................................................................................... 4

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................. 5
1.1.

Brand and Branding ................................................................................................................ 5

1.1.1.
1.1.2.
1.1.3.
1.1.4.
1.1.5.
1.2.

What is a brand ............................................................................................................... 5
Brand Equity ................................................................................................................... 5
Brand positioning ............................................................................................................ 6
Brand concept (brand premise) ....................................................................................... 6
What is branding ............................................................................................................. 7

Qualitative research................................................................................................................ 7

1.2.1.
1.2.2.

Individual depth Interview .............................................................................................. 7
Focus Group Discussion .................................................................................................. 7

CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH DESIGN ..................................................................................................... 9

2.1.

Research problem ................................................................................................................... 9

2.2.

Research framework............................................................................................................... 9

2.2.1.
2.2.2.
2.2.3.
2.3.

Research targets .............................................................................................................. 9
Research stages ............................................................................................................ 10
Data collection .............................................................................................................. 10

Research findings ................................................................................................................. 11

CHAPTER 3: SITUATION ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. 12
3.3.

Internal environment ............................................................................................................ 12

3.2.

External environment ........................................................................................................... 12

3.2.1.
3.2.2.

3.2.3.
3.2.4.
3.3.

Population and kids’ undernutrition situation ................................................................ 12
Economic growth and medication expenditure ............................................................. 13
Sociocultural Specific ................................................................................................... 14
Competition .................................................................................................................. 15

Consumer environment......................................................................................................... 17


v

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMENDATIONS ............................................................. 19
4.1.

Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 19

4.2.

Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 20

4.2.1.
4.2.2.
4.2.3.
4.2.4.
4.2.5.
4.2.6.
4.2.7.

4.3.

Marketing goals and objectives .................................................................................... 20
Brand Strategy .............................................................................................................. 20
Product Strategy ............................................................................................................ 23
Pricing Strategy............................................................................................................. 24
Distribution Strategy ..................................................................................................... 24
Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy ............................................................ 24
Recommendation for implementation and monitoring marketing activities ................. 27

Monitoring and evaluation .................................................................................................... 28

APPENDIX A: INDEPTH INTERVIEW DISCUSSION GUIDE ........................................................ 30
APPENDIX B: FGD CONCEPT TEST DISCUSSION GUIDE ........................................................... 32
APPENDIX C: BRAND CONCEPTS FOR FGD CONCEPT TEST .................................................... 34
APPENDIX D: STANDARD SOCIAL ECONOMIC CLASS .............................................................. 35
APPENDIX E: NUTROZINC SYRUP ................................................................................................. 36


vi

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 - Research Stages .............................................................................................................. 10
Figure 2 - Vietnam GDP/Capita 1995 - 2010F in USD .................................................................... 13
Figure 3 - Medication expenditure 2000 - 2008 in USD .................................................................. 14
Figure 4 - The growth of the Pharmaceutical Industry 2001 - 2013F ............................................... 15
Figure 5 – Perceptual map of kid’s growth and development products ........................................... 16

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 - Prevalence of under nutrition in 2008 .............................................................................. 12

Table 2- Prevalance of Stunting by province/city in 2008 ............................................................... 13
Table 3 - Price Index ....................................................................................................................... 24
Table 4 - 12 months marketing schedule for Nutrozinc ................................................................... 27
Table 5 - Estimated Nutrozinc Sales 2011 - 2013 ............................................................................ 27
Table 6 - Estimated 12 months Marketing budget for Nutrozinc ..................................................... 28


1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Nutrozinc Syrup is a zinc supplement product which is suitable for kids. Every 5ml has Zinc
sulfate equivalent to 10mg Zn, an essential micromineral in human body and especially
important in growing kids . The product is used in Zinc insufficient cases such as: poor
absorption, loss of appetite, stunting and growth retardation in kid. The product is imported
and distributed by Central Pharmaceutical No 1 Company, a leading local pharmaceutical
company. Nutrozinc had been successfully penetrated to the ETC (prescribed) channel.
The company now wants to penetrate to OTC market. In order to do this, the company
need to build brand for Nutrozinc.
More than one-third of the kids under five years old in Vietnam is suffered from stunting
and growth retardation. And many others are suffered from loss of appetite, which makes
mothers worried and stressed the most as the kid is the center of the family in the current
Vietnam scociety.
In the pharmaceutical market, there has been many products, mostly multivitamin, for
supporting kids’ growth and appetite. Among them, Nutroplex, Lysivit and Cansua 3 are
the three most popular brands currently. Nutroplex promises a strong starting point for kids;
Lysivit stimulates appetite to help the kids grow fast and strong while Cansua 3 offers
height improvement. However, they all have temporary effects not the long term ones that
mothers are looking for.
Qualitative exploratory research on mothers who have or think that their kids at the age of
one to six years old suffered from stunting and growth retardness shows that they love

chubby kids. Therefore, they are very worry if their kids do not gain weight. They think
that the major reason is lack of appetite. They will try many ways and make a lot of efforts
to make the kids eat. This is a very tough and stressful process for many mothers. They


2

even become desperated because the kid is the indicator of the family status and how good
a mother be. Height, another measurement of kids’ growth, has been awared as an
important element currently; however, mothers do not know the exact height of their kids
while they can speak right away the kids’ weight.
The research also reveals that there are two groups of mothers who care a lot about their
kids growth and spend their whole heart on improving their kids’ condition. These are the
overstressed mothers who have tried many ways from forcing the kid to eat, using many
multivitamins products to seeking nutritionists’ consultancy but the kids stay the same. The
other group is un-satisfied mothers. Their kids are growing normaly but they nerver
satisfied with that and always think that the kids do not grow as well as their peers. They
want their kid to be chubbier and taller. Mothers from both groups are non-stop searching
for appetite improvement solutions fot their beloved kids.
Mothers do not aware of neither micromineral nor their roles in kids’ development;
therefore, Zinc is something totally new to them. For the kids under two years old, mothers
never give them anything without doctor’s prescription. They only feel open and confident
to try OTC products for their kid when they are over two years old.
Nutrozinc syrup supplies essential adequate daily zinc intake for kids to increase
absorption which lead to natural appetite, which is a long term effect that mothers are
looking for. This proposition of Nutrozinc has been bought in by target mothers in the
concept test (via focus group discussions).
Base on the above findings, a branding strategy with a twelve months implementation
schedule is recommended for Nutrozinc to get 300,000 units sold in the first year.

3

INTRODUCTION
i.

Rationale of the project

Any product, to be successful in the competitive market, needs a strong brand. Nutrozinc, a
zinc supplement syrup product for kids, which is going to be launched to the OTC market in
2011 is not an exception. It is a must to build Nutrozinc a strong brand in order to ensure its
vitality in the market.
ii.

Problem statement

Nutrozinc Syrup has penetrated the ethical (ETC) market 6 months ago. The product has
proved its effectiveness in curing anorexia and improved the stunting condition in kids
aged from one to five. It also gains pediatrists’ prescriptions for stunting and loss of
appetite cases in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Pharmacies are also aware of Nutrozincs
thank to the recent frequent prescriptions from doctors.
It is time to move to another step, the OTC market. However, no branding strategy for
Nutrozinc has been developed.
iii.

Scope of the project

This study focuses on the vitamin & supplement for kids category and mother who has kid
from 1 to 5 years old who suffer from stunting, growth retardness and loss of appetite.
All consumer researches were conducted in Ho Chi Minh City.

iv.

Research methods
Secondary research: Desk research was used to provide general information
Primary research: Qualitative research (In depth Interview and Focus Group Discussion)
was used to understand target consumers perception and insights in this category.


4

v.

Structure of the project
This project includes four Chapters and five Appendix
Chapter 1: Literature review
Chapter 2: Research Design
Chapter 3: Situation analysis
Chapter 4: Conclusions and Recommendations
Refferences
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E


5

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Brand and Branding

1.1.1. What is a brand
Brand is defined as “ a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them,
intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to
differentiate them from those of competitors”

by The American Marketing

Association.
1.1.2. Brand Equity
Brand Equity is the added value endowed on products and services. It may be reflected
in the way consumers think, feel and act with respect to the brand, as well as in the
prices, market share, and profitability the brand commands for the firm
Customer-based brand equity is the differential effect that brand knowledge has on
consumer response to the marketing of that brand. There are three key ingredients of
customer-based brand equity:


First, brand equity arises from differences in customer response. If no
differences occur, then the brand bane product or commodity or genegic version
of the product. Competition will probably based on price



Second, differences in response are a result of of consumer’s knowledge about
the brand. Brand knowledge consists of all the thoughts, feelings, images,
experiences, beliefs, and so on that become associated with the brand. In
particular, brands must create strong, favorable, and unique brand associations
with customer.

6



Third, the differential response by consumers that makes up brand equity is
reflected in perceptions, preferences, and behavior related to akk aspect of the
marketing of a brand. Stronger brand lead to greater revenue.

The challenge in building a strong brand is therefore ensuring that customers have the
right type of experiences with products, services and their marketing programs to
create the desired brand knowledge.
1.1.3. Brand positioning
According to Kotler & Keller in Marketing Management 13rd edition, Positioning is the
act of designing the company’s offering offering and image to occupy a disctinctive
place in the minds of the target market. The goal is to locate the brand in the minds of
consumers to maximize the potential benefit to the firm. S good brand positioning helps
guide marketing strategy by clarifying the brand’s essence, what goals it helps the
consumer achieve, and how it does so in a unique way. Every one in the organization
should understand the brand positioning and use it as context for making decisions.
1.1.4. Brand concept (brand premise)
A brand premise is the marketer’s vision of what the brand must be and do for
consumers. At the end of the day, the true value and future prospects of a brand rest
with consumers, their knowledge about the brand, and their likely response to
marketing activities as a result of this knowledge. Understanding consumer brand
knowledge – all the different things that become linked to the brand in the minds of
consumers – is thus of paramount importance because it is the foundation of the brand
equity.


7

1.1.5. What is branding
Branding is endowing products and services with the power of a brand. It’s all about
creating differences between products. Marketers need to teach consumers “who” the
product is – by giving it a name and other brand elements to identify it – as well as
what the product does and why consumer should care. Branding creates mental
structure that’s helps consumer organize their knowledge about products and services
in a way that clarifies their decision making and, in the process, provides value to the
firm.
1.2. Qualitative research
Qualitative research includes an “array of interpretive techniques which seek to
describe, decode, translate, and otherwise come to terms with the meaning, not the
frequency of certain more or less naturally occurring phenomena in the scocial world.”
Qualitative research is ideal if researcher want to extract feelings, emotions,
motivations, perceptions, consumer “language”, or self-describe behavior.
1.2.1. Individual depth Interview
The interview is the primary data collection technique for gathering data in qualitative
methodologies. Interviews vary based on the number of people involved during the
interview, the level of structure, the proximity of the interviewer to the participant, and
the number of interviews conduct during the research.
An Individual depth interview (IDI) is an interaction between an individual interviewer
and a single participant.
1.2.2. Focus Group Discussion
The focus group is a panel of people (typically 6 -10 participants), led by atrained
moderator, who meet for 90 – 120 minutes. The facilitator or moderator use thes group


8

dynamics principles to focus guide the group in an exchange of ideas, feelings, and

experiences on a specific topic.


9

CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH DESIGN
In order to collect information about market and consumers; Secondary and Primariy
researches have been conducted in Ho Chi Minh City with the following design
2.1. Research problem
Although clearly understand pathology and root causes of stunting, growth retardness and
loss of appetite in kids from 1 to 5 years old, the company does not have any clue about the
insights of the mothers of these kids. It is a crucial need to:
 Understand how these mothers perceive their kids conditions, what they have done
for the kids as well as what they are expecting from a suplement product brand for
their kids. These consumer insights will serve as materials for developing the brand
concepts for Nutrozinc.
 After the brand concepts for Nutrozinc have been developed, they will be tested
with consumers to find the most suitable one.
2.2. Research framework
2.2.1. Research targets
Mothers of kid aged 1 to 5 years old, who are living in Ho Chi Minh City, of
ABCD SEC. These mothers are not satisfied with their kids’ current growing
condition. They think that the kids are suffering from stunting or anorexia/ loss
of appetite/ mal-nutrition problems.
The research also covers an expert interview part to thouroughly understand the
mothers described above from the pediatrict’s point of view.


10

2.2.2. Research stages
The research has been conducted through two stages as followed in fugure 1

Exploratory

Brand concepts test

Understand the market and consumers’ insights

Select the winning brand concept

 Secondary research:
Using desk research to collect
background information about the
OTC supplements for kids market.

 Primary research:
• Conducted after brand concepts
have been developed
• Using qualitative research –
Focus group discussion, to select
the winning brand concept.
• Research design:
 02 FGDs (5
respondents/group)

 Primary research:
• Using qualitative research – Indepth interview, to understand the
mothers’ perception and explore
their insights towards their kids

condition (stunting and anorexia)
and the kid supplement category
• Research design:
 01 Expert interview
 10 IDIs with target consumer

Figure 1 - Research Stages

2.2.3. Data collection
2.2.3.1.

Exploratory stage

 Secondary research


Vietnam macroeconomics general information



Pharmaceutical market general information



OTC market information – supplements for kid category



Stunting in kids – the situation in Vietnam

 Primary research – IDI


Expert IDI: the situations of stunting in kids. The gap between
what mothers thinks and what pediatrics think, what mothers


11

often do when facing such issue and what they have done is
right or wrong.


Mothers IDIs:
 What do they think about stunting and anoxeria in kid?
When do they start worrying that such thing may be
happening to their kids? What do they feel when their
kid suffer from such condition? What do stunting and
loss of appetite will cause to the kids’ future?
 What do they understand about the supplement brands
that help support the kids’ growth? How do they
distinguish these brands and how do they consider and
decide a brand for their kids (OTC). What influence their
buying decision?

2.2.3.2.

Brand concepts test stage

Via focus group discussion to find out the winning brand concept base on:



Overall liking



Key brand message delivery. Do target consumers find the brand credible
enough?



Does the brand concept fit with what these mothers are searching for?
(product benefits)



Brand image take out



The uniqueness of the brand concept

2.3. Research findings
Research findings will be separated into two parts and presented in following stages of
this project.


12

CHAPTER 3: SITUATION ANALYSIS

3.3. Internal environment
Central Pharmaceutical Company No 1 (CPC1), a member of the Vietnam Pharmaceutical
Company, is a nationwide distributor of pharmaceutical products (ethical and OTC).
CPC1’s head office is in Hanoi with four branches in Bac Giang, Quang Ninh, Danang and
Ho Chi Minh City. The branches can be assigned to be responsible for a specific
brand/product base on the specific market.
Central Pharmaceutical Company No 1 is one of the leaders in local pharmaceutical
distributors. They have settled a strong business in ethical products, especially in the
Hospital channel. However, the company is not doing well on the pharmacy channel as
well as having its own brands. In order to grow and penetrate into the OTC market, the
company will start with launching a OTC brand.
Nutrozinc is the chosen brand and will be handled by the Ho Chi Minh City Branch. The
goal is to make Nutrozinc a leading brand in kids stunting supplement category for kids.
Above all, it is critial to find a strong positioning for Nutrozinc.
3.2. External environment
3.2.1. Population and kids’ undernutrition situation
With the population of over 86 million, in which
kids under five years old accounts for 7.65
million, the country is still facing severe
undernutrition issues in kids. It is one of the
countries that have the highest rate of stunting

Unit %
Underweight
Stunting
Wasting

Vietnam
19.9
32.6

7.0

Table 1 - Prevalence of under nutrition in 2008
Source: Nutrition surveillance system – National
Institue of Nutrition Vietnam

in kids (32,6% in 2008 which is 2,5 million kids under five years old) in the world. Among
the three kids’ undernutrition types: underweight, stunting and wasting; stunting also has


13

the highest rate of all. Most of the case happened in rural and mountainous areas of the
country.
Research has shown that Zinc
Unit %
HCMC
Hanoi
Can Tho
Da Nang
Nha Trang
Hai Phong
Nam Dinh
Hue
Ca Mau
An Giang
Dong Nai
Vietnam

deficiency plays a major role in

stunting

in

many

developing

countries. This comes from the diets
that often contain sufficient quantity
of zinc for the daily demand of the
kid’s body.
Mothers’

low

awareness

of

microsubstances and their roles in
the kids’ development make the

Stunting
6.7
16.0
28.6
22.7
29.4
28.1

27.5
29.6
29.1
30.0
33.2
32.6

Table 2- Prevalance of Stunting by province/city in 2008
Source: Nutrition surveillance system – National Institue of
Nutrition Vietnam

case slowly be improved.

3.2.2. Economic growth and medication expenditure
In the last ten years, despite
1400
1200

1200
1024

current

economic

crisis,

1075

1000

GDP/Capita continuously grows.

835
800

725
552

600
400

402

440

289

200

This improvement has been
reflected

on

the

increasing

expenditure for medication as

shown in figure 2 and figure 3.

0
1995 2000 2002 2004 2006 2007 2008 2009F 2010F

Figure 2 - Vietnam GDP/Capita 1995 - 2010F in USD
Source:General Statistic Office of Vietnam

Vietnamese are more and more
concern about their health and


14

spend more on that; and the expenditure
18

16.45

16
13.39

14
11.23

12

9.85

10

8
6

5.4

6

6.7

7.6

will be continuously increased in the
coming

years.

Significant

higher

spending can be seen in 2008 as

8.6

Vietnamese

are

more

and

more

knowledgeable and health concern. This

4
2

happens not only in the pharmaceutical

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Figure 3 - Medication expenditure 2000 - 2008 in USD
Source: Department of Drugs Control

industry but FMCG as well. TNS World
Panel Vietnam Mini Lifestyle Research
2007 shows that consumers are looking

for health as they are willing to spend more for healthier foods.
3.2.3. Sociocultural Specific
Like many other Asian nations, Vietnamese families are very caring about their children as
long as they have the economic condition. The child is the center of the family and
reiceives a lot of attentions from family members. Thus, the mother has to bear a high
pressure when raising her kid. People (family members and scociety) will judge their
family status and motherhood base on the child’s development performance.
Vietnamese like chubby kids, so do Vietnamese mothers. It is really ashame raising a
malnutrition kid. Recently, with the development of economic and international exchange

in many aspects (entertainment, fashion, technology,…) with other countries, improving
height has become a serious issue in the country and of-course, to mothers as well.
Parents now spend more and more attention as well as ‘investment’on their kid
development both mental and physical as: economic condition is getting better; people
concern more on general health issue or kid’s development in particular; and rich source of
information on raising kids as well as the development of kids is available and people are


15

more knowledgeable. Besides, they are quite familiar with the kid’s development elements
such as DHA, AHA, Calcium … thanks to the continuously attempt to educate consumers of
milk companies over the last ten years.
3.2.4. Competition
In

terms

of

value,

the

Pharmaceutical industry has grown
steadily

despite

the

economic

2,500,000
Unit: USD1000
2,000,000

2,000,000

crisis. Espescially, 2008 enjoys the

+25.46%

1,500,000

1,425,657
+17.71%

highest growth rate and it is
expected to reach 2 billion USD in

+17% 1,136,353
+15.53%

1,000,000

+16.24%
+15.77%

956,353

817,396

707,535

+11.32%
608,699

value in 2013 as seen in figure 4.
Having a look around the market,
multivitamins products are the
current leaders in the category.
Meanwhile,

single

500,000

472,356

525,807

0
2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2013F

Figure 4 - The growth of the Pharmaceutical Industry 2001 - 2013F
Source: Department of Drugs Control

vitamin

products (vitamin C, D, E, A) and
supplements (calcium, omega 3, ..) is growing thanks to Vietnamese nowadays concern
more about their health as well as their increasing awareness on these products. The
category has attracted many players, both foreign and local companies.
In this category, important competitors must be mentioned are the milk brands. Their
products also provide part of what the pharmaceutical company is prodiving. And they
have been communicating on the kid development platform for years as well as educate
the parents so well that when ever they think about kid development, they will think of
milk. However, mental development is what mother expect the most in milk brands.


16

Figure 5 – The perceptual map of kid development product, will give an overall view on

the products for kids’development in mothers’ mind (both milk and pharmaceutical
category). This map has been developed based on the brand’s messages that have been
communicated to mothers.
Appearance
Pediasure

Vivacious
Gain Advance

Gain weight

Friso

Smart

Mental/Intelligence

Enfa (DHA)
DL Gold

La vache qui rit

Tall

Abbott Grow
Nutroplex

Calcium Corbiere
Cansua 3

Good appetite
Lysivit

Kiddi Pharmaton

Physical

Absorption
Cansua 3

Biobaby
Abbott Grow
yogurt
DL Gold

Digestive

Friso

Total development
of the brain

Nutroplex
Calcium Corbiere

Enfa Grow
Ceelin

Enfa (DHA)

Bone

Gain Advance

Friso

Improve immunity
Dumex

Mechanism
Figure 5 – Perceptual map of kid’s growth and development products

Nutrition condition for kids in Vietnam is still at a low level which is a huge potential for
supplement products. Amongst current participants, below are the key players:
Nutroplex
Launched 2000 by United Pharma - a marketing oriented pharmaceutical company. They
are also one of the strongest pharmaceutical companies in OTC products. However, they
do not have many communication activities on consumers recently.
Nutroplex is multivitamin syrup that supports the development of kids mental and physical
health.


17

Brand message is “Help your kid develop in mental and physical health – provide your kid
with a strong starting point”
Lysivit
Also a brand from United Pharma, launched 2006. Currently absent from the media.
The product’s main ingredient is lysine supported with vitamin B1, B6 and B12. Also in
syrup form and help improve normal growth of kids.

Brand message is “Lysivit helps the kid with stimulating appetite, grow fast and strong”
Cansua 3
Nutrition granules. a product of Meliphar, a local pharmaceutical company. As it has been
launched recently, its TVC is still onaired.
Key ingredients are Vitamin D3, Calcium Gluconat, Beer yest, Vitamin B1, B6, B12, PP
and A. The product helps improve height, stunting condition, nutrition absorption and
immunity.
Brand message: “Height improvement granules”
All the above brands mostly solve the symptoms, not the root cause. Their performance is
in appetite with temporary effects. And it fades away as long as the kid stops using the
product, in many cases, which makes mothers hesitate and familiar with trying from one to
another product.
3.3. Consumer environment
The exploratory research on potential consumers has unveiled mothers’ insights about
growth retardness and loss of appetite in kids:
In general, mothers share the same perception on the cause of their kids’ stunting
condition. The major reason, according to them, is lack of appetite (or anorexia if the
situation is worse). Infact, the lack of appetite in kids may come from different causes such


18

as: mothers have created too much pressure for the kids when feeding them; they do not
prepare the food correctly so that nutrition may loose during the cooking process or they
force the kid to eat which make the kid scare whenever meal time comes.
As mention earlier, the mothers also suffer from stress when their kids are stunting or they
think their kid is stunting, although they will never admit that they are having a stunted
child. Why? Because in the Vietnam scociety, a mother has to put up with the pressure
from their family, who just want to see if she know how to raise a kid properly; and, such
same pressure from the society. And as a mother, she worries a lot and feel so sorry for her

kid. Thus, she will spend her effort to improve the kid condition via: improving the kid’s
meal, force the kid to eat, seek pediatrics/nutritionist’s advice or use vitamin and
supplement to help the kid eat more and sleeps well.
For them, milk losing its role as the kid grows older. Milk does not provide enough
nutrition and energy for the total development of the kid, and cannot replace other foods.
Thus, meals and the kid’s appetite become more and more important. Mothers are quite
knowledgeable in raising a kid, well aware of the kids’ development stages as well as keep
track on their growth, especially weight. Height is not specifically measured but
comparision among the kids is a popular method used by moms. However, they have
limited knowledge about micromineral, of which zinc is a member, and their role in the
kid’s development which leads to the fact that almost all supplements are vitamins and
minerals unless prescribed by pediatrics.
Mothers never buy drugs for their kids under 2 years old without a prescription from
pediatrics. They are ready to adopt OTC products for kids over 2 years old. They will not
feel confident with products that have instant effect; however, they are not patient enough
to see the effect after more than two weeks.