Abstract

The case is about the dilemma faced by Ramesh Nayar (Ramesh), a product manager of a medium sized pharmaceutical company in India. X-Neuro, a vitamin supplement used in the treatment of certain neurological disorders as an adjunct to standard therapy was a key brand in his portfolio. The drug was popular with its target segment comprising of neurologists and physicians. However, when the company launched a brand extension of the drug, called as X-Neuro Plus, by adding two more vitamins to the existing composition, the new product did not make any headway with its target segment, the gynecologists. The case describes the issues with regard to the name of the brand extension of the drug, which led to the product’s failure in the market. The case also looks at the various options before Ramesh and the likely pros and cons of each course of action. This case is based on generalized experience of the authors.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand the issues and constraints faced by marketers with regard to deciding on a suitable brand name or any brand extension for a pharmaceutical drug. Appreciate the importance of customer interaction and understanding the behavior of the target cust

Keywords

Brand Management , Consumer Behavior, Physician Prescribing Behavior, Brand Extension, India, Pharmaceutical Marketing, Segmenting and Targeting , Positioning , Brand Recall, Marketing Research, Combination Drug Trial, Sales Representative, Marketing Communication Strategy, Teaser Campaign, Yield per man