Naming a Pharmaceutical Brand: A Product Manager's Dilemma

Ramesh was a product manager in a medium sized pharmaceutical company in India, and X-Neuro Plus was a brand extension of X-Neuro, one of the star brands in his portfolio. X-Neuro Plus had failed to live up to the high expectation of sales from gynecologists , who were the primary target segment.

The sales of the brand in the first three months after its launch were dismal, and way off the initial projections.

X-Neuro was used as a vitamin supplement in the treatment of certain neurological disorders; it was used as an adjunct to standard therapy.

Ramesh often pointed this out to the sales force during sales review meetings and training programs. During the previous year's annual brand strategy meeting, he had said, “X-Neuro is synonymous with the (neurological) disorder it is intended for. Doctors say that its brand name is quite apt. Whenever they diagnose the disorder, they remembered X-Neuro.” Within a few years of its launch, X-Neuro had cornered 12 percent of the market, despite the intense competition. As it was a widely prescribed drug, it enjoyed good brand recall among members of the medical fraternity. Even doctors who did not prescribe this drug were aware of X-Neuro.