Preventive (brand) health is wealth

MANILA, Philippines - I recently attended the Superbrand Awards in which three of my company’s brands were bestowed Superbrand status, ABW Leaves of Life, CranUTI Nature’s Relief and GARGOL All Natural Oral Wash. This three peat caps a previous Superbrand Award for C-Lium Fibre. However, what is most significant and rewarding is that all these brands were conceptualized and developed locally and are true Filipino brands.

C-Lium Fibre is a brand that I personally nurtured from concept stage to a point that it had acquired an industry reputation as one of the most progressive brands in the digestive health market. C-Lium Fibre is in a category and a segment all of its own. The reputation of the C-Lium Fibre brand’s success was attractive enough for a pharmaceutical company to acquire the brand for the Philippine market. However, the international marketing of C-Lium Fibre brand remains with Whealth Inc. As they say the rest is history.

Health is Wealth, a truism that has stood the test of time, and those who have experienced being in a sick bed, let alone afflicted with terminal disease truly knows that no amount of money will buy good health. Though one’s financial well-being may allow better nursing and medical facilities, ultimately only nature will dictate the outcome. Does anyone ever have sufficient wealth to buy well-being? Or better said, money is useless when one is sick.

However, preventive health practice will provide us with a greater degree of probability to enjoy the coming years in a far greater state of health than otherwise. Preventive health results are naturally better when practiced well before the problem arises. Unfortunately, it is supremely difficult for the young to accept and consider a fast forward reality check on their future health.

A major affliction of the youth is that of perceived invincibility, of being indestructible, of living with the notion of being able to live forever. It is often said, “youth is wasted on the young”, as expressed by a geriatric wanting to desperately turn back the clock.

Preventive health care translates to “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” All our company brands and products espouse prevention.

CranUTI Nature’s Relief assists with the prevention of Urinary Tract Infection, commonly referred to as UTI, a pervasive sickness that afflicts a high percentage of women and usually treated with expensive antibiotics, yet with no guarantee of managing what usually results in chronic infection. In turn, CranUTI is nature’s answer to preventing E.Coli bacteria from existing in the urinary tract.

ABW Leaves of Life is made from organic shoots of Alfalfa, Barley and Wheatgrass which when combined provide one of the most powerful anti-oxidants that nature can offer. ABW gives high energy levels to keep you going all day and yet at night you have deep sleep.

Gargol, an all-natural oral wash made from essential oils, is alcohol free and sugar free. It’s the only oral wash in the market that has four flavors: strawberry, mint, green apple and orange. GARGOL prevents the onset of mouth ulcers “singaw” amongst other oral diseases. All Whealth products are available from Mercury Drugstores nationwide.

Nyte-E is a facial and hands lotion that is made from Natural Vitamin E and French Lavender Oil. Nyte-E, which is the “last thing you wear at night”, helps prevent wrinkles and because of the natural calming effect of lavender, one is able to have a restful night’s sleep.  Nyte- E is exclusively available in Rustan’s Makati.

Of course, Whealth Inc. continues to market C-Lium Fibre internationally. This brand is the epitome of delivering according to the brand’s promise, that of well-being and good digestive health.

In almost 40 years of my being an entrepreneur, branding has been one of the most interesting and challenging aspects of my work that largely involves marketing fast moving consumer goods referred to as FMCG. As a food importer and wholesaler in Australia from the mid-’70s, I conceptualized and applied the Dragon Bowl brand to various Asian & Oriental food products such as rice and dried noodles from Thailand, canned mackerel from Chile, instant noodles and seasonings from Korea. We had Wayang brand range of Indonesian products, Palm Tree, Lasang Pinoy for Filipino products, Yangban for Korean food, Pescador for dried fish products. I am of the opinion that we are directly responsible for changing the branding landscape for ethnic food and likewise changing the culinary direction of Australia towards enjoying Asian cuisine.

I must publicly own up to being directly responsible for the term “Milagrosa” being extensively used by Thailand rice exporters to identify their fragrant Jasmine rice variety. When we started to market Dragon Bowl brand rice from Thailand, we had to identify/associate the rice with a comparative Philippine variety to attract Filipinos, hence the term Milagrosa was printed in our rice bags, together with translations in Chinese, Laotian, Cambodian, Vietnamese etc, etc. Admittedly, Milagrosa sounds much better than Wagwag. The rest is history.

Yes, there is an on going cost to maintain brand health, however it does not mean that one needs to dig in one’s pockets and throw a fistful of money in all directions with the hope that consumers will react. There are creative and ingenious ways to nurse a brand along; a marketer needs to curiously look at new avenues that have never been explored before. Though I am a strong proponent of not reinventing the wheel, I am just as challenged to come up with creative and innovative ways to better position our brand and get the message across. The price is patience, perseverance and a whole lot of work. With a touch of luck, hopefully, one is able to find the consumer’s expectation pulse to be in synch with current needs and wants. Health is Whealth.