Developed with Omega Pharma, the number five OTC company in Europe, the vitamin range, named Men’s Health Lab, is now available at Holland & Barrett and on Amazon. The products will then hit Boots, major supermarkets, high street chemists and independents in October 2015, before expanding to key territories across Europe in 2016/17.
The range will be launched with a £1m media campaign, encompassing outdoor, digital and press, and featuring aspirational brand ambassadors.
According to Hearst-Rodale, the Men’s Health Lab range has eight different products, split across three core benefit-led categories – energy, performance and wellbeing. The range is comprised of Multi-Fit, Body Defence, Active Recovery, Energy Release, Mental Focus, Cardio Health, Joint Endurance and Vit D3 Max, each of which has a unique benefit vs. other products in the market. The Vit D3 Max product, for example, only needs to be taken once a week. The Energy Release stick sachet can be taken on-the-go without water.
Alun Williams, Group Publishing Director, Hearst-Rodale, says: “Men’s Health is regarded as a trusted expert in health, lifestyle and nutrition. We know that 81% of our brand’s audience use vitamins, and the vitamin industry is worth £357m. This partnership with Omega Pharma Corporate is an incredibly exciting proposition. It’s the perfect synergy with Men’s Health and provides a real opportunity to deliver a wider and more relevant choice of vitamins to health-conscious men.”
Stefan Balemans, Head of Global Marketing, Omega Pharma Corporate, says: “As the number five OTC company in Europe, Omega Pharma has built its expertise in various OTC categories, among which Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS), is one of the top three OTC categories. We are truly excited to partner with Rodale Inc. for this European launch and to establish a Men’s Health franchise among the leading brands of vitamins.
“The men’s vitamin sector currently offers only a very limited range and few individual products targeted specifically at men, but there’s a strong growth potential ahead. With this disruptive concept leveraging a market-leading and trusted global brand, there’s little doubt that it will contribute to drive penetration and usage of vitamins among men.”
The licensing agreement has been brokered by Golden Goose Brand Licensing Consultancy, the exclusive licensing agent appointed in 2013 to develop and execute the strategy to extend the Men’s Health brand into consumer products across Europe.
