Aleve Market Plan
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BUS 620 Managerial Marketing
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Aleve Market Plan * Executive Summary of Marketing Plan
Aleve
All day strong. All day long
Bayer Consumer Care manufactures parent company Bayer's line of over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements. One of the largest manufacturers of OTC drugs in the world, the division has production facilities in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia and sells its products in over 100 countries at pharmacies and other retail outlets (Law, Bayer AG, 2012).
This market plan is to establish how Bayer Consumer Care, the manufacturers of Aleve intend to capitalize on the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) market as drugmakers scramble to grab Vioxx's and Bextra’s multi-billion-dollar share of the arthritis and pain-relief market.
Aleve is used to treat pain or inflammation caused by conditions such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, tendinitis, bursitis, gout, or menstrual cramps (Cerner Multum, Inc., 1996-2012).

* Company Overview
Take two Aspirin ... and maybe some Alka-Seltzer antacid and One-a-Day vitamins to be on the safe side. Bayer Consumer Care manufactures parent company Bayer's line of over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements. Its products include analgesics, cough and cold medicines, dermatology care, and gastrointestinal remedies. One of the largest manufacturers of OTC drugs in the world, the division has production facilities in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia and sells its products in over 100 countries at pharmacies and other retail outlets. It offers over 170 products including the ubiquitous Aspirin, as well as Aleve, Alka-Seltzer, Midol, Canesten, Bepanthen, Supradyn, Rennie, and One-a-Day.
Consumer Care adheres to a simple yet insightful set of global Bayer Leadership Values. These values are central to the way we operate, providing the common ground that connects our people, our brands and our results. Simply put, we believe in: * Focusing on Customer Needs * Thinking Strategically * Leading People * Partnering * Developing Yourself and Others * Overcoming Complexity * Delivering Results

Its top selling products are analgesics Aspirin and Aleve, dermatology products Bepanthen and Canesten, and One A Day and Supradyn vitamins. In addition to pursuing organic growth within its existing operations, Bayer Consumer Care conducts research and development efforts on new products and new indications for existing drugs. In recent years, it has expanded the Aspirin product line to include specialty offerings such as Cardio Aspirin, intended as a low-dose protection against heart attacks for patients with high blood pressure. In 2010 it launched an enzyme-enhanced version of its Supradyn multivitamin.
One way that Bayer Consumer Care expands its product portfolio is by converting prescription drugs to over-the-counter products once they lose patent protection. For example, in 2009 Bayer launched OTC versions of AstraZeneca's heartburn drug Antra (known as Prilosec in the US) in certain European countries.
The company is also pursuing strategic acquisitions and partnerships in key product areas and emerging geographic regions, especially in Eastern Europe and the Asia/Pacific region. For instance, in 2010 Bayer Consumer Care's dermatology group, Intendis, announced an agreement with KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals to develop a treatment for facial fat, specifically double chins. The agreement gives the company rights to the drug, currently called ATX-101, outside North America.
Bayer Consumer Care's historical acquisitions included the purchase of the OTC portfolio of Sagmel, a drug manufacturer and distributor operating in Eastern Europe's Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, including Russia, Kazakhstan, and the Ukraine), a quickly growing OTC market, for about $410 million. Also in 2008 Bayer Consumer Care expanded in Asia by purchasing the OTC cough and cold drug business of Topsun Science and Technology, a Chinese drugmaker, for about $170 million, and in 2007 the firm bought the North American line of Citracal calcium supplements.
A major historical acquisition came with the $2 billion purchase of Roche Consumer Health from Swiss pharma company Roche Holding in 2005. That purchase added a number of OTC products including the Bepanthen/Bepanthol dermatology offerings and the Supradyn vitamin line.
The unit's first product, Aspirin, dates back to 1899, but Bayer Consumer Care wasn't established as a separate division until 1994. It is part of the broader Bayer Consumer Health division, which also includes the Medical Care (diabetes devices and MEDRAD medical equipment) and Animal Health (veterinary medicines) units; all of which are part of the broader Bayer HealthCare organization [ (Law, Bayer AG, 2012) ].

* Description of Target Market
Demographic differences, lifestyles, and consumer behaviors influence customers’ needs; therefore, need-based customer segmentation benefits the business by targeting customers in a mass customization base. By combining the results of these analyses with other considerations, including risk, the mission of the firm, and ethical issues, conclusions about which markets and market segments should be pursued can be reached (Mullins & Walker Jr, 2010).
People that are suffering from muscle and joint pain, knee pain, sports injuries, sprains, osteoarthritis and headaches in general and particularly those that are affected by Viox and Bextra being removed from the market.
As a global company, Bayer’s commitment is illustrated by some 300 projects in various parts of the world, many of which we have organized and financed for many years. In partnership with other divisions of Bayer HealthCare and the larger Bayer organization, Consumer Care supports a range of social initiatives focused on education and research, health and social needs and cultural initiatives. As a division, we are committed to harnessing our unique resources—both financial and human—to contribute to the best interests of consumers, partners, our employees and communities around the world. We seek to make a positive impact—not only in terms of innovative ideas and brand breakthroughs—but also through our actions and charitable giving efforts. The success of Bayer as a business is firmly grounded in its leadership in developing people around the world, caring for our communities and respecting the world we live in (Law, Bayer AG, 2012). * Description of Competitors
Johnson & Johnson
It's nearly impossible to get well without Johnson & Johnson (J&J). The diversified health care giant operates in three segments through more than 250 operating companies located in some 60 countries. Its Medical Devices and Diagnostics division offers surgical equipment, monitoring devices, orthopedic products, and contact lenses, among other things. J&J's Pharmaceuticals division makes drugs for an array of ailments, such as neurological conditions, blood disorders, autoimmune diseases, and pain. Top sellers are psoriasis drug Remicade and anemia medication Procrit. Its Consumer business makes over-the-counter drugs and products for baby, skin, and oral care, as well as first aid and women's health (Law, Johnson & Johnson Inc, 2012).
In addition to the Bextra recall, recall after recall hit J&J (JNJ, Fortune 500) division McNeil Consumer Healthcare, culminating in the Food and Drug Administration's takeover of three of the company's factories that manufactured Tylenol last March. Over the past two years, J&J recalled numerous over-the-counter drugs, including Topomax (odor), Mylanta (undisclosed alcohol), Tylenol (musty smell), and hip implants (required more surgery). In May 2010, U.S. lawmakers unveiled documents that showed J&J hired contractors to conduct a clandestine recall of more than 88,000 Motrin tablets. In April 2010, McNeil recalled 135 million bottles of children's and infant's Motrin, Tylenol, Benadryl and Zyrtec drugs for quality issues. It was the largest recall of children's non-prescription drugs [ (Goldman, 2012) ].

Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck makes medicines for a number of maladies, from stuffy noses and asthma to hypertension and arthritis. The pharmaceutical giant's top prescription drugs include asthma medication Singulair, anti-inflammatory Remicade, diabetes drug Januvia, hypertension fighters Cozaar and Hyzaar, and cholesterol combatants Vytorin and Zetia. In addition, Merck makes animal health pharmaceuticals, as well as childhood and adult vaccines for such diseases as measles, mumps, hepatitis, and shingles. The company's OTC drug and personal care offerings include Claritin allergy pills and Dr. Scholl's foot care products (Law, Merck & Co., Inc, 2012). Merk suffered an 84 million person loss when vioxx was pulled from the shelves.

* Description of Product
Aleve (naproxen) is in a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Naproxen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body. Aleve is used to treat pain or inflammation caused by conditions such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, tendinitis, bursitis, gout, or menstrual cramps, muscle and joint pain, knee pain, sports injuries, sprains, osteoarthritis and headaches [ (Cerner Multum, Inc., 1996-2012) ]. * Marketing Budget
The marketing budget will not change much from previous years. The percentage-of-sales method is what we will be using. The procedure consists of setting this year’s budget as a percentage of this year’s anticipated sales. Under this approach, sales determine the promotional activity versus planning to achieve some desired sales objective. Even though illogical, this method has some advantages. It is simple to calculate and is risk-averse because spending is linked to sales (Mullins & Walker Jr, 2010). * Description of Location
The advertisement will be available on multiple websites, including Bayer’s www.bayer.com as well as sites like Wal-Mart www.walmart.com and many other retail stores as well as social media sites like Facebook. Magazines and mailing fliers are also a medium intended for use. The product will be sold in convenience stores, grocery stores, and discount department stores and online.

* Pricing Strategy
The pricing for the product will be competitive pricing at approximately $12-15 for 100 capsules. * Summary and Implementation Plan
The implementation plan is not changing the manner in which the product is presently being marketed. The product is doing well on the market and with the drastic changes of the competitors will be the marketing edge necessary to boost our sales in the upcoming year.

References
Cerner Multum, Inc. (1996-2012). Drugs.com/Aleve. Retrieved May 15, 2012, from Drugs.com: http://www.drugs.com/aleve.html
Goldman, D. (2012, February 21). CNN Money. Retrieved May 20, 2012, from CNN Money: http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/21/news/companies/johnson_johnson_ceo_resigns/index.htm
Law, A. (2012). Bayer AG. Retrieved May 15, 2012, from Hoovers in Partnership with ProQuest: http://www.hoovers.com/company/Bayer_AG/crxfxi-1-1NJHW5.html
Law, A. (2012). Johnson & Johnson Inc. Retrieved May 15, 2012, from Hoovers in Partnership with ProQuest: http://www.hoovers.com/company/Johnson__Johnson/rfxtci-1-1njhxm.html
Law, A. (2012). Merck & Co., Inc. Retrieved May 15, 2012, from Hoovers in Partnership with ProQuest: http://www.hoovers.com/company/Merck__Co_Inc/rrytji-1-1njhw5.html
Mullins, J. W., & Walker Jr, O. C. (2010). Marketing Management A strategic Decision-Making Approach. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.