Originally Published PMPN December 2004

Brand Matters

A Tale of Two Aspirin

How Bayer brands in the United States and Germany.

by Christian Wichmann and Robert C. Sprung
TippingSprung LLC

Robert C. Sprung

Aspirin, to an American, is the quintessential commodity. In Germany, the word Aspirin is still a registered trademark of Bayer and one of its greatest assets. The marketing of that simple white tablet presents a fascinating case study of how branding the same product with the same chemical effect can differ greatly between two different markets. It also shows just how quickly packaging trends can change and conventional wisdom can get thrown out the window.
German regulations governing pharmaceuticals are generally more stringent than in the United States. In Germany, each pack of Aspirin comes with a package insert and is sold in a pharmacy. In America, aspirin is available practically everywhere over the counter.

Germany also generally prohibits the aggressive pharmaceutical marketing prevalent in the United States. It is forbidden by law, for example, for Bayer to tout the protective powers of Aspirin against heart disease, which helped contribute to its pill-popping allure in America. Germany bans directly competitive claims in advertising (e.g.,“Coke is better than Pepsi”) for fear of over-inflated claims. To indulge in a bit of oversimplification, Germans traditionally prefer more fact-based and toned-down advertising, and this tradition is particularly strong in marketing healthcare products.

A look at typical Aspirin packages in Germany and the United States illustrates these trends. Colors of a typical Aspirin box in Germany are muted, organic, and simple. The trademark turquoise and white, with the focus on the trade name Aspirin do not shout at the consumer, but convey basic information and provide a comfort level in the maker’s reputation and professionalism.

A stroll down the aisle of an American pharmacy will show a much greater array of louder colors and more-aggressive typography. Due to the trademark issue, the word Bayer is predictably much more pronounced on American packaging than it is in Germany. There is a certain playfulness and even aggressiveness in the American packaging—two descriptives that can almost never be applied to pharmaceutical packaging in Germany.

This playfulness and aggressiveness is perhaps nowhere better illustrated than in the new direct-to-consumer advertising in America. Television seems filled with ads for everything from Viagra to Claritin, showing them to be an integral part of the consumer’s life-style.

While the basic message of this article has been the importance of recognizing cultural differences, one should also be aware of how dynamic the situation is. The trend toward “life-style pharmaceuticals” is making its way across the Atlantic, and has even infiltrated the hallowed halls of Bayer. One of its most recent innovations is a product called “Aspirin effect.” The first thing that stands out is the English name of the product (“effekt” would be the German spelling). Aspirin effect is a new granulated aspirin that is taken without water—tossed back in the mouth like children’s Pixy Stix candy. Aspirin effect won package-design awards in 2003 from both the European Aluminium Foil Association and the European Carton Maker Association, with special mention of its branding and its novel resealable outer pouch.

Bayer’s marketing slogan (“a totally new Aspirin experience”) is not sitting well with the German establishment. Its positioning as a life-style drug unleashed negative comment in Germany’s leading news magazines, which criticized the company for caving in to an American marketing model and peddling Aspirin to many who might not need it. And despite its novelty and hip image, in Germany you’ll still have to queue up for it at the local accredited pharmacy.

Christian Wichmann is a marketing and branding researcher currently visiting the United States from his native Germany. Robert C. Sprung has been active in translation for more than a decade. He can be reached at robert@tipping sprung.com. TippingSprung (New York City) offers translation and branding services with a focus on the needs of life sciences companies. Visit the company’s Web site at www.tippingsprung.com.

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