Melissa Davies, Nielsen Online
It has been impossible to escape the news about swine flu (or H1N1 virus) this week. One of the most interesting developments this week has been watching the way people are using the Internet, and specifically social media, to connect with one another around this issue. As of yesterday, buzz volume about swine flu in the blogosphere was still on its meteoric climb, far surpassing discussion levels for the peanut butter/salmonella scare that happened earlier this year or, for a different reference point, recent pop singing sensation …

Todd Hale, Senior Vice President, Consumer & Shopper Insights
Last week, my colleague Tom Pirovano wrote about how the economic downturn has slowed the growth of organic products to almost a standstill.   Looking at the broader health and wellness category, we are seeing similar patterns.  Grouping health and wellness claims Nielsen tracks through its LabelTrends service into three tiers based on annual growth rates, retailers and manufacturers will notice some interesting developments.
Tier 1 (15% to 26% annual sales growth): Just one claim – omega – showed any dollar growth in the last four weeks, racking up …

Melissa Davies
My colleague Pete Blackshaw recently hosted a conference call through Nielsen Online’s Social Media and Advocacy Round Table, focused on how brands can leverage the power of consumers’ contributions to the online community. In the call, Scott Wilder, Small Business Online Communities manager for software publisher Intuit, described listening to customer feedback through Intuit’s call center and realizing that customers thought their problems were unique, and that they felt alone in trying to deal with these problems. The solution: Intuit created an online community to help users connect to …

Eli Lilly produced three of the top four most-recalled prescription drug and vaccine ads on TV last year, according to new research released today by The Nielsen Company.
The ranking revealed that a spot for Eli’s Cialis was the most often recalled new pharmaceutical ad 2008.  The ad was recalled by viewers at a rate 55% greater than the average based on all new prescription drug ads launched over the past year.  The erectile dysfunction drug ad features a couple interrupted from an intimate moment by a surprise visit from their daughter.
“Prescription …

Melissa Davies
Last week brought an exciting new development for pharmaceutical companies interested in social media: blogger Mark Senak (EyeonFDA.com) posted an interview with an official from the FDA/Division for Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications (DDMAC) about pharmas and Web 2.0. Until now, there has been so little mention of social media and the like from the FDA that many pharma companies have come to assume that Web 2.0 is strictly off-limits. The conversation that was started this week — though by no means the final word on whether and how …

Oprah Winfrey starts trends.  When her book club features a book, chances are good that it will be a bestseller.  When she mentions a product on her talk show, millions of viewers will check that product out.
Earlier this month, Oprah discussed healthy living with her regular guest Dr. Mehmet Oz, who presented his “Ultimate Health Checklist,” which included three points about eating:
Know the five ingredients to avoid (high fructose corn syrup, sugar, enriched flour, trans fat, saturated fats)
The healthy foods to add to your diet

Antioxidants (Dr. Oz recommends tomatoes, broccoli, …

Over-the-counter (OTC) heartburn medications save the U.S. healthcare system $757 million each year — by reducing office visits, Nielsen and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) reported in a study released on January 26th.
At an individual level, OTC heartburn remedies save the average American $174 each year — in office visits and medication costs.
Nielsen and CHPA’s joint study also found that 94% of all patients report being satisfied with available OTC heartburn medications.
More than half (61%) of consumers surveyed by Nielsen and CHPA reported treating their heartburn without discussing symptoms with …

With 2009 underway, so, too, is the race for millions of Americans to meet their New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s trimming love handles, lowering cholesterol, or stomping out cigarettes for good, consumers are more likely to sample new products and services that help them practice healthier habits. And advertisers are especially eager to help.
The first month of the year is not surprisingly the most popular advertising month for these “resolution” companies. Last January, they spent over $181 million on advertising for products and services related to weight loss and smoking deterrents. …

Neuroscience has a surprise for marketers: the way we are neurologically wired can actually prevent us from accurately reporting what we really think and remember, when asked.
Writing in the January issue of Nielsen’s “Consumer Insight” online newsletter, Palak Patel of NeuroFocus Inc., explains that the real truth lies beyond the reach of typical consumer research methods, like surveys and focus groups — in the subconscious mind.
According to Patel, answers are essentially corrupted information — biased by the conscious mind, which is influenced by everything from what language you speak to …

Do perceptions of physical appearance — specifically, what constitutes a healthy weight — vary throughout the world?
According to a recent 52-country survey by Nielsen, some of these attitudes are universal: almost two-thirds (60%) of the world’s population struggle with their weight — 50% with overweight and 10% with underweight issues.
But as Jonathan Banks, Business Insights Director, Nielsen, notes in the January issue of Nielsen’s “Consumer Insight” online newsletter, tactics for paring pounds — and body image — vary by country.
North Americans, for instance, self-identify as “very overweight” at double the …