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One of the most frequent questions I am asked about packaging is what's hot in packaging? Interestingly, the answer is not what you might think. What is hot in packaging now is determined by who is buy

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

ing and where?

Never before has there been so much focus on the consumer. Historically, the popular notion was that the consumers know nothing about packaging. That being said it was believed that

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

the customer could not know what they want or understand it. Have you ever heard the phrase “designers design packaging?” Yes, in a limited sense it is true. But, what if your designer knows design

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

but does not understand for whom they are designing? Unfortunately as much as we would like to believe it: Great package design doesn't equal increased sales. In fact, in a recent study I conducted it

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

as proven that designers care much more about design elements such as shape than the general populace. That is unless the shape relates to the product’s functionality.

Now the package design focus has

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

finally has begun to change to one based on consumer awareness. This factor should be driving all product-packaging decisions. I have seen some very interesting packaging campaigns that, on the s

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

urface, seem well thought out and logical. However, the reality is that they simply don't understand their consumer or their target demographics.

Let me give you an example. This past holiday season

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

we were inundated with products packaged in pink. The companies fully expected to capture the women's market in record numbers. The truth is that the color pink only works in few appropriate pr

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

duct applications and is not the answer to capturing her attention to pick up your product off the shelf.

Where did this myth originate? If it’s pink, she will buy it. This suggests that marketers

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

simply don't understand their target audience. They work off the unfortunate misconception that pink translates to female-friendly or that a product has to appear infeminine colors before it will appea

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

to her.

Here is a second example. Companies that market products to the 50+ generation that insist on identifying their products as ones designed for older, aging, mature or senior consumers. This

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

is another great misconception. That generation simply cannot identify with that nomenclature. That is not how they think of themselves. In fact, using the terms older, mature, and elderly alienates ra

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

her than "connect" with this consumer. The average 50+ consumer thinks of themselves as 20 years younger than they are.

So how can you begin to capture these elusive and fast moving consumer demogra

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

hics?

First, forget stereotypes. Look at contemporary consumers. Get a sense of what motivates them in their purchasing decision. Keep your connotations about age and gender appropriate but don't type

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

ast your consumer.

Second compel them to pick up your product though product packaging. Fulfill a need, offer an innovative feature, suggest convenience and ease of use, or tout other package attr

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

butes that appeal today's shopper. Remember, time is our most critical issue so think simple, easy, quick, and convenient.

Third, understand how and where they shop. What's driving today's purchasin

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

g decisions? What retail outlets are growing and what centers are in their demise? Where can someone shop and get virtually every thing the need and in a hurry?

Finally, know what the consumer expects

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

out of products. How fresh is it? How and where can it be stored? How soon does it need to be consumed or used? How user friendly is it? How much will I have to read to make this product work?

A

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

swering these questions should get you started thinking from a consumers perspective. Keep in mind the importance of who makes the purchasing decision too. If it’s her (women are the purchasing decisio

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

maker 80% of the time) then appeal to her wants and desires in your packaging.

Keep in mind that great design works when coupled with answering the question: How will this product make my life easier

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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