WORLD’S FIRST AYURVEDIC CHEWING GUM

Have you ever thought of chewing gum as a healthcare product? In the above picture you can see a green tea chewing gum! The trend of FMHG products is really on worldwide and now in India too!

Perfetii has committed a marketing coup in India. They have launched HAPPYDENT WHITE SPARKLING SMILE as an APPROVED PROPRIETARY AYURVEDIC MEDICINE. This product contains per dragee, Neem satva 0.7 mg, Meetha (baking soda) 4.2 mg, Pudina satva 3.22 mg, Pudina tailam 0.392 mg, Nilgiri tailam 0.392 mg; sugar base qs, gum base qs; and is classified as a functional gum.

Ayurveda seems to be a most versatile medicinal and healing science. Or probably there are a lot of flexibilities (loopholes?) in the scientific and regulatory framework of Ayurveda that helps in presenting various products as Ayurvedic. There are probably no allopathic chewing gums. Happydent is an unique first-of-its kind Ayurvedic healthcare chewing gum. Protex Happydent from Perfetii contains aspartame (sugar free chewing gum) and this too is an Ayurvedic chewing gum.

Benefits of chewing gum

Chewing gum offers various benefits. For instance this webpage says that chewing gums containing xylitol like Protex Happydent (sugar free) offer certain benefits that have been approved by dental associations -

Xylitol For Dental Health

Sugar free chewing gums and sweeteners containing Xylitol have already received approval from dental associations. It enhances all prevention methods for preventing dental caries or cavities. And even has the ability to reverse existing cavities. Chewing gum and sucking mints which contain Xylitol puts the Xylitol directly into contact with the teeth. It is best to use it 3 to 5 times a day for maximum benefit with 4 to 12 grams per day being a very effective dosage. Replace ordinary chewing gum and breath mints with Xylitol products as well as mouthwash. Tooth decay is caused by a combination of bacteria and sugar. Acids and other substances that occur on cell walls cause bacteria to build in our mouths. Xylitol prevents acids from forming in the mouth and reduces the growth of bacteria by as much as 90%. It also decreases the formation of plaque. Effects are not only long-lasting, but could possibly be permanent. Another great thing about this natural sweetener is children love it!
http://www.cwahm.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?p=30484&sid=75680bd9baff69c60090159bd02d1763

Wrigley’s, the world leaders in chewing gum, highlight the following benefits of chewing gum:

Not Just Delicious, But Healthy

Most everybody loves to chew gum, whether for the flavor or just for the simple pleasure of chewing. But did you know that chewing gum also:

Improves Concentration

At work, chewing gum helps us concentrate on the task at hand. Many truck drivers find that chewing gum helps them stay alert at the wheel.

Eases Tension

As early as 1939, scientific studies showed how chewing reduces muscular tension and helps people feel more at ease. Because it is so well-recognized for helping stay alert at the same time it eases tension, the U.S. Armed Forces have supplied chewing gum to its soldiers ever since World War I. It is still included in field and combat rations today.

Freshens Breath

Chewing gum, especially a mint-flavored gum like Wrigley's Spearmint or Doublemint, moistens and refreshes the mouth and throat and sweetens the breath. Provides a -

Low-calorie Snack

Chewing gum often satisfies the desire for a between-meals snack, yet each stick averages less than 10 calories. Helps Fight Tooth Decay After meals, it isn't always convenient to use a toothbrush. Chewing gum stimulates the production of saliva, which helps neutralize acids from foods that may cause tooth decay.

Read more at http://www.gumisgood.com/ this website comes from Wrigley.

Happydent White on You Tube

Happydent White has a good presence on blogs, agency web pages, and on You Tube.

Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdesIbwOYAAThe ad film for Happydent White on You Tube is really funny and enjoyable

Happydent White and Perfetii are making news right from 2001: http://thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/2001/06/26/stories/14261804.htm

Their online marketing for strengthening word-of-mouth or word-of-web publicity is really great. Just click here: http://www.perfettivanmelle.in/happydent/ May be we pharma marketers should pick up a leaf on how to strengthen pharma product online presence and internet pharma marketing communication activity from the above link.
For a FMCG market player with a FMHG look the Perfetii website is a whole load of fun marketing. Click here: http://www.perfettivanmelle.in/index1.htm

Perfetii – a big gun or big gum (?) in India!

Perfetii a big name in the confectionary market has to its credit over Rs. 400 crores sales within a decade of its presence in India. Their expectation of 2007 sales is around Rs. 700 crores. http://www.businessworld.in/content/view/1828/1891/

Their brands like Big Babool, Centerfresh, Mentos, and Alpenliebe are household names in India now. http://www.icmr.icfai.org/casestudies/catalogue/marketing%20communications/CLMC016.htm

Perfetii is a big player in the FMCG confectionary market in India – and Perfetti brands are having a healthcare positioning along with fun and taste attributes. It is really unusual & somewhat hilarious to see an Ayurvedic chewing gum.

Contra thinking on chewing gum

Chewing gum habit can be dangerous. Here is an interesting report on the sugar free chewing gum http://www.laleva.org/eng/2007/06/chewing_gum_habit_poisons_woman.html

Chewing gum: fun product or healthcare product or both?

I guess chewing gum is OK as a fun product. A time pass product. I am not sure about its merits to be classified as an approved Ayurvedic proprietary medicine. Yes medicine! That is a debatable point. And now can all functional foods be classified as Ayurvedic products? That is another front for debating. In India there is a trend to sell FMCG products with a health hook – ie., as a product that helps health. Now, presenting Happydent White as an Ayurvedic functional gum really takes the cake. Is it trivializing the science of Ayurveda? That is for the Ayurvedic pundits to debate on. So in essence, Happydent White Sparkling Smile chewing gum is a functional healthcare fun product.

This is my 51st blogpost – do enjoy reading all of my other blogposts, by clicking on older posts when required.