Combine a savvy marketing campaign, sharp product design, and early embrace of emerging health tech (also known as telemedicine), and it's no surprise that Hims, a men's health and wellness brand that sells generic medication directly to consumers, found major success after it launched last year.
The company recently introduced a similar service targeted toward women, aptly named "Hers." But will the company see the same momentum with its new brand? It's tricky. Hims' goal is to give men easier access to products they need — especially those that they may feel awkward talking about, like medication for erectile dysfunction and hair loss. Women, however, don't necessarily have those same healthcare hang-ups.
As Hilary Coles, brand lead on the Hers launch, explained to Forbes, "Men have been told for years that it's weird to want to take care of yourself. As women…we felt like we've been inundated." Thus, Hers will have to take a different approach by cutting through the noise. But the promise of lower-cost prescriptions and easier access to birth control is something we're pretty sure customers will get behind.
More on the supplement side, adaptogen-infused products have taken off, no doubt riding the same wave as CBD oil. Don't worry if you haven't heard of them, though. Once mainly touted by the Goop-devotee set (though some do have roots in ancient medicine), these herbs that are designed to help your body better handle stress have only recently gone mainstream. It's a whole new wave of "functional ingredients" — ones that add not just flavor, but potential health benefits to your food and drinks.
Even Recess, a newly launched CBD-infused sparkling water, features its own mix of adaptogens, showing that the two wellness ingredients may go hand-in-hand. Will Coke consider adding adaptogens to its drinks, too? We'll see what 2019 has in store.
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