FSI MEDICINE GUIDES FREE AT DRUG COUNTERS

JUDY CORCORAN

NEW YORK -- Travor Hutchins, publisher of a new health magazine from Lang Communications, says Medizine isn't a magazine.

"Medizine is a marketing program, part of which has a print vehicle." This print vehicle delivers 1 million copies of the magazine to the top drug stores in the country for distribution by the druggist.

"Each of our issues is targeted to a specific group. When druggists are serving someone who fits that demographic category or group, they give him or her a copy," said Hutchins. The targeted groups include women, seniors, families and diabetics. Four issues will be published this year and six next year. "This unique access to the pharmacy counter is the second component of our program," he said. The magazines, referred to as "guide books" on how to take medicine, carry advertising and coupons. The latter have a redemption rate of 2%, or twice that of standard freestanding inserts, said Hutchins. The coupons, the third component of the program, can be fulfilled at the point-of-purchase.

The back cover of each issue is customized by each chain so that it looks like the magazine is published by that retailer. "This adds another important aspect to the guides," said Hutchins. "Being distributed at the pharmacy counter with the pharmacy's own name on the cover implies an endorsement from the pharmacy."

He added, "And it gives sales people from the pharmaceutical companies that advertise in the magazine a little extra leverage, as well." The drug chains contract to promote Medizine through in-store banners, in-store radio and ROTO or Sunday circulars, which total 50 million per issue. The final component of the program is Medizine's data base of readers. "We give our sponsors full access to this and we survey these people very thoroughly," said Hutchins.

He also said that Medizine's sampling program is unique because it handles the sample fulfillment instead of just handing over a stack of computer labels to the client.

"Medizine fills a need in the market for more information," said Dara O'Brien, promotion manager at Lang. "Federal law now requires pharmacists to give information or counseling when they fill a prescription. Medizine takes this a step further with answers to many of the most commonly asked questions on drug side effects and health in general.

"Our readers are showing us that they want this kind of information, and that they want even more of it, by filling out reader reply cards at a substantial rate."