1. 10 Step Marketing Plan for
Aforvir (Cetirizine HCl)
2012 Edition
Raymund C. Piñon
Ateneo Graduate School of Business

2. 10 STEP
Marketing Plan for
Aforvir (Cetirizine HCl)
Raymund C. Piñon
July 2012
2
http://raymundcpinon.blogspot.com/

3. Disclaimer
This 10 Step Marketing Plan is part of the mandatory
requirements of Prof. Remigio Joseph De Ungria’s
AGSB marketing management class.
The data included in this report are based on publicly
available data such as those on internet websites,
news, package declarations, public reports.
When appropriate, data are “masked” so as not to
create unexpected conflicts.
The reports are posted and linked on slideshare, blogs
and facebook so that there is easier sharing among
students from different marketing classes.

4. Aforvir PTM and Market
1. PTM for Aforvir are Physicians who prescribe antihistamines for children 6
months to 5 years of age who suffer from allergies
2. Physicians need a fast-acting antihistamine that has minimal drowsiness
effect, is affordable and has a pleasant taste
3. 86 branded and unbranded products currently crowd this market, but the top
brands come from 3 major companies – United Laboratories, GSK and
Schering Plough
4. Most competitors focus on rational appeal to attract attention and engender
recall and trial usage. Aforvir will use emotional appeal to create Point-of-
Difference by highlighting the idea that “Love and Aforvir will re-unite
children to their beloved pets” because of its fast-action, safety profile,
affordability and great-tasting green-grape flavor
5. Market is currently P116 million and is growing at a CAGR of 16%

5. Aforvir
Marketing Mix and Strategy
1. Aforvir (Cetirizine HCl) 5mg/5ml is an antihistamine that is
bioequivalent to innovator drugs, but is more affordable and comes
in great-tasting green-grape flavor
2. SRP of Aforvir is only P184.00 per 60ml bottle
3. Promotions efforts will center on highly skilled Medical
Representatives who will regularly visit target physicians to “detail”
pre-planned communications messages and use tools, such as
samples and give-aways, to grab attention, create interest, persuade
to try, and sustain prescriptions for Aforvir.
4. Aforvir is available in all major drugstore outlets nationwide
5. Aforvir will differentiate itself through its innovative emotional
promotional campaign centered on the theme: “Love and Aforvir will
keep us together – Reunited.”

6. Aforvir Primary Target Market
 Physicians: Pediatricians, Allergologists, ENT,
Dermatologists, General Practitioners who see children
6 months to 5 years of age who suffer from allergies
 Highly educated professionals whose life’s work involves
treating sick people to restore them to health
 They are heavy users of antihistamines, writing more
than 6 million antihistamine prescriptions for more than
4 million allergy patients (PMDI 2009 projected to
2012). The rapid growth in usage of antihistamines can
be attributed to advances in medical science, and the
introduction of more affordable brands.

7. Describe your PTM needs
Reference: Maslow’s Hierarcy of Needs Marketing Management, 11th ed, Philip Kotler
7

8. 2. PTM’s needs, wants &
demands
Needs: To gain recognition as a competent physician
among patients and peers; to feel appreciated and
loved by patients for their compassion and help; to
achieve high success rates in treating patients with
allergies
Wants: Efficacy, minimal or no sedation, affordable,
pleasant taste for children, reputable manufacturer,
supported by clinical studies, professional staff,
samples, promotional “noise,” practice support
Demands: Proven effective, affordable, pleasant tasting
for children’s compliance, available, samples

9. 3a. Direct and Indirect
Competitors
 The antihistamine market is valued at P116 million with a 5-year CAGR of
16%. There are 82 branded and generic products competing for this
therapeutic class. The top 10 brands are:
 Allerkid (UL)
 Alnix (UL)
 Virlix (GSK)
 Benadryl (J&J)
 Iterax (UCB)
 Zyrtec (UCB)
 Aerius (SP)
 Xyzal (GSK)
 Allerta (UL)
 Claritin (SP)
 Factors that affect choice of brand include proven efficacy, side-effects
profile, affordability, taste, company reputation, relationships, samples,
promotional effort, practice support, clinical studies

10. Position Map for Antihistamines
Price vs. Quality Matrix as of 2012
High Price Claritin
Virlix
Aerius
Zyrtec
Low High
quality Alnix Allerkid quality
Allerta 
Iterax Aforvir
Xyzal
Benadryl
Unbranded
Generics
Low Price

11. Benefit Positioning vs. Brand Map
for Antihistamines as of 2012
Functional Benefit Aforvir Aller Alnix Virlix Bena Iter Zyrtec Aerius Xyzal Allerta Claritin
kid dryl ax
Perceived Quality
Fast Acting
Non-Sedating
Pleasant Taste
Affordable

12. 4. Gap between
Customers and Competition
An opportunity is found in the unclaimed affordability
and bioequivalence segment
Aforvir addresses the need for an affordable and
pleasant-tasting antihistamine (Cetirizine) that is
bioequivalent with innovator brands
Positioning: for children 6 months to 5 years of age
who suffer from allergies, Aforvir (cetirizine) syrup is
the antihistamine that meets the need for an
affordable remedy that is also bioequivalent to
innovator drugs. Unlike other antihistamines, Aforvir
comes in unique green-grape flavor that children will
love.

13. Antihistamine (IMS) Pediatric Preparations
Company Value Share % Growth Content
Segment 116,010,204 100% 9%
Allerkid Pediatrica 32,792,500 28.3% 30% Cetirizine
Alnix Westmont 29,825,000 25.7% 24% Cetirizine
Virlix GSK 10,480,000 9.0% -15% Cetirizine
Benadryl J&J 10,315,000 8.9% -19% Diphenhydramine
Iterax UCB 8,375,000 7.2% 30% Hydroxyzine
Zyrtec UCB 6,200,000 5.3% -19% Cetirizine
Aerius Schering 5,365,000 4.6% -16% Desloratadine
Xyzal UCB 4,432,500 3.8% -0.5% Levocetirizine
Allerta United American 3,527,500 3.0% -21% Loratadine
Claritin Schering 2,377,500 2.0% -26% Loratadine
Aforvir POGI 2,125,000 1.8% 160% Cetirizine

14. 5b. Market Size
and Aforvir Market Share (IMS)
1. Market Size P 116 million
2. Aforvir sales P 2.1 million
3. Aforvir market share 1.8%

15. 5c. Estimate the market size
using customer data
1. Usage per day or per year
 Per person
 1 tsp (5ml) 3 times/day @ 7 days
 Ave cost per ml = P4.60
 Ave. treatment cost per day = P13.80
 Ave. treatment cost per week = P96.60
 Ave. cost of allergy treatment per person per year =
P193.00
 Number of patients treated (PMDI data) 4,000,000
 Market size estimate = P 386,000,000

16. 5. Actual Market Size
1. Competitor data= P116 million
3. Company data = P116 million
 P2,125,000/ 1.8%
3. Customer Usage data = P386 million

18. 6b. Product Features
Aforvir (Cetirizine HCl) syrup 5mg/5ml
60ml bottle is an antihistamine that is
indicated treatment of perennial and
seasonal allergic rhinitis, chronic
idiopathic urticaria and allergic
conjunctivitis for children 6 months to 5
years of age. It comes in delicious
green-grape flavor that kids will love

19. 7. Price
 P184.00 per 60ml bottle
 We use penetration pricing strategy to
grab market shares

20. MDC Price Cost/ dose Total Cost Savings
Aforvir Syr 5mg/5ml x60ml
184.00 15.33 107.31 -
Cetirizine (Pedia OG Care)
Alnix Syr 5mg/5ml x60ml
243.25 20.27 141.89 34.56
Cetirizine (Westmont)
Zyrtec Sol'n 1mg/ml x60ml
392.50 32.70 228.95 121.62
Cetirizine (UCB)
Allerkid Syr 5mg/5ml x30ml
136.75 22.79 159.54 52.20
Cetirizine (Pediatrica)
Claritin Syr 5mg/5ml x30ml
293.50 48.91 342.41 235.10
Loratadine (Schering)
Aerius Syr 2.5mg/5ml x60ml
457.00 38.08 266.58 159.27
Desloratadine (Schering)
Xyzal Sol'n 0.5mg/ml x75ml
255.50 17.03 119.23 11.92
Levocetirizine (UCB)
Virlix Sol’n 1mg/ml x30ml
232.00 38.66 270.66 163.35
Cetirizine (GSK)
Allerta Syr 5mg/5ml x60ml
202.25 16.85 117.97 10.64
Loratadine (United American)

21. 8a. Modes of Communication
1
1
3
2

22. 8a. Promotions
Theme: Love and Aforvir
will keep us together – Reunited!
 Medical Representative Visits and Detailing
 4x for VIP MDs
 3x for Junior Consultants with potential
 2x for Fellows and Resident physicians
 Sampling and Starter Dose Programs
 Premium and Service Item give away
 Sponsorship with Booth Exhibit in selected
medical conventions
 Personalized prescription pads
 Gifts for special occasion

23. Literature
Sports Shirt
Banner
Tissue Box
Events
Samples Patient
Record
Card

24. 8b. Competitor Promotions
Brand Availability Claims SRP Segments MRs
Aforvir Syr 60ml Taste, Pedia, GP,
Syrup 60ml 184.00 35
Cetirizine (POGI) Affordability FM
Alnix Syr 60ml Drops, Syrup Effective and GP, FM,
243.00 60-70
Cetirizine (Westmont) 30ml & 60ml Affordable Pedia
Allerkid Syr 30ml Drops, Syrup Effective and GP, FM,
136.75 60-70
Cetirizine (Pediatrica) 30ml Affordable Pedia
Sol’n 30ml & Quality,
Zyrtec Sol’n 60ml GP, FM, Pedia,
60ml Innovator, 392.50 Derma, ENT 60-70
Cetirizine (UCB)
Tested
Drops, Sol’n Improved
Xyzal Sol’n 75ml Derma?
30ml & 60ml Cetirizine, 198.21 60-70
Levocetirizine (UCB) ENT?
Non-sedating
Aforvir campaign stands out because of its distinctive emotional appeal

25. 9. Place
 Aforvir is available in all major
drugstores nationwide

26. 10. Generic Winning Strategy
 Low Cost Producer
 Supply and Distribution Leverage
 Differentiation
 Niche

27. Aforvir PTM and Market
1. PTM for Aforvir are Physicians who prescribe antihistamines for children 6
months to 5 years of age who suffer from allergies
2. Physicians need a fast-acting antihistamine that has minimal drowsiness
effect, is affordable and has a pleasant taste
3. 86 branded and unbranded products currently crowd this market, but the top
brands come from 3 major companies – United Laboratories, GSK and
Schering Plough
4. Most competitors focus on rational appeal to attract attention and engender
recall and trial usage. Aforvir will use emotional appeal to create Point-of-
Difference by highlighting the idea that “Love and Aforvir will re-unite
children to their beloved pets” because of its fast-action, safety profile,
affordability and great-tasting green-grape flavor
5. Market is currently P116 million and is growing at a CAGR of 16%

28. Aforvir
Marketing Mix and Strategy
1. Aforvir (Cetirizine HCl) 5mg/5ml is an antihistamine that is
bioequivalent to innovator drugs, but is more affordable and comes
in great-tasting green-grape flavor
2. SRP of Aforvir is only P184.00 per 60ml bottle
3. Promotions efforts will center on highly skilled Medical
Representatives who will regularly visit target physicians to “detail”
pre-planned communications messages and use tools, such as
samples and give-aways, to grab attention, create interest, persuade
to try, and sustain prescriptions for Aforvir.
4. Aforvir is available in all major drugstore outlets nationwide
5. Aforvir will differentiate itself through its innovative emotional
promotional campaign centered on the theme: “Love and Aforvir will
keep us together – Reunited.”