Table of Contents
CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble has rolled out Prilosec OTC Wildberry, which the company described as the first flavor-coated, 24-hour pill for the treatment of frequent heartburn.
P&G said Thursday that the new Prilosec OTC Wildberry offers the same frequent heartburn relief as the original Prilosec OTC but with a special coating that provides burst of wildberry flavor.
Designed to be swallowed and not chewed, Prilosec OTC Wildberry has a quick-hitting, wildberry flavor that triggers as soon as the tablet is placed in the mouth, according to the company.
The product began shipping to retailers this week and will be available in stores nationwide next month.
Plans call for P&G to kick off Prilosec OTC Wildberry with a robust marketing plan this fall that includes television, print and digital advertising, public relations, sampling, couponing and direct mail. The company said the marketing campaign will continue to feature comedian Larry the Cable Guy, who has acted as a Prilosec OTC spokesman since last year.
"New Prilosec OTC Wildberry is the first innovation in the over-the-counter, 24-hour frequent heartburn pill category in a decade," Phil McWaters, brand manager of Prilosec OTC for Procter & Gamble, said in a statement. "It offers frequent heartburn sufferers a new ‘sensory experience’ in their daily routine along with relief from frequent heartburn."
P&G noted that flavored heartburn remedies have been available for consumers in other products such as antacids and H2s but never in proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). The company said it developed a proprietary process for Prilosec OTC Wildberry that coats the swallowable pill to create the burst of wildberry flavor sensation.
An estimated 50 million American suffer from frequent heartburn, which is characterized by experiencing heartburn symptoms two or more days per week, P&G reported. Like the original Prilosec OTC, the new Prilosec OTC Wildberry treats frequent heartburn for a full 24 hours with one pill each morning, the company said.
