HEALTH

An average consumer encounters the same or very similar product mix from retailer to retailer. Unintentionally, we have almost trained them not to expect anything special from their shopping experience. The retailer that does offer something beyond the ordinary shopping experience can score big points with shoppers. Do something unexpected to surprise and delight shoppers, and word will spread – probably quickly. So what is it that really makes consumers tick? I think it boils down to five main things.

Convenience

WASHINGTON — A joint program of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a new chairman.

John Buse of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine was appointed chair of the National Diabetes Education Program for a two-year term on Jan. 1. Buse succeeds Martha Funnell, who is a researcher at the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, as well as co-director of the Behavioral, Clinical, and Health Systems Intervention Research Core at the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — Kaz recently commissioned Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide for a new mobile campaign using location-based targeting that helps drive sales to retailers by name.

The campaign features Kaz's Vicks Behind Ear thermometer. Ads are placed within popular mobile apps that only pop up during, in this case, a high incidence of flu through utilization of Google Flu Trends. In other words, the ad targets users who arguably have a higher need for the product — a factor that would presumably increase the purchase intent with that branded call to action.

MINNEAPOLIS — Medtronic has launched a blood-glucose monitor that allows remote monitoring of blood-glucose levels, the company said.

The Minneapolis-based device maker announced the Food and Drug Administration approval and launch of the mySentry remote glucose monitor, which allows a parent or caregiver to monitor a patient's blood-sugar levels from another room by communicating with the MiniMed Paradigm Real-Time Revel glucose-monitoring system.

NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — The Vitamin Shoppe on Thursday announced the launch of a sports nutrition supplement line called True Athlete.

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres included several Natrol nutritional products as part of her top five "12 Days of Giveaways" bonus items on "Ellen," Natrol announced Wednesday.

"Ellen is a shining example of the type of customers we stand for as a company — a successful, fast-paced person who values a healthy lifestyle and wants to ensure that the nutritional products they trust to use are as safe, natural, fast-acting and effective as possible," Natrol's senior director of marketing Lisa Sheppard said.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. News & World Report on Wednesday named the top five "easiest" diets New Year's resolutionists should follow — Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Mediterranean Diet, Slim Fast and Volumetrics — out of a total field of 25 diet plans.

SAN FRANCISCO — A large European study released Tuesday found that daily aspirin use is linked to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration, a disease that can damage the central vision that is essential for reading and driving. The study was published in the January issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.