Field Agent offers up key allergy insights in latest survey

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - More than four in five consumers are planning on turning to the allergy aisle for relief of congestion or sneezing due to their allergies this year, but only one in four will have been influenced by a commercial in making their selection, according to the most recent Field Agent study, which recently surveyed more than 500 homeowners across five different U.s. regions on their allergy-related purchases. 

 

The survey, which was part of a broader look at lawn and garden purchasing, offered several allergy options for consumers to choose from: antihistamines, decongestants, eye drops, natural remedies, pain relievers, sore throat/cough medications and even air purifiers/humidifiers. When asked which, if any, they purchased or planned to purchase for the 2015 allergy season, across the country, regardless of region, households showed strong purchase behaviors or intentions toward allergy preventions and treatments.   

 

Antihistamines (e.g., Allegra, Claritin) easily topped decongestants, pain relievers, eye drops and sore throat/cough treatments as the most prevalent allergy prevention/treatment across the country. As many as 63% of respondents reported buying at least one antihistamine this year. Decongestants (44%) and pain relievers (42%) took second and third place, respectively. Consumers in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and Southwest displayed similar antihistamine usage levels, while Westerners said they purchased or plan to purchase antihistamines somewhat below the national average.  

 

In fact, Westerners in Field Agent's sample purchased noticeably less medicine to combat allergies. For three categories, antihistamines (86% of the national average), decongestants (70%) and pain relievers (89%), consumers in the western United States report usage rates somewhat below other parts of the country. Compare this to Northwesterners, who purchase decongestants (e.g., Mucinex) at 128% and pain relievers (e.g., Tylenol) at 111% of the national average.

 

However, only 24% of respondents said they have purchased at least one allergy medication over another as the direct result of an advertisement. "Of course, consumers don’t always know when they’ve been influenced by an ad," Chris Medenwald, an assistant professor of marketing and management and a current member of Field Agent’s inbound marketing team, noted in a blog on the results.  "Advertising may work unconsciously — persuading someone to buy, or simply raising brand awareness, without their conscious attention. But for this study, 24% reported knowledge of a time they were influenced by an advertisement to purchase one allergy medication over another," he said. "And because some respondents were conscious of advertising’s influence on their allergy purchases, we asked these to tell us exactly why a specific advertisement had prompted their selection of one medication over another." 

 

According to Medenwald, some mentioned they were convinced by the situations portrayed in the advertisement. By way of example, a 50-year-old woman from Snellville, Georgia said, "The commercial showed situations that directly affect my life." Meanwhile, a 61-year-old woman from Austin, Texas commented on the sheer volume of advertisements run by a particular brand. She said, "I found the…commercials influential because they are so ubiquitous." While another, a 46-year-old female from Southhaven, Mississippi, suggested timing is everything. "It came on at a time when we needed to buy this type of medication so the brand name stuck with me," she said. 

 

"As you can see, the reasons why allergy medication advertisements may work — in the most direct, conscious way — vary from one consumer to another. But, for our sample, they do seem to work, for a good portion of consumers any way," Medenwald said.