No more sleepless nights: Q&A with Dave Tomasi, Procter & Gamble

Dave Tomasi, Procter & Gamble



Sleeplessness impacts more than half of the U.S. population. Who are those patients, and what can they do about their unrest? Drug Store News recently tracked down Procter & Gamble’s Dave Tomasi, brand director of ZzzQuil, for answers.



DSN: What does the typical person who’s suffering from sleep deprivation look like?



Dave Tomasi: Occasional sleeplessness is a prominent problem. More than 50% of U.S. adults experience a sleep problem at least a few nights per week. However, U.S. household penetration of the OTC sleep category is only 20%. The issue affects both males and females between the ages of 25 years and 55 years. According to studies, women are more likely to suffer from occasional sleeplessness.



DSN: What is the frequency of a shopper of sleep aids? How often are they coming into the store?



Tomasi: Of those consumers who buy a sleep aid, 61% of them will repeat their sleep aid purchase and will purchase 2.6 times a year.



DSN: What are the factors that drive a sleep aid shopper’s purchase decision?



Tomasi: Shoppers are looking for a product that fits their needs. ... Consumers look for efficacy, safety and trust. They want a product that works quickly, that is non-habit forming and a brand that is trustworthy.



DSN: Why should they (do they) choose ZzzQuil?



Tomasi: Some OTC sleep aid products contain a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, in addition to a sleep aid ingredient. ZzzQuil is different from these because it does not contain a pain reliever. ZzzQuil is not for colds. It’s not for pain. It’s just for sleep.



DSN: Where does ZzzQuil belong in the store?



Tomasi: ZzzQuil typically is found near sleep aid or pain products. This year, consumers will find two new options in liquids, including the new Calming Vanilla Cherry flavor and the new Alcohol Free Soothing Mango Berry flavor. Our familiar purple in-store displays will continue to feature ZzzQuil’s “sleep like” campaign, which highlights ZzzQuil as the “go to” product that helps consumers sleep easily, sleep soundly and wake refreshed.