Launching of a new product does not mean that the product would automatically gain leading market share or ensure stable, positive growth in the following years. There are things that influence the market environment so every product would compete with the other in any marketing aspects in order to gain acknowledgement from its users. The market would then dictate the direction to which the product would position itself among other players.

When re-launched in early 2000 Cerebrovit, a brain food supplement product that targets young executives in their 25 -45 year of age had had a notable share within its first 2 years in the market and face down turn after that period. The re-launch was introducing active ingredient Ginkgobiloba in Cerebrovit that is recognized to stimulate smooth blood circulation surrounding the human brain. With this stimulus, damage of brain cell can be slowed down so the brain could function properly still. While Ginkgobiloba promotes positive impact on human brain, news on how Ginkgobiloba could generate negative side effect if consumed over dose influence audiences for their consuming behavior. Further on, the usage pattern, i.e. consuming when it is considered required for example when preparing for examination or similar task in the office, has also influenced its sales volume.

The launching of several new products with Ginkgobiloba and the negative issue on Cerebrovit was assumedably responsible for the declining of Cerebrovit leadership in market share in the following year. KALBE Farma, Cerebrovit's producer, assumed that the cause of this decline was influenced by the launch Hemaviton brain nutrient (Hemaviton BN) by TEMPO group and Sakatonik ABG by Saka Farma in September 2000 and in July 2001 respectively. Although, Hemaviton brain nutrient is targeted to people in their 40s up, while Sakatonik ABG is targeted to teen-ager students. KALBE's executives also suspected that issue on ginkgobiloba negative impact served as other factor that influences the declining of market share of Cerebrovit.

The issues above are then, as KALBE Farma executive acknowledged, being defined to be the problems faced by CGB on its way in retaining its leadership position in the market.

One that could be drawn from the data gathered during the survey is the fact that most of the respondent s showed their awareness on the product but with low sign of interest to try it that possibly indicates product's low attractiveness. This may be caused by communicating the product to its audiences. With this reasoning, several recommendations are provided, among others, as follows:

- Educating the market through communication

o To overcome the misperception and increase the interest.

- Induce trial through product sampling promotion

o To realize the interest and induce potential customers to evaluate and try the product.

- Extending the current target segment to above 45 years old.

- New Marketing Mix



Reseach Location: PT Kalbe Farma Tbk.

Supervisor: Ir. Mudzaffar Daud, MBA.

Accepted on 15 July 2002