Watsons Switch & Save

Sweet summer spending

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Asia’s leading personal care store, Watsons, offers products under its own label for significant savings this summer. “Before, we were known only for our beauty products. But today, we have more functional ranges. We educate consumers more that we cater to specific needs. We look for our market, know what they want, and answer their demands,” declared marketing director Vicki Encarnacion.

While most Filipinos give a high premium on health, relationships, family and one’s well-being, a lot would still tend to scrimp on the extras such as dining out, movie screenings, and shopping when saving up for something special. Toiletries and bathroom essentials like shampoo and soap, as well as daily vitamins, however, can’t and shouldn’t be cut out of any household or personal budget. With Watsons Label products, smart shoppers can get much-needed personal care items at a lower cost, allowing for hefty savings without comprising on quality.

“The Philippines is the first country to launch the widest range of generic brands and our partners are filling their inventories through us. Watsons started as an apothecary in the 18^th century that metamorphosed into a conglomerate through the years.

“Watsons has 200,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) worldwide and a few hundred products from these units are offered in the Philippines. Locally, our twenty SKUs store over-the-counter drugs, vitamins as well as supplements.

“After 20 years, patent-free molecules are used by a lot of pharmaceuticals without needing to pay the R&D costs so this brings the price of most health products down,” shared senior marketing manager Karen Fabres.

Watsons offers a bevy of products under its own label: from toothbrushes to tissue paper and everything in between. A partnership with United Home Pharmaceuticals has also allowed Asia’s leading personal care store to offer top-quality vitamins and medications at wallet-friendly prices through Watsons health- and compliance packs. The savings made by switching to using Watsons Label products can go even higher than a 80 per cent markdown, letting customers save a significant amount of money for their day-to-day expenditures. Getting that shiny new mobile gadget or that gorgeous pair of footwear becomes a lot easier with the bargains made through the Watsons Label.

“Watsons health trend is more therapeutic than preventive. The Philippine’s generic medicine market is only 5 to 6 per cent as compared to the US at 70 per cent. A study showed that Pinoys use only 75 of the 365 maintenance doses they have to take daily due to price. We are trying to address this concern with our compliance packs,” revealed Ms. Encarnacion.

When compared to similar products, the enormous 80 per cent discount gained from Watsons Label products has convinced more than a few people to make the switch and save, including personalities like socialites Tessa Prieto-Valdes. While Prieto-Valdes looks forward to acquiring new things to spend on as her money bags get heavier, Laurel finds that the number of trips she’s been going on has steadily increased ever since she made the switch to Watsons Label. This is due, in large part, to the savings she’s made on the wide range of hair, skin, and oral care products, electrical merchandise, paper, and medications she procures from Watsons. Today, more and more individuals are switching to Watsons Label products. Sharing the same sentiment are the likes of  former veejay turned model-actress Iya Villania and crooner-actor Christian Bautista who are just a few of Watsons’ satisfied brand ambassadors. “Our celebrity endorsers help us convince more Pinoys to try the Watsons label. We choose celebrities with a draw. These are people who believe in smart shopping and who pay for best value,” continued Ms. Encarnacion.

Plus, if you are an SMAC club member, you’ll enjoy more savings of up to 30 per cent when you purchase featured branded products in packs of 30s. The pre-packed quantities assure that you don’t miss out on your daily supply of healthful supplements so you are on your best each and every day.

“I love the brand and it has been over two years pitching for the Switch & Save campaign. With Watsons, you can save a lot on your essentials like toiletries, make-up, sanitizers and tissues. Their products actually look pricey, because of good packaging, but you’re not spending more than you would in other stores. They are so price-friendly and these are products that I actually use.

“My candidness and wholesome image has made me a positive influence and a good role model to my followers. After tying the knot with Drew Arellano, I’m more organized now because I think of other people now, especially my husband, compared to when I was still single,” intoned former veejay Iya Villania, who confessed she prefers hosting jobs to doing movies.

Iya co-hosts GMA-7’s Taste Buddies with Solenn Heussaff on Saturday nights, is part of Sunday All-Stars, is now filling-in for Rovilson Fernandez on Ang Pinaka, and co-hosts with MMDA chairman Tolentino on 10-4 over Net25. She’ll be opening the pilot episode of the travel show Mundo ni Juan that starts to air on March 21^st.

Watsons Label products help everyone stretch the purchasing power of their currency so they can spend more on what they really want in life. Be it a new handheld device, a dream holiday, or even just a great cup of brew every morning. It’s a lot easier to enjoy what life has to offer when you choose to switch and save the Watsons way.

“I’m Watsons new guy, so to speak. I’m the face behind their oral care line that includes breath strips, mouthwash, charcoal brushes, and tissues. I’ve always been a Watsons consumer even before I became their brand ambassador. Their personal care line, Blackwater, some meds and vitamins were most of my regular purchases with them.

“I think I was chosen to influence more women buyers to switch to the Watsons label so they get more savings on good quality products. After all, I’m the only unmarried endorser of the label,” enthused Christian Bautista, who just released his new album, Soundtrack, a compilation of twelve hit songs from the movies plus a ballad from the TV series ‘Seasons of Love.’

He will be Star-Struck’s new season mentor. “I’m into the creating-stuff mode all of a sudden. This was brought about by my recent London vacation. I was enlightened by what a city can become,” he added. Christian will be singing at a matrimonial event in Indonesia come May. He started performing on stage as a monster that’s part of an ensemble in Trumpet’s ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.’ After his foray with ‘Star in a Million,’ he went on to perform in much bigger productions as Spoliarium, West Side Story, Cinderella, Ghost, and Kitchen Musicale for Singapore Repertory.

Watsons is Asia’s leading health and beauty retailer, currently operating in over 4,000 stores and more than 1,000 pharmacies in 12 Asian markets including China (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and mainland China), Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Philippines.

Watsons Label believes that with more value from hard-earned money spent on quality affordable products, every Filipino gets more savings to enjoy the other important things in life with their loved ones.

In 2002, the A.S. Watsons Group joined hands with SM Prime Holdings Inc., the country’s leading shopping mall developer. The label caters to a variety of lifestyles with an unrivaled diversity of products and a mission to help people around the world look good and feel great.

For more information, visit the company web site, www.watsons.com.ph.