According to a national survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of the makers of Rogaine, Americans have a “surprising” lack of understanding concerning the prevalence, incidence, causes, and how to effectively treat hair loss. The survey concludes that more than 75 percent of Americans incorrectly cite stress as a leading cause of hair loss, while more than one-third think wearing a hat and over-styling hair can cause common male and female pattern baldness.
So what if obesity is considered one of America’s biggest killers, leading to heart disease, diabetes and strokes? The stats say it all, “40 percent of married Americans would rather their spouse be overweight than bald!”
While we appreciate the effort on the part of Wakefield Research and Rogaine to shed some light on society’s utter lack of knowledge and empathy when it comes to hair loss, we definitely think their time and resources could have been better spent. Hair loss sufferers make up the largest demographic of all human kind, yet in our opinion, the makers of Rogaine still can’t find a way to effectively educate hair loss consumers about a product that actually works.
When it comes to hair loss, there needs to be a stronger focus on consumer education, rather than the usual marketing “programs” that get delivered by pharmaceutical companies.
Consider the following quote form the Rogaine website:
“Getting the most out of ROGAINE® is all about sticking to your routine, so we created the ROGAINE® GROWTH COACH™ Program to make sure you stay on track. Consider the ROGAINE® GROWTH COACH™ Program your personal cheerleader, stylist, and hair regrowth expert.”
Catchy, yes, but necessary? No. Consumers will use the product as directed if they were made aware of its real world efficacy. Rogaine works and it’s safe! That’s all they need to know.
While the survey didn’t provide us with any new insight into the way Americans view hair loss, it did illustrate just how much money is wasted by the big pharmas on research consultancy and PR firms who still don’t get it.
About the Survey
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: The Myths & Truths Behind Hair Loss was conducted among 1,001 nationally representative American men and women ages 18 and older. The interviews were conducted online by Wakefield between November 12th and November 17th, 2009 using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population over ages 18 and older.
Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
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