Anti-Oxidant as a Branding Tool

No rarefied geek term, "antioxidant" has been shown to resonate with consumers.

Between 55-60% report they will stick with a brand or product that has antioxidant qualities-- whether they fully understand the value of the compound or not. The term has become a catch-all taking in a large range of phytochemicals, phenolic compounds and flavonoids, as well as the more well-known vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene compound. Concrete results (what researchers call a "hard end point" resulting in extending life or curing a disease) have been shadowy at best. And something manufacturers aren't keen to fix. With consumers eager to have "antioxidant" qualities in their food and beverages, companies are happy to give it to them, without probing too deeply or testing their claims.

But if experience in the UK is any guide, pushing claims too far can be detrimental to sales. The smoothie Innocent was denounced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for making unsubstantiated claims. Among the various compounds labelled "anti-oxidant," studies show consumers consider vitamin C to be the single most important vitamin for health among all age groups, while vitamin E is more important as the age of those studied increases. Pairing antioxidants with other functional food attributes (e.g., fiber) increased a product’s appeal. "Added vitamins and minerals" were considered important by 87% of younger purchasers (63% of those in the older brackets).

Researchers are looking for ways to compare various antioxidants so there would be some meaning to its being on the label, which might strengthen the marketing claims of legitimate products. But just as likely is that marketing will stay ahead of the research curve. Witness ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) testing– it is one of the most common chemical assays to establish antioxidant activity, and companies are already looking for ways to promote their products with ORAC-based claims, despite researchers saying a higher ORAC number is meaningless. Reports that nutraceutical beverage sales are on a steep rise will only embolden marketers bent on capturing some of that growth.

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