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Got a cough? Forget the doctor. Go to a grocery store.
That's right. Medical clinics are springing up in supermarkets, mass-merchandise outlets and drug stores, and they are handling simple diagnoses for walk-in patients.
But think carefully about how you might use them as a promotional channel. They are careful when choosing marketing partners.
Founded seven years ago, MinuteClinic is the oldest and biggest chain. It has 149 clinics in 18 states, and is planning "aggressive expansion" through 2010, says Stacy Hintermeister, the chain's vice president of marketing.
The chain had been distributing product samples, but that slowed down when it was acquired by CVS in October. It is now talking with Johnson & Johnson and Wyeth Labs, for these firms "share our passion for healthcare education," Hintermeister says.
As for other brands, "I'm just waiting for one of them to come up with some really great ideas," Hintermeister says. "First you have to pass our quality mandate."
Take Care has 36 clinics in Walgreen's and Eckerd drug stores, mostly in the Midwest, and plans to have 250 clinics by the end of the year. But it has decided that it won't hand...