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It struck me the other day during lunch at a local Moe’s Southwestern Grill that a new phenomenon has swept the restaurant landscape in the form of poor attempts to differentiate from the competit

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

ion—renaming accepted terms of business with cutesy nicknames. This is readily visible in the faster food sector, and it’s becoming more prevalent as companies struggle to connect with the consum

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

er in manners which create loyalty and/or preference.

Take Moe’s as a prime example. Personally, I believe they have a very good product to offer, but they’ve gone and out “cuted” themselves wit

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

h ridiculously silly nicknames for their fare which only serve to confuse and frustrate the customer. It’s easy to see them thinking behind the scenes, but it’s a risky attempt at product differe

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

ntiation. They’re in fierce competition with franchises such as Qdoba, Baja Fresh, Chipotle, LaBamba, Taco Bell, and Tijuana Flats, (plus many others) but those competitors don’t require a transl

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

ator to order a simple burrito or taco. Try popping into one of those places one day or night to order a “Joey” or an “Alfredo Garcia.” You’ll get looked at like you have three heads (with good

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

reason).

What would possess a franchise to resort to childish nicknames to try to differentiate themselves? It’s probably an executive’s poor excuse of a marketing concept designed to separate f

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

rom the competition, but that’s not the type of separation that enables your concept to thrive long term. It will ultimately separate them all right—the competition will eventually gain as the in

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

itial shtick gives way to annoyance and turns consumers off to the point they prefer the competition even with all other factors being relatively equal.

Sure, things look great for Moe’s presentl

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

y, and the concept seems “fresh” today, but that can change on a dime without warning. Their current growth could be sapped with one false step because there is less room to wiggle when you’re at

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

tempting to retrain your customer base to conform to your concept. What happens if the consumer collectively says “I’m no longer in the mood for Moe?” Would being “cute” be overruled by a desire

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

to becoming truly different (i.e. better)?

Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of positives. Their restaurants are well laid out, the d?cor is modern, the lighting is appropriate, and the food

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

is tasty not to mention reasonably priced. The physical atmosphere is hip and inviting. There are glaring negatives, too. The staff collectively insisting on yelling “Welcome to Moe’s!” at the

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

top of their lungs as a new customer enters doesn’t make me want to setup shop for very long. I can’t wait to get out so I don’t have to hear that any more than I have to. I’d like a little peac

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

e and normalcy with my meal Moe, thanks.

Topping off the frustrating concept Moe’s obviously insists upon cramming down the consumer’s throat is the staff correcting the customer when ordering by

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

the desired ingredients instead of its nickname. You’re not training me Moe, you’re supposed to be providing a quality and quick meal which I am going to ring your register for—don’t correct me,

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

simply make the food, take the money, and let me eat in peace!

Moe’s is not alone in this feeble attempt at differentiation, and they won’t be the last, but the lesson to be learned is to keep c

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

ustomer service just that—customer service. The customer is paying so don’t believe you’re going to train the customer as long as the equation is structured that way. If you begin to pay people

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

to come into your franchise or business, you’re well within your rights to try to train them to do business your way. Stick to doing business as the industry dictates until you develop a better w

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

ay of doing things. Then, and only then, you will have a true differentiator. Simply renaming a common item or process doesn’t make you different—it makes you contrarian. Don’t confuse the two.

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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