Today Sponge Hopes That Fifth Launch Will Be the Charm

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Mayer Laboratories announced it will relaunch the Today Sponge, the contraceptive made famous by a Seinfeld episode. The launch is at least the fifth in the history of the brand, which has had at least four different corporate owners.

Today is thus the Maltese Falcon of the pharma business — many have chased this macguffin, believing it contains unparalleled riches, only to later abandon the hunt in despair, bankruptcy or FDA-ordered factory closures.

Here is a potted history of the little brand that has never made much money but nonetheless continues to entice entrepreneuers who think that consumers’ unaided recall of the Seinfeld episode make it a sure thing. The images show the many redesigns that the box has been subjected to.

1983: The brand launches under the aegis of American Home Products.

1994: AHP was acquired by Wyeth, which took Today off the market after the FDA cited manufacturing problems at its factory.

2000: Allendale Pharmaceuticals, acquires the brand and relaunches the product with a $3 million print ad campaign.

2005: Allendale Pharma, tries again, this time with a $6 million campaign.

2005: NuvaRing launches — similar insertion device but with the contraceptive power of the pill. Brand now at Schering-Plough.

2007: Today is acquired by Synova Healthcare. Package redesigned with more of a chick-lit sensibility, product given its fourth launch.

2007-2009: Brand is transferred to Mayer, which states: “the recent interruption of distribution was not the result of product quality or consumer demand, but was due to the previous owner, Synova Healthcare Group, filing bankruptcy.”

2009: Launch No. 5, this time with yet another package redesign, in turquoise.

Other pharma macguffins:
Arena Lays Off 31% of Its Staff Following Obesity Trial Failure
Will P&G Pharma Auction End the Company’s Pursuit of “Viagra for Women”?

Tags: Procter & Gamble Co., Viagra, Gender And Diversity, Human Resources, Jim Edwards

Jim Edwards, a former managing editor of Adweek, has covered drug marketing at Brandweek for four years, and is a former Knight-Bagehot fellow at Columbia University's business and journalism schools. Follow him on Twitter or send him an email.

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1

MsAlden

05/14/09 | Report as spam

RE: Today Sponge Hopes That Fifth Launch Will Be the Charm

The re-launch will fail (yet again) because while the product appears to be cute and comfy, in actuality after use it becomes a soppy, disgusting mess that imbalances a woman's internal acidic levels and promotes infection. Every woman who has tried it has moved on to something better. Spongeworthy, indeed.
2

BNET's Jim Edwards

05/14/09 | Report as spam

RE: Today Sponge Hopes That Fifth Launch Will Be the Charm

You might be right. I believe the traditional logic for the Sponge is that many women don't like the pill because it screws with their bodies; they want something they can use temporarily. Today fits that niche, no pun intended.
3

Elizajord1

05/14/09 | Report as spam

RE: Today Sponge Hopes That Fifth Launch Will Be the Charm

I have been waiting patiently for this product to make a comeback. There is nothing comparable and I beg to differ with sweetjunghan that women move on to something better. In my mind there is NOTHING better! I have never had any problems with mess or infection and at 41 years old the pill isn't a safe option.
4

MsAlden

05/15/09 | Report as spam

RE: Today Sponge Hopes That Fifth Launch Will Be the Charm

To Elizajord1, my apologies. The freedom to choose--from a full range of choices--is essential for every woman, so I hope the Sponge will be available for you soon. I should not have said that "every woman" moved on, however the fact that low sales took the product off the market not one but four times indicates that many women did opt for other methods. And, it should be noted that the Sponge does nothing to prevent STDs.
5

stephaniem at mayer

05/15/09 | Report as spam

RE: Today Sponge Hopes That Fifth Launch Will Be the Charm

We agree with SweetJungThang that women should have the freedom to choose their birth control and that is why we are proud to be re-launching the Today Sponge. Mayer Labs has been committed to the OTC reproductive health space for over 22 years and we value the importance of contraceptive choices.

The Today Sponge was never removed due to quality issues or consumer demand. Regardless of the past, women should have the right to use the Today Sponge as their contraceptive choice. Finding the Maltese Falcon..I don?t know about that?but our efforts to successfully re-launch the Today Sponge have made thousands of women very happy judging by the responses we have received this week!!!

Stephanie McEntee
Mayer Laboratories, Inc.

A point of clarification, Mayer Labs is now bringing it back to the market for the 3rd Time since 1983. See a timeline on our website http://www.todaysponge.com/history.
6

BNET's Jim Edwards

05/16/09 | Report as spam

RE: Today Sponge Hopes That Fifth Launch Will Be the Charm

@stephaniem: The product may be in its third launch in terms of market availability, but I'm defining "launch" or "relaunch" in the consumer packaged goods sense -- i.e. whenever a company substantially repositions a brand and promotes it with a new marketing strategy.