Newsweek and BrandSpark International Announce 1st Annual Most Trusted by Pharmacists OTC Brands in America

The BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards were earned across 86 OTC product categories and based on a survey of 1,682 U.S. Pharmacists

NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2022  /PRNewswire/ - Leading market research firm BrandSpark International today announced the inaugural winners of the BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards ("BMTPA") for over-the-counter ("OTC") consumer product brands. The winners were selected based on the BrandSpark American Pharmacists Trust Study, a survey of 1,682 pharmacists currently practicing in the United States who gave their top-of-mind, unaided opinions on which brands they trust the most in 86 categories.

Americans turn to over-the-counter products to address a multitude of common health-related issues and many of these purchases are made with the help of pharmacists. They provide their opinions to consumers based on their deep knowledge of which brands they have seen to be most effective in delivering relief, treatment and care, and therefore trust the most. BrandSpark has made it easier for shoppers to navigate OTC brands by providing a 100% pharmacist-voted seal to look for when you want to know which OTC brands pharmacists trust the most.

BrandSpark researchers identified key OTC categories where trust is important to consumers, based on a review of the most common ailments consumers face and where pharmacists believe in the superiority of specific brands. Opinions of pharmacists were gathered and BrandSpark calculated which brands had the highest volume of unaided mentions. All respondents were confirmed to be currently practicing licensed pharmacists and standard research best practices were applied to ensure accuracy.

"When health is a factor, consumers actively seek the most effective and trusted products, which inspired us to expand our program to pharmacists, the premier OTC health experts. Our goal is to make healthcare professionals' opinions about the brands they most trust accessible to the everyday shopper", said Robert Levy, President of BrandSpark. "Shoppers already recognize our purple seal as a reputable and research-backed mark that helps them make better purchase decisions, and this value is amplified in OTC categories with a pharmacist-backed trust mark".

The BrandSpark American Shopper Study ("BASS") found that OTC health consumers rely on the opinions of healthcare professionals more than any other driver of trust. Pharmacists' suggestions of the brands they trust are the second most influential factor after doctors' opinions according to the study and strongly influence shoppers' purchases across major OTC categories. The study showed that establishing consumer trust is crucial to promote brand purchase over competitive options. The BASS also revealed that the importance shoppers place on pricing and recommendations of other consumers when buying OTC products slightly weakened in the last year, while the importance they place on opinions from medical professionals and pharmacists has remained stable, which speaks to the longevity of the impact of these opinions. The BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards list of winning OTC brands meets this consumer need by providing an accessible and extensive overview of the OTC brands that pharmacists trust most.

4 Notable Winners from the 2022 BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards:

1. Sensitivity toothpaste brand, Sensodyne, earned the highest trust share of any brand among pharmacists, at 72%.
2. Nature Made took home 5 awards, the most wins out of any brand in the survey, proving deep trust and authority in the supplement segment.
3. Coppertone led all brands in Sunscreen for Kids while Neutrogena was most trusted for Adult Sunscreen.  
4. Consumer health & wellness company i-Health won in 3 categories: Probiotic Supplement (Culturelle), UTI Prevention (AZO), and Menopause Supplement (Estroven).

The BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards 2022 winners are listed below (brands in a tie are presented in alphabetical order). See details at www.BrandSparkMostTrusted.com, and contact us for more information on any category.

Newsweek and Pharmacy Today will be publishing the results from the BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards, helping support winners by reaching consumers and pharmacists.

1,682 pharmacists practicing in the United States determined the BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards winners for 2022 through their unaided write-in citations, as if they were giving their suggestions in the pharmacy. The highest share of citations as Most Trusted in the category determined the winner. If the margin of citation share between the leading brands did not exceed the estimate of sampling error at 90% statistical confidence, then a tie was declared.

Founded in 2001, BrandSpark International is a research and consulting firm that provides brands with the insights they need to understand the omnichannel shopper, refine their strategic brand positioning, build consumer trust, and improve the success of their new product launches. Best New Product Awards Inc. runs two research-backed, highly accredited awards programs: the BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards, in its 10^th year of helping consumers shop smarter by determining which brands they trust most; and the Best New Product Awards, in their 15^th year of recognizing and rewarding brands for R&D and product innovation.

Permission and authorization from Best New Product Awards Inc. are required to reference the BrandSpark/Newsweek Most Trusted by Pharmacists Awards win or use the claim or logo in any communication.

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SOURCE BrandSpark International