Avon to launch Roche tie-in

Avon, the American beauty products company, has teamed up with Roche Consumer Health to launch a line of multivitamins and nutritional supplements called Avon-Roche VitAdvance.

It is the first time that pharmaceutical company Roche has combined its brand name with another company, and the first time Avon has sold products under another brand name.

VitAdvance forms part of a new global collection of nutritional, aromatherapy and fitness and relaxation products called Avon Wellbeing. It will be introduced in the UK in August aided by Avon brochures.

Avon Wellbeing will be available in 15 different countries, but the UK is the only European country where the products are being introduced.

Avon Wellbeing will comprise three categories: VitAdvance; VitaTonics aromatherapy products, available as eau de toilette, cooling and shower gel and spritz; and Body and Mind, which will include exercise and fitness accessories and clothing.

The collection will be sold through a separate brochure to Avon’s existing flagship brochure and will be updated every six weeks.

The company recently promoted its general manager of overseas business development, Andrea Slater, to UK vice-president of marketing, replacing Bob Briddon, who has become group vice-president of US marketing (MW March 29).

Last week the company reported first-quarter earnings of $82m (&£57m), up from $70.4m (&£49m) a year earlier. Revenues rose three per cent to $1.35bn (&£940m).

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