Category: Product Literature

SPIRU-TEIN Reigns Supreme

Imagine the indulgent, creamy sensation of old-fashioned ice cream parlor shakes...

SPIRU-TEIN is synonymous with “incredibly delicious.”

This I understood from day one as the Lead Copywriter of Nature’s Plus. Founder Gerald Kessler’s always positioned SPIRU-TEIN as an amazing taste sensation. And in truth, SPIRU-TEIN was the first great-tasting protein powder supplement. When I arrived at Nature’s Plus, I elevated Kessler’s taste-centric strategy to a whole new level. More than delicious, I made SPIRU-TEIN a rich, creamy, decadent sensory experience — and in doing so, contributed to one of the Industry’s most enduring and influential products. And here’s an industry insider scoop: SPIRU-TEIN is about to come out with a product that will change everything. Stay tuned.

The Lesson: Strong descriptive writing is a critical step in differentiating your product and claiming your place as King of the Mountain. But don’t B.S. your potential customers. The advertisements below only work ’cause SPIRU-TEIN truly is incredibly delicious.

Iron Chef-inspired SPIRU-TEIN Supreme ad copy
Sinfully delicious & oh-so naughty. That's Sexy Nutrition.
Even more delicious than Boo Berry frosted cereal.

Booming Brain Health: Ginkgo

As Woody Allen once said, “My brain? That’s my second favorite organ.” But for Boomers seeking peak quality of life in their golden years, the brain is priority #1.

Mental sharpness. Cognitive performance. Crystal-clear memory. The Brain Health segment is a supplement industry goldmine. Neuronutrients’ potency in promoting peak brain health is backed by reams of research. At right is a piece I wrote on Ginkgo Biloba, one of the most famous brain-boosters. This PDF is part of a larger marketing book that discusses several other neuronutrients in detail.

The Lesson: Brain health is a booming category. Effective educational marketing materials are the key to supercharging supplement sales in this all-important sector. The Natural Health Writer is a neuronutrient marketing expert.

The Art of Nutrition

"First, do no harm."

In 2010, I worked on the re-branding of Physiologics, a physicians’ nutritional supplement line. This category is poised for explosive growth. To add some sex appeal to the typically bland marketing materials of doctors’ supplements, I incorporated quotes from the Hippocratic Oath, which worked beautifully with the branding of doctors’ supplements.

Quality is a hallmark differentiator that is critically important in the successful marketing of supplements. It’s not easy to write about! For this catalog, we brainstormed a quality theme called The Art of Nutrition. Read the PDF at right for the full story.

The Lesson: My client on this project (a true marketing genius) fixated on discussing quality without using the word “quality.” He was right — when you differentiate down to a subtle microscopic level, you strengthen your brand from the bottom up.

Protein (R)evolution

Stay a step (or 3!) ahead of your competition.

In 2007, global sports beverage sales was $25 billion. That number is projected to increase to $87 billion in 2013.* Sports drink sales are booming… and protein powder supplements are a key reason why.

Protein supplementation has evolved to meet new demand. While dairy-based whey has historically dominated, the expanding protein market created a need for diverse protein formulas — including vegetarian protein supplements.

One SPIRU-TEIN marketing/writing campaign I worked on involved just such a vegetarian protein formula: The Tri-Part Protein Blend, derived from soy, rice, and peas.

The campaign strengthened the SPIRU-TEIN brand while elevating it above its many imitators. Since SPIRU-TEIN is over 25 years old… that’s a lot of knock-off soy/spirulina shakes. Category leaders like SPIRU-TEIN blaze new trails to maintain their competitive edge.

The Lesson: What’s different about your protein formula? Without that key differentiator, you risk losing your product in a saturated protein market.


*Global Sports Nutrition Market Topped $27.2B in 2007,  http://bccresearch.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/global-sports-nutrition-market-topped-272b-in-2007/, 2007.

Old(er) and in the Whey

Bicycle shorts while rollerblading: A crime against humanity

Below are links to three Nature’s Plus Spiru-Tein Whey brochures that I wrote. Clearly this is for an older crowd than the Jersey Shore demographic we discussed in an earlier post. I mean, come on… look at this guy on the rollerblades. You think a Jersey Shore type would buy a protein powder supplement from that??

Don’t scoff, though. Read and consider how the brochures target a wealthier whey demographic: Buff Boomers.

SPIRU-TEIN whey protein shake brochure – original flavors.

SPIRU-TEIN whey protein shake brochure – new flavors.

SPIRU-TEIN whey brochure for low-carb diets.

The Lesson: Whey protein powder is an agile supplement that crosses demographic boundaries. Speak to your audience — sports nutrition success will follow.

Jersey Shore Nutrition

It's so you don't end up a (total) shipwreck.

Have you seen Jersey Shore ? The characters may be muscleheads… but you gotta admit, they’ve sure got muscles. One reason why: A Jersey Shore episode doesn’t come full circle until the housemates have their morning protein shakes.

The ubiquitous Jersey Shore trend’s focus on fitness has pumped up a lucrative sports nutrition demographic: young adults, aged 17-25. The stats don’t lie: A recent study suggests that 90%+ of college-aged men would like to be more muscular.* As a result, the demand for creatine and whey protein — considered to be foundation supplements for muscle mass — has spiked higher than a blowout hairstyle. Sports nutrition fortunes can be made on the Jersey Shore boardwalk alone. All you need is spray-on tan, a blender, your protein powder… and a-whey you go.

I’ve worked on multiple sports nutrition marketing campaigns, many of which targeted the surging 17-25 “Gym Rat” demographic. One ongoing project (pictured above) involves developing training tips to help store clerks maximize sports nutrition sales.

As great as the 17-25 group may be for sports nutrition sales, another demographic might possess even greater potential…


Frederick, David. “Desiring the Muscular Ideal: Men’s Body Satisfaction in the United States, Ukraine, and Ghana.” Psychology of Men and Maculinity, Vol. 8, No. 2 (2007): 103-117