Competitive Positioning Competitors analysed Desk research of weight loss drink providers in the Australian market was conducted, examining the information published on their websites about products comparative to YBYW: Isagenix Australia Shake and Cleanse Pack (positioned as meal replacement) Herballife Australia Shape Up Now programme (positioned as meal replacement) Tony Ferguson (positioned as snack/meal replacement) Isowhey Rejuvenation program (positioned as snack/meal replacement) Optislim Weight Loss program (positioned as snack/meal replacement) Optifast VLCD (very low calorie diets) Program (positioned as snack/meal replacement) Fatblaster Weight Loss program (positioned as weight loss shake) Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation program (positioned as an online exercise, nutrition and mindset program created by Australia's Biggest Loser Personal Trainer, Michelle Bridges). Weight loss vs. fat loss Most of the competitors analysed focussed on weight loss. Isagenix had a varied value proposition published on their website: Whether you re looking to lose pounds and inches, improve performance and recovery, or combat the aging process and improve overall health, Isagenix has long-term health and fitness solutions for you. Mannatech s YBYW focuses on losing fat and keeping if off in the long term. This IS a competitive differentiator for Mannatech. Money back guarantee No-one matches Mannatech s 90 day money back guarantee. This IS a competitive differentiator for Mannatech. Lifestyle-based approach Most competitor products primarily focussed on diet and nutrition through meal replacement shakes. Some competitors did explain the other lifestyle-based fat loss elements like the importance of exercise, drinking water, completing trackers. Mannatech was the only product that specifically embodies all 7 lifestyle factors for permanent fat loss in great detail. This IS a differentiator for Mannatech. The YBYW Quick Shake should be positioned as a snack, not a meal replacement. Isagenix In terms of self accountability, Isagenix recommends to take your measurements and enter into a tracker. 1
In terms of external accountability, Isagenix recommend people Enlist an accountability partner or Isagenix coach like your sponsor, spouse, friend or co-worker. Have this person join you in your transformation or have them offer you daily support by providing encouragement, tracking your progress and keeping you focused. You can also get free daily advice (ANZ.IsaDiary.com) and helpful tips from the Personal Coaching section of IsaProductAU.com). IsaDiary is an on-line coaching program. It includes specific instructions, practical advice and health information to complete your Isagenix program and adopt a Nutritional Cleansing & Replenishing lifestyle. The step by step information is similar to that found in the YBYW How to lose fat guide. ANZ.IsaDiary.com is a resource centre featuring easy-to-follow training, audio and video, daily coaching, support and much more to help achieve health goals. It s product-based education around 4 topics: weight loss, energy and performance, healthy ageing and health maintenance. Optifast Optifast have created an online support program for members with four key sections to help manage ongoing weight loss and stay motivated: 1. My Profile and Goals Includes basic identification information about yourself, as well as your weight loss goals. 2. My Optifast Program Presents you with a series of program phases based on weight loss goals and needs. The Optifast VLCD 1 Program will suggest the most suitable phase based on your BMI and information you have provided. They suggest to follow the recommendation, but the option is available to choose one of the other three Optifast phases. The Optifast VLCD Program is flexible, and you are able to move between the different phases depending on your lifestyle and weight loss goals. 3. My Progress An online version of the Healthy Habits tracker: enter daily information about what you've eaten, how much exercise you did, and how much you weigh. You'll also receive helpful tips and videos from weight management experts, as well as healthy recipes and nutritious snack ideas to help you along your weight loss journey. 4. My Community This portal connects you with other members who can offer their own weight management support and encouragement. You can also actively contribute or pose your own questions and comments on weight loss issues to other members. Herbalife The online information about Shape Up Now focussed on nutritional and weight loss elements of the products in their packs rather than other lifestyle factors for permanent fat loss. Not as detailed as YBYW. 1 VLDC-Very Low Calorie Diet. These kind of program is typically administered under expert medical supervision. 2
Isowhey Isowhey has a Healthy Living ebook available for download on their website. It starts off with generic tips like drink plenty of water, gather a support network, avoid processed foods, get more sleep and exercise 4-5 times per week. It does then detail a meal plan, fitness program, a list of foods to enjoy and some recipes. Not as detailed as YBYW. Tony Ferguson Tony Ferguson Weight Loss Clinics are located inside Terry White Chemists and leading independent pharmacies Australia-wide. People are advised to speak with speak Tony Ferguson Consultant at the Clinic. When you become a member, you attend weekly appointments with your consultant. These appointments enable you to receive support while losing weight, learn more about maintaining weight loss and how you can learn to be flexible, while still being healthy. The consultant educates you each week, for 6 weeks, around topics that you should develop new habits in: Week 1 Getting started measurements, goals, list of recipes for the week, using a hunger diary Week 2 Making meals - learn more about the five food groups, portions sizes and making meals. Examine huger diary. Week 3 The Household involving the household, spring cleaning the pantry, share new set of recipes and review hunger diary. Week 4 Eating Out and Socialising Week 5 Exercise After 5 weeks, the idea is that your consultant will have helped you build a foundation of weight loss knowledge that will help you to lose weight and keep it off for life. Notice how Tony Ferguson promotes the need to develop new habits to keep the fat you have lost away for a long time, just like YBYW. During consultations in weeks 6, 7, 8 and beyond, members are introduced to a range of special weight loss topics and they have the opportunity to review any of the topics they ve already covered. Their website features recipes. They have an official support group on Facebook. Tony Ferguson fully supports the new Australian Dietary Guidelines (NHMRC 2013). The 5 key guidelines are: 1. To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs; 2. Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods from the five groups every day (vegetables, fruit, lean protein, dairy & grains); 3. Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol; 4. Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding; and 5. Care for your food, prepare and store it safely 3
Fatblaster Their site is pretty basic, recommending products, some recipes and basic tips on exercise. Systemisation Competitors who have a phased approach like Optifast and Optislim, only focus in details on what products to use and how to use them during these phases. They do not specify exercise or eating plans during each phase. YBYW is a systemised approach to fat loss with 4 steps. In each of the 4 steps, we make recommendations on each of the 7 lifestyle elements. This is a very detailed approach. The systems approach that Mannatech has taken IS a differentiator for Mannatech. Timing Mannatech s YBYW has no time limits (except Step 1 Restore which is 28 days). Mannatech recognises that everyone s body is different. With YBYW, you can work through each step at your own pace, as you meet certain milestones. Isagenix and Herbalife also have no specific timeframes provided. Tony Ferguson recommends at least 6 weeks on his program; Isowhey 28 days. Fatblaster and Michelle Bridges stipulate 12 weeks. The no time limit is somewhat of a differentiator for Mannatech. Stages YBYW has 4 steps. The benefits of the steps is that people prefer to have some kind of system of progression so they can see themselves moving forward. Only Optislim and Optifast (steps=intensive, transition and maintenance) have stages as well. The 4 steps is somewhat of a differentiator for Mannatech. Eating guidelines Most competitors combine shakes with meals. On YBYW, we eat a variety of low GI foods across different food groups. Associates on the YBYW system need to eat less than their daily energy requirement 6/7 days each week and eat up to their daily energy requirement one day per week. For example, if your daily energy requirement is 1800 calories per day, you could eat 1700 calories each day for 6 days per week and then the other day, consume 1800 per day. If you consume 2 Vanilla Quick Shakes a day made with SanitariumAlmond Coconut Milk, this adds up to 306 calories. This means your lunch and 2 snacks can add up to 1394 calories most days. Isagenix specify a low GI eating plan as well. In addition to their daily IsaLean Shakes, people on the plan can consume 400-600 calories. From their guide: "A typical plate should consist of one half fruits and vegetables, a serving of grains with at least half as whole grains, a serving of lean protein such as fish or skinless chicken, and a serving of a calcium-rich food such as fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt." 4
OptiFast say you can have 1-3 meals of less than 400 calories each. OptiSlim says you can consume very low calorie or low calorie snacks and meals e.g. salad, fruit, lean meat and vegetables. Meal suggestions are found on the website, on the Club Optislim site and in the recipe booklet that comes with the Optislim Life Starter Pack. Michelle Bridges and Fatblaster have very specific menu plans which you can only access when you purchase their program. Herballife s Shape Up Now says 1-2 reasonably sized balanced meals can be eaten per day with 5-7 serves of fruit and vegies. A Tony Ferguson consultant talks about what to eat, how to cook etc. in Week 3 of the program during the one-to-one appointment. Scientific Validation Mannatech has published 2 clinical studies on Osolean in peer-reviewed journals. Having studies published in peer-reviewed journals provides more credibility than just running clinical trials. University of Colorado conducted a clinical study involving Isagenix products that was published in two peer-reviewed journals (Nutrition Journal and Nutrition & Metabolism). The study serves as clinical substantiation for Isagenix systems for healthy weight loss and also adds to advance their understanding of the relationship between diet, nutrition and health. You can view the clinical study here http://www.isagenix.com/~/media/655df9da156c497ea6619361c7f1319f The Herbalife website says there are 180 scientists on staff, of which 19 have PhDs. The company s internal staff is supplemented with 30 consulting scientists, all with PhDs. From January 2011 to date (March 2012), the company has initiated 12 clinical studies, of which five relate specifically to the Formula 1 product. There is no mention as to whether these studies were published in peerreviewed journals. Optifast also claim to have scientific research to support the viability of their products. However, we could not determine whether this research was published in peer-reviewed journals. 5