Winter’s approach brings more than just holiday marketing; this is the season when marketers battle for space in consumers’ medicine cabinets.
Two big questions stand out for cold and flu brands: who's driving the spending on health remedies—and how much are they willing to spend?
Analysis from Attain shows that Gen X and older Millennials are driving the over-the-counter cold and flu medication market. Consumers aged 35-64 are showing purchase rates 20-35% above average. Women, in particular, are the primary purchasers, displaying purchase rates 34% higher than the baseline.
The numbers tell a clear story of seasonal demand. December and January emerge as peak months for both spending and purchase frequency, with consumers averaging $16.73 and $17.31 in total spend respectively, and making nearly two purchases per month, according to Attain data. While spending predictably dips during spring and summer months—falling to around $13 in May through July—the market sees a notable uptick as fall arrives, with average spending climbing back above $15 in August and September.
This seasonal wave in consumer behavior is reshaping how brands approach their marketing strategies, particularly as average unit prices fluctuate from $8.92 to $10.28 throughout the year, says Madi Bradford, Product Manager, Platform and Insights, at Attain.
With clear demographic targets in mind—and middle to high-income households showing 7-12% above-average purchase rates—brands are getting increasingly sophisticated in their outreach.
Weather-triggered advertising has emerged as a powerful tool, with Johnson & Johnson leading the way by synchronizing their messaging with local weather patterns, says Devon Schorr, strategy director at ad agency Movers+Shakers. “Nature's Way has taken this precision targeting further, deploying weather-triggered digital out-of-home advertising in high-traffic areas such as airports,” Schorr adds.
While established brands like NyQuil, Tylenol, and Mucinex continue to dominate traditional advertising channels, the clear demographic profile of buyers has created new opportunities for challenger brands.
"Any new or smaller cold and flu brand is never going to be able to compete with the NyQuils, Tylenols, and Mucinexes of the world in the traditional advertising space," says Amy Cotteleer, partner and chief experience officer at Duncan Channon. “That makes social a great option for those challenger brands looking to raise awareness during cold and flu season.”
Data shows concentrated spending in winter months has led to a shift in marketing timing. “Medicine is a long game,” Cotteleer says. “You can get your product in homes before cold and flu season with an outreach campaign that's timed properly. That way, when those germs do start to get around, your product is already in homes and ready to be reached for.”
This approach appears particularly savvy given the spending patterns, which show consumers beginning to increase their purchases as early as August, well before the peak winter season.
Jonathan Slavin, chief business officer at contextual advertising platform Infolinks, points to sophisticated data strategies underlying modern cold and flu marketing. “Brands are very likely leveraging data to connect with consumers throughout their health journey—from prevention to symptom relief,” he says. By analyzing content consumption and search patterns, brands can engage consumers at precisely the right moment.
Despite the clear seasonal patterns in spending, Schorr notes there’s a shift toward year-round engagement. Brands are increasing investment in consistent campaigns to capitalize on unexpected demand spikes and “micro-seasons,” maintaining presence even during lower-spend months.
A notable trend is a growing emphasis on sustainable advertising practices.
Slavin notes that direct partnerships with health-focused publishers allow brands to reach engaged audiences in trusted environments while reducing digital waste and carbon impact—an approach that may resonate particularly well with the identified middle and upper-income demographic sweet spot.
As this season's cold and flu marketing campaigns roll out, brands are armed with clearer insights than ever about their target audience. The winners of the medicine cabinet will be those who can balance traditional reach with digital precision, authentic community building, and sustainable practices — all while keeping a keen eye on the demographic and seasonal patterns that drive this $15+ per capita monthly market.
.png)
