Supplements company Metagenics announced Tuesday morning that it has selected marketing agency R/GA to helm its national creative and strategic duties. 

Metagenics, which has been producing vitamins and minerals for more than 40 years, said it chose R/GA based on its tech, media and creative capabilities to revolutionize the brand. 

Gulam Khan, VP of marketing at Metagenics, said the company competes in an increasingly fragmented market that has enjoyed growing interest from consumers.

A report produced by PriceWaterhouseCooper estimated that the vitamins and dietary supplements market had a compound annual growth rate of 6.% between 2014 and 2018, driven largely by more attention to health and prevention among consumers.

Still, despite the growing popularity of these products, Khan noted that many offerings lack oversight and regulation, which means that Metagenics has emphasized its quality in marketing to consumers.

“We fundamentally believe that not all supplements are created equal,” he said. “We’ve been at this for a while and we specifically invest in research and development as well as clinical studies to craft our formulas to be most effective and impactful.”

Jacqueline Lovelock, managing director at R/GA Health, echoed Khan’s sentiments, comparing the supplements market to the “Wild Wild West.”

“Metagenics is a 40-year-old brand that is well loved among a small group of people and we’re just looking for the opportunity to meet consumers where they are and elevating the category to increasing expectations,” she said. 

Lovelock added that one benefit to taking on a client like Metagenics is devising a communications strategy that underscores their commitment to quality and standards to consumers.

Looking forward, Khan said another challenge Metagenics seeks to overcome is not only raising awareness for its products but also building out customer loyalty given that they have a host of other options available to them.

“There are quite a few brands that are launching into this space and competing for the same hearts and minds of consumers. So how do we stand out? How do we make those longer lasting connections?” he said.

He noted that the company is also looking to parlay its health practitioner partnerships into its public messaging.