Medical Device Link.

Originally Published MX September/October 2004

ADVERTISING, DISTRIBUTION, & SALES

"Making it from the pharmacy shelf to the checkout counter can be the toughest 100 yards in medical marketing." According to Aimee Roca, account manager at Photosound Communications (Princeton, NJ), that was the challenge the firm faced when it approached the package design for a newly approved consumer diagnostic.

Public service advertising for the Diabetes Network of Alberta Foundation developed by Medtronic Neurological's creative services group won a gold award in MMA's 2004 In-Awe competition. (click to enlarge)

Synova Healthcare Inc. (Media, PA) had turned to Photosound to redesign the retail packaging for its newest product, Menocheck, a first-in-class, over-the-counter menopause indicator test. Menocheck was preparing to launch across the nation on pharmacy shelves. The challenge was to design a package that would be consistent with the existing Menocheck campaign, while simultaneously ensuring that the design and packaging size would simplify space allocation for retailers. The design also needed to allow sufficient space for key messaging and for the placement of information required by FDA, all in an eye-catching package that would lead to big sales.

Photosound completed market research by auditing packaging designs in similar product categories and crossover products that were being used by Menocheck's target market. After assembling these, the project team brainstormed on the positive and negative points of each and considered them in relation to the key messages that Menocheck needed to communicate through its own package design. Target market preferences were important, so the Photosound project team even took to the streets with mock-ups to gauge consumer opinions.

"The end goal was, and always is, to catch the eye of the consumer and drive sales," says Roca. The final design did just that, and along the way won a gold award for package design in the Medical Marketing Association's 2004 In-Awe competition.

The result has been the placement of Menocheck in an increased number of retail pharmacy chains and improved exposure for the brand. Inclusion of the product packaging in the complete marketing plan rounded out the campaign and has created an identity that consumers recognize and, of course, increased the number of boxes making it to the checkout line.

Photo courtesy PHOTOSOUND COMMUNICATIONS

Copyright ©2004 MX