Nowadays toothpaste comes in a plain brown wrapper, the packaging for tampons sports lovingly created illustrations, and eye drops are stylized as an artfully designed lifestyle accessory. There's no denying that more and more healthcare brands have been tweaking the look of their products, turning up the volume and adapting to the spirit of the times. So now is the time for traditionalists in particular to react to the trend by reevaluating their own design. But what is driving these changes? And which design codes will position healthcare brands for ongoing success?
As is so often the case, the current design evolution was preceded by societal changes. Gone are the days when people rushed to the doctor or pharmacist when they needed medical advice. And healthcare products that use medical symbols, clinically sterile color palettes, and jargon-filled statements by professional experts are slowly gathering dust on store shelves.
Self-care and self-optimization – self-determination sets the tone
The primary reason for all these developments is that health topics have become firmly anchored in our contemporary lifestyle. Nowadays consumers feel well-informed and capable of making their own decisions about how to stay healthy and fit. They seem to know exactly what to do to protect themselves from disease, treat their own ailments, and enhance their physical and mental health. Unlimited access to expert sources of information makes all this possible. For more and more people, it is a matter of course to watch what they eat and ensure a good work-life balance, to keep physically fit and avoid stress – in a word: to live healthily. Brands that understand these trends and incorporate them into the look and feel of their products are now clearly ahead of the game.
Designed with head and heart
No more complaining, it's time to be optimistic. That might encapsulate the new packaging trend. Pictures of disease symptoms have outlived their usefulness. Instead, up-to-date health brands use emotionally appealing, colorful design in their visual identities and their product packaging, in an effort to put consumers in a pleasant mood. The Doc Morris logo, for example, features an oversized heart instead of medical symbology – a clever move, as it lends the brand a radiance of love and infuses it with positive attributes such as trust and tender loving care.
There's also plenty of positive energy to be found on the shelves for feminine hygiene articles lately. Handwritten typography, abstract illustrations, and an upbeat, tongue-in-cheek tone of voice are the stylistic devices of the moment – and they immediately catch the eye of the consumer. The times when women were embarrassed to reach for a package of tampons are finally a thing of the past. Modern brands empower modern women and strengthen their desire to be bold and self-confident.
New strategies and more courage to be bold
Plucky brands that keep abreast of the trends and help their target groups take a self-determined approach to health issues are leading the way and are on the verge of overtaking the traditionalists. Brands that don't want to be left behind need to reevaluate their previous strategies, respond to the changes in the market, and rise to the new challenges.