Build an engaged health & wellness community through a pharmacy
Where does the role of a pharmacy start/stop? What does it mean to be an active member of the neighborhood? How can you be “the good neighbor” while being a trusted expert in health?
The founders vision: introduce a new pioneering pharmacy concept consisting of a network of neighborhood pharmacies across the country.
Our mission, as MFB, was to redefine the role of a pharmacy. Our approach consisted in bringing 3 roles together: an expert in health & wellness, a proactive genuine carer, and an engaged member of a neighborhood.
EXPRESS EXPERTISE BEYOND EXPECTATIONS
Driven by passion and excellence, the pharmacy had to convey, first and foremost, extreme professionalism. Expertise, credibility and commitment were the base to start building a trusted health destination.
This essential aspect of the brand was translated in several ways: space, service, offer, user journey.
In collaboration with BlankPage Architects and Karim Nader, we worked on a user journey that combined both the health expertise through a functional design along with a communal aspect which encourages human interactions. A key meeting point of the pharmacy, referred to as “health bar” acts as both, a modular lounging space with a prescription counter.
On a visual level, we developed an identity that played on bringing together the authentic pharmacy/ apothecary with the contemporary; bringing a modern vision to an ancient institution. We designed a seal, inspired by the vintage wax ones, that acts as the main pharmacy emblem; meant to become a stamp of quality for the pharmacy – our re-interpretation of the cross with the serpent. Juxtaposed to the seal, the pharmacy address, in a bold, geometric contemporary font, creating an interesting contrast of retro modernism.
Our color palette takes as its main color the traditional dark green complemented by one fresh light color. Regarding materials used, we went with the superimposition of raw with clean: clean designs printed or carved on recycled local craft paper or wood.
The identity revolves around flexibility, therefore, we made it adapt to its various media: typography, seal, colors are all used in a dynamic way.
Colors, materials, typography, signage all converge to convey professionalism and expertise.
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT SUPPORTING COMMUNITY
Unlike traditional pharmacies, we made sure PDQ would be an active member of the community, in which it would nurture a culture of change; championing wellness and creating value through awareness and actions.
A schedule was developed in which, together with the pharmacy, we would select monthly themes and approach them through a series of activations.
For each theme we would develop a specific branding from the window space, going inside the store through printed collaterals or installations, and translate them on social media.
A series of workshops with health professionals, ranging from doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, health consultants would take the “health bar” stage, and use it to bring awareness to specific topics through discussions, exercises, or small lectures.
Making use of the high traffic on the pharmacy street, we intervened on the window display to engage the neighbors on specific topics; another way to bring in some life into the neighborhood while tackling important health issues.
Our intention was to build a culture of change, one where information and awareness become tools to the community.
ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS & CUSTOMIZE SOLUTIONS
We defined the care of PDQ as “active care”: a personalized solution, with a personalized service based on clear information and understanding about a situation. It’s more than just a reaction to a problem, it is based on a real deep understanding of a patient’s needs. The aim went beyond just fixing the problem, it was about providing real help through personalized service. Each patient has a file, with key information, history, habits and prescriptions. Going beyond just answering, PDQ created packs which would combine in one calendar/ box all medicine for one month to make sure patients would have a complete care.
Reminders about important vaccines, medicine, announcements would be shared to the relevant patients to be able to prevent problems.
NETWORK MODULES OF HEALTH & WELLNESS
How to build an impact that goes beyond your community? Can your goals echo on a larger scale and on a deeper level?
The idea behind PDQ is to nurture a growing health community. To do so, PDQ needed to forge strong relationships and build synergies with other pharmacies. Going beyond one entity into the creation of an entire ecosystem, where entities would be interconnected. One pharmacy would act as one module within a bigger organism. For a healthier future, each entity would need to share procedures, quality standards and relevant information.
On a visual level, we translated that aspect through a dedicated color coding per entity: sharing a common set of identity elements, but giving a unique edge/ color to each. When we thought about the visual systems behind PDQ’s identity, we considered, how this network would be deployed across various locations, to give a sense of familiarity with expertise.