Pearlfisher rises to the challenge
Iconic over-the-counter drug, Viagra, was coming to the end of its Russian patent expiration after 15 years as a market-leader.
This, along with a markedly different consumer profile, was the catalyst for a brand overhaul intended to keep the medication at the top of its game.
Pearlfisher’s ongoing relationship with the Pfizer pharmaceutical corporation, and its understanding of the importance of brand packaging in the Russian pharmaceutical market, made it the ideal collaborator for this project. While the drug’s Russian market was the primary focus, Pearlfisher also had to take the product’s international reach into consideration.
Pearlfisher brand strategy director, Rory Fegan comments, “Our opportunity was to resolve the tension between Viagra’s medical expertise and consumer aspirations, releasing the brand’s iconic potential and using the packaging as a platform to communicate the product’s effect rather than the problem.”
He continues, “One of our key insights was that consumers had on average 10-seconds between purchasing the product and consuming it, and so a key consideration was to create a product experience that would be as impactful and memorable as possible. The new design and structure unlocks Viagra’s iconic equities for the first time, emphasising its premium credentials whilst creating an impact and encouraging consumer engagement.”
Viagra’s new brand has a modern new design that communicates urgency and potency while retaining some of Viagra’s iconic features, such as its blue colour.
Pearlfisher design director, Dan Gladden, says, “We took inspiration from the trusted colour and shape of the Viagra brand, removed the pharmaceutical filter and reinterpreted it with a fresh lifestyle-led execution. We also created the new packaging structure and integrated an innovative perforated edge into the pack running through the ‘V’. This new ‘snap, crack, pop’ feature answers the need for immediacy, complementing consumer behaviour.”
Research into consumer behaviour drove the packaging design so that it reflects the way people engage with the Viagra product and brand.
