Freedom, choice and empathy: Rewriting the rules in contraceptive brand design
Deborah Stafford-Watson, head of provocation and strategy at global design consultancy Elmwood, explores how designers can completely rethink traditional approaches to women's healthcare brands.
The circle is humanity’s most timeless symbol. More of an icon than a shape, it is endless, unbreakable, and in the case of our branding work for Opill®, it became a groundbreaking motif for over-the-counter (OTC) contraception. Accessing healthcare should be as fast and intuitive as drawing a circle, and women in the United States came a step closer to that when earlier this year, they became able to access Opill® without a need for a doctor’s prescription.
As this was arguably the biggest leap forward since the pill became available in the US in the early 1960s, equally revolutionary design was called for. Opill® is the brainchild of pharma company Perrigo, which was responsible for developing the UK’s first OTC birth control pill, Hana, that launched in 2021. Following our work creating the brand and packaging for Hana, we relished the opportunity to do the same for Opill®, and the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
Opill® was launching at a time when women’s reproductive rights have become a political tinderbox in America – a place where one-third of women still face barriers in contraceptive care. Branding Opill® gave us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shift the dial; to take a revolution in access and use that to transform how women’s healthcare products themselves could look and feel. Here’s how we did it:
The power of personal
As a history-making product, Opill® provided the perfect opportunity to blaze a trail with a new kind of brand identity in reproductive health. The name alone was deliberately chosen because it’s easy to remember and pronounce.
Then there’s the distinctive O-shaped brandmark – a strong, halo motif that reflects the power of simple and uncomplicated protection. To this, we added a block letter font featuring a soft, open typeface and a freehand marker-style font. These communicate a subtle sense of warmth and approachability. They give the branding experience a low-key human touch notably absent in traditional contraceptive design.
Opill®’s colour palette also marks a departure from the standard pinks and purples of femcare. Instead, it uses a striking teal background filled with free-form geometric shapes that appear in bold shades of coral, lilac, orange, blush and yellow. The effect is dynamic and contemporary, with standout appeal: the very opposite of the secretive realm of the lab.
Together with inclusive, playful photography assets and a jargon-free pack leaflet, these design points engender a new type of uncluttered brand world. One that – amid all the roadblocks to contraceptive healthcare – inspires consumer confidence and trust.
A braver brand world
This personal approach built the foundations of a design system that looks and feels relevant. More than simply being informative, Opill® speaks to today’s women by creating codes of familiarity and comfort. Language used across multiple touchpoints is simple, clear and relatable; rejecting ‘discreet’ femcare signals that may inadvertently contribute to contraception’s long-held legacy of shame.
Yet, as Opill® made its pioneering Rx-to-OTC (prescription to non-prescription) switch, we knew we could go further in showcasing its potential to revolutionise America’s family planning landscape. We could reset category expectations, bringing something new and unapologetically bold to the arena of reproductive health.
From packaging to visual identity and the wider brand experience, Opill® subverts category norms. Expressive design, everyday language and optimistic colours are an antidote to sterile formality. They embody that core spirit of freedom with a brand where you can be yourself, and access effective contraception on your own terms.
However, there was a challenge to overcome here, too. We needed to offset creative flair with Opill®’s purpose as an FDA-approved product that is credible and effective. We were mindful to strike this balance in a number of ways – for example, by using dark blue and silver references throughout on- and off-pack touchpoints – to codify a sense of scientific reassurance.
Design and cultural legacy
From language issues to wealth inequalities and a culturally ingrained sense of secrecy, there are so many reasons why women continue to encounter difficulties in accessing birth control today. Opill®’s ability to skip the need for visiting a doctor for contraception may be hailed by campaigners as “a critically important advancement” in the quest for reproductive freedom. But the battle for contraceptive access does not lie with legislators alone.
At a point where many women still feel disempowered by healthcare systems that systematically overlook their needs, industry creatives can help by crafting a new type of meaningful brand language. As the journey for Opill® shows, it’s possible to build a brand grounded in a clear demand for freedom and choice.
Contraceptive products can be approachable, aspirational and courageous in their design; all while maintaining a baseline of clinical competence. Together, we can raise the bar for personalised, empowering experiences in all areas of women’s healthcare – with a societal impact that extends far beyond a single product alone.
