I am not in the medical profession, but my parents are. And from them, I learned the extremely important bond that exists between a doctor and their patient. No artificial intelligence can ever replicate this. There definitely are people who prefer not wanting to wait in line to see a doctor and WebMD it instead, but there isn't anything like hearing a diagnosis from a reputable physician. But there's one thing you cannot avoid lines for - and that is to pick up your prescription.
With the advent of disruptors such as PillPack and Capsule, it's changed the way people get their meds. Those who have chronic conditions that constantly need them to keep track of multiple prescriptions, this is one of things that actually IS the greatest thing since sliced bread. With home delivery and automatic replenishment of prescriptions, you never have to drag yourself out of the house and to a pharmacy again. They also have customer care that "chats" with you via the app - and you'll never have to actually interact with another human being in person.
And with all this, came a new kind of medical marketing.
It in centered around personifying the brand, and making the app or service look like a bunch of lovely, kind, competent people who only care about nothing else in the world apart from you getting your meds on time. There's also a lot that is at stake in terms of reputation and trust (getting the right meds, good customer service, prompt communication with the customer's insurance company), and any marketing material that goes out has to reflect this. As with any disruptor, it needs to prove that it is a better, safer, more efficient option to what the previous system was.
But after looking at the two waves of marketing Capsule Pharmacy has put out on the NYC Subway, I am more than a little bit creeped out.
Exhibit A:
Er.
Exhibit B:
At least buy me dinner first...
Exhibit C:
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| Source: Felix Salmon What. |
Exhibit D:
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| Sweetie? |
From all this - the personality I build my head is the guy/girl you go on a date with ONCE and now they've left their toothbrush at your place, are sending out holiday cards from the both of you and have opened a joint checking account. And this is how I feel about it.
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| Source: Buzzfeed |
There's also this article that takes the marketing apart from a pharmaceutical standpoint - and says that asking people to go on 'strong antibiotics' if they so much as sneeze is plain dangerous. It's a fact that the US is one of the most over-medicated countries in the world, and this isn't helping. Side note: I am horribly allergic to most strong anti-biotics/NSAIDs and avoid taking them as much as I can. I went through wisdom tooth extraction recovery on Paracetamol. It was not fun.
Their subway advertising - which I think they've invested heavily in - is definitely to inform and attract a primary customer base as it is currently serving only the NYC region. Brands like Seamless, Streeteasy and Meetup use those spaces for the same reason - to convince caffeine-deprived subway riders that they are the funny, quirky, relatable it-brand that every New Yorker needs in their lives. And for the most part, they do it well. Their services are well-known, and they don't need to take themselves too seriously. This is why they can afford to break the fourth wall and make bold albeit funny statements that grab the viewers attention. It's also because none of those services are in industries that need to put 20 minute disclaimers at the end of each TV ad, listing out the side effects. Pharmaceuticals is a serious business - and while these disruptors are aiming at accessibility and transparency, they (Capsule, this is mostly just you) need to keep in mind that people still need to take their pharmacies seriously. They want to. I'd rather have a stern, intimidating pharmacy rep at the counter giving me the correct meds versus a quirky delivery service that has lovely service and packaging, but seems to think that it's a bit of a joke.
As a potential customer - I can safely say that the marketing alone has turned me off the brand and also scared me a little bit. I can recall letting out an audible groan when I read the messaging around me. Its slightly overbearing, invasive tone had me wondering if anyone had actually said the copy out loud at the design meeting, and had caught how it sounded.
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