Using semiotics and cultural analysis to develop the next generation of packaging for an OTC cold and flu product

The Challenge

Our client, a leading OTC manufacturer of cold and flu products wanted to develop the next generation of portable sprays to help patients manage the symptoms of their cold. The challenge was to deliver a design for the bottle that would communicate the core values of the product and would be interpreted in a universal way across a range of EU countries.

Our Approach

Bryter undertook a multi-stage approach comprised of cultural analysis to understand the meaning of the common cold in each market, how sufferers treated it and the role of over-the-counter medications vs other natural and home remedies; A semiotic analysis was carried out to uncover the core values and meanings being conveyed by different packaging designs of products in the category, and how these compared to the new designs being developed by the client. Qualitative consumer testing was conducted to test the appeal of the new designs and support the refinement process.

The Outcome

Deep cultural insights about how different markets understand and treat the common cold, and what values they are looking for from an OTC product, as well as in depth feedback on the new proposed designs brought into testing by the client. The research provided clear guidance on the optimal approach to convey the client’s core brand values and which design to take forward into production to convey a universally desired set of values