In Pharma, Education is Everything

Recent statistics show that patients who get patient education content report better patient experience, while 68% said it increases the odds that they will return to that provider. Additionally, 94% of Patients want patient Education Content, but a Third Don’t Get It

When it comes to effectively educating patients and physicians with sales aids, training materials, detail aids and starter kits, presentation AND organization is everything! Cool graphics and artwork on the outside will most likely get your recipient to open up the box or sales aid, but how it’s all presented on the inside is just as important.

Pharmaceutical reps have been using detail aids, starter kits and sales aids for years to educate patients and leave important information behind because, often times, time is scarce and they only have a short time to deliver and explain often-complex information.

Recent statistics show that patients who get patient education content report better patient experience, while 68% said it increases the odds that they will return to that provider. Additionally, 94% confirmed that they would access patient education materials from their clinicians if they had access to them. source

The inclusion of digital components has also kicked these educational materials up a notch. QR Codes can drive to detailed videos featuring product demonstrations, Video Screens help to engage and educate patients and Augmented Reality can make different sections of your kit come to life.

The best leave-behinds are the ones that DON’T leave behind valuable information and deliver important details in an organized way. Here are some examples of Pharma companies that did this extremely well.

Nicorette NRT Kit

NicoDerm/Nicorette used this kit as an introduction to its smoking cessation products. The inside of the kit featured information on the benefits of combination therapy along with product details. The right-hand sleeve featured several wells that carried each of the different products ensuring all product samples remained in place. Learn more here.

Obesity Resource Kit

This resource kit for Novo Nordisk Canada was used as a comprehensive resource guide for physicians to help accurately screen and treat obesity. The inside of the kit included information on evidence-based treatment as well as informational sheets about best weight, movement, healthy eating, understanding appetite and obesity science.

Hoffman-La Roche Pharmaceuticals Reference Guide

Hoffmann-La Roche used this reference guide to inform physicians about 8 different therapy options available for Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple panels were contained inside a sleeve with each double-sided panel featuring information on a different option. A metal ring affixed to the corner held all the panels together which allowed the recipient to easily rotate and read each one while keeping all the information in one place.

Repatha® Demonstration Kit

We designed this demonstration kit for Amgen’s Repatha®. The kit was used to demonstrate Repatha’s injection options to physicians. The inside of the kit featured a sample unit contained inside a well with information about the medication while the hidden magnetic closure inside the lid allowed the contents to remain intact on the inside.

Salofalk Reference Guide

Aptalis Pharmaceuticals Inc. used this comprehensive reference guide to educate physicians on the features and benefits of Salofalk. The cover of the reference guide featured 4 tabs that slid out and locked to reveal information about each of topics on each panel. The panels were double-sided allowing ample space for imagery and details about the product. The locking mechanism allowed the information to securely stay in place while the double-sided panels were effective in breaking information down into specific detail.

In Conclusion

When it comes to patient compliance, education is key to increasing adherence to treatment plans and medications. Patients are more likely to stick to their treatment if they understand it. When it comes to physicians, continuing medical education is key to improving and effectively managing patient care.  63% of respondents say they routinely get sent educational materials from their providers while about a third say they aren’t offered any educational materials from their providers. To learn more about these statistics, click here.

To see more of our Pharmaceutical work, click here.

The Art of the Great “Unboxing” Experience

The rise of influencer marketing has led to another social media phenomenon – the “Unboxing Experience.” The definition of Unboxing is the act of documenting oneself, mostly on video, of opening a packaged product from a box and displaying, reviewing, and showing off its contents. The unboxing experience has become almost as exciting as what’s inside the box. Consider these stats:

  • Over 90,000 people type “unboxing” into YouTube every month
  • Search for “unboxing” on Instagram and approximately 3,776,111 posts come up
  • There are almost 40 unboxing videos with over 10 million views
  • 42.2% of customers find reviews to be helpful types of influencer content, with 13% looking to unboxing videos versus just 6.1% being influenced by images or videos of a product
  • 62% of marketers measure the success of their videos by the engagement they get

Elements of Delivering a Great Unboxing Experience

Unboxing videos by influencers and consumers have helped brands build brand loyalty, generate excitement and go viral. Unboxing is about generating enthusiasm beginning to end, telling your story, building excitement around it and getting others to shout it out loud. We are obviously suckers for great packaging, and we truly believe you can’t deliver an unforgettable unboxing experience without great packaging. They kind of go hand in hand. Companies like Apple, Sephora, Sony, Google and Birchbox know this. So what makes great packaging in our opinion? Here are some of our thoughts.

A Good First Impression

First impressions are everything, especially when it comes to unboxing. Make sure the colors, gradients, paper texture and the design on the outside scream “open me!” Branding on the outside also goes a long way in delivering a memorable experience from start to finish, not to mention it makes the entire packaging feel custom.

A Catchy #hashtag

One way of encouraging recipients to talk about their unboxing experience is to pick a catchy and clever hashtag for your new product. Campaign-specific hashtags allow other consumers to join in on the conversation. We recommend prominently displaying it on the packaging itself. Here’s an example for La Roche-Posay.

La Roche-Posay is the number 1 dermocosmetic brand worldwide and they used this kit to send samples of its “life-changing” skincare line to key beauty influencers. The cover on the box featured La Roche-Posay’s #skinismorethanskin hashtag to encourage influencers to join in on the conversation. The inside of the kit held various samples of the product line with each in its own well. Posts from key influencers related to each product were featured behind each product. The lid also included internal magnets that allowed the lid to stay securely shut.

Go BIG

The biggest gift under the tree is the one most likely to generate the most excitement and get opened first. The same is true for packaging.

Years ago, our US strategic partners Structural Graphics, designed a launch kit for Google’s “Unboxing Event” which was used to promote their new store and products at the time. The boxes, which were designed like a puzzle with each piece carrying a different product, were sent to major influencers who then vlogged and posted videos of the box on YouTube. Google took it a step further by wrapping the box with branded gift wrap.

The video currently has 4.6 million views. For comparison’s sake statistics show that almost 90% of video uploaded to YouTube generates fewer than 1,000 views.

You have to see it to believe it!

Add a Special Touch

Wrapping paper, ribbon, tissue paper, decorative bows, branded stickers and unique packing material all add that special touch. Here’s an example for Nokia.

Nokia used this box to highlight the phone that was featured in the Dark Knight movie. They used lime green ribbon on the site to hold it all together. When you untie the ribbon, all sides of the purple box fall open and the Joker says, “Let’s put a smile on that face!” then laughs maniacally.

Fine fragrance brand Le Labo used black packing tape on the outside and black tissue paper on the inside for the special added touch and to tie it all together.

Build Anticipation

Having different components leading up the final reveal prolong the unboxing experience while building excitement. Kind of like having a box inside a box inside a box. It doesn’t have to be a series of boxes though. The different components inside could be made up of different materials, open in unique ways, unfold, expand and unwrap. Here’s how one company did it.

Roundel is Target’s modern media company. Their solutions find new ways to help brands connect with their perfect audiences. They used this incredible packaging to produce a unique unboxing experience designed to help drive brand sales. The center-split box opens to a tabbed panel that then lifts to reveal a booklet and a premium. The premium, Skullcandy earbuds, was wrapped in a promotional sleeve, while the booklet carried a QR code that launched “The Unboxing Moment” podcast.

Everything in its Place

Organizing the contents of what’s inside the box is crucial especially if there are different products being highlighted within. This can be done by using individual boxes, sleeves to hold literature, miniature booklets or simply wrapping things individually. Here’s how Sephora did it. They used this promotional product kit to encourage influencers to unbox and learn more about their skincare solutions for dryness, dullness and wrinkles. The individual kits were contained in a slipcase for storage and easy access and dedicated to a different skin condition containing recommended product solutions. The design also allowed consumers to store and use it for future reference.

The Future of Unboxing

We believe unboxing is here to stay and that its future will continue to be bright. With so many unboxing videos competing with yours, standing out is paramount and so is upping the ante. Unique digital elements have made their way into the unboxing experience like Augmented Reality, Video and NFC tags. As with direct mail, brands are finding that bridging the gap between print and digital is instrumental in the success of the overall unboxing experience.

Puma’s shoe design and box were both made to look and function like a QR code which gave the purchaser access to a variety of AR experiences including an app with a mobile game, exclusive filters, and a visual deconstruction of the sneaker so customers could see how it was designed.

Brainstorm with Us

Have an idea or a sketch on paper that you’d like to bring to life? If you can imagine it, we can help you create it! If you already have an idea for your next marketing campaign or are at a loss and would like to brainstorm with our team, contact us today. The team at Information Packaging loves a good brainstorming session! We will provide you with creative ideas to help your brand stand out and get noticed. 

Contact us today

“Printspiration” for the Holidays

The holidays may seem distant, but it isn’t too early to start planning your holiday greeting strategy.

The holidays are a great time to check in with your customers and prospects and to wish them a happy holiday season. Email greetings are great, but they don’t deliver the whimsy and joy of receiving a greeting card in the mail.

We have hundreds of high-impact holiday print designs that will leave a lasting impression with your customers. Here are just a few examples.

Custom Globe Greeting Card

Our popular Holiday Globes make the perfect keepsake for your business and they are fully customizable. All of our globes ship flat, and take on their fully dimensional shape just by pressing in the sides. Customize the tag and the card with your own holiday greeting.

Spinning Tree Greeting Card

The die-cut tree that appears on the cover of the card automatically spins and dimensionalizes when you open up the card. Once the card is opened up, there is another die-cut tree on the inside that spins simultaneously. Astellas used this design to wish employees a happy holiday season.

Extendo® Pop Up Cube Holiday Card

Our Extendo® Pop Up Cube is a great addition to our line of dimensional holiday cards and a great promotional product. Whether you choose to customize it with your holiday greeting or your promotional message, it is sure to grab attention. At first glance, this product seems to be our typical Extendo® design, where you pull the tab and one panel extends out of either side of the base. But here’s where the fun comes in – just pull the tab, and unexpectedly a 3.25″ x 2.5″ x 2.5” pop up cube springs from the inside of the base right before your eyes.

Magic X-Ray Viewer Holiday Card

We used one of our own designs to wish our customers a Happy Holiday season. The cover of the card featured a mylar window with a paper magnifying glass on top. As you move the magnifying glass around the mylar window different whimsical images magically appear behind the magnifying glass.

Holiday Perpetual Folder

The Perpetual Folder is popular for its ability to engage and surprise the recipient. With its multiple panels that turn in succession, it is the perfect design for telling your story or delivering your holiday message.

Whether you are looking to create a custom holiday card or choose to use one of our tried and true designs, we can help you design the right card for your brand. Contact us to get started.

Spotlight on the Flipbook

Today we put the spotlight on a storytelling superstar – The Flipbook. The Flipbook makes page turning interesting and engaging. When you pull on the tab, the pages automatically flip making it a lot more interactive and entertaining than just turning the page.

You can customize the Flipbook to incorporate die-cut pages, and even add a well at the end to carry a premium or USB. The possibilities are endless with this amazing design.

Take a look at how some of our customers have used this fun design.

PinnitMax™ Flipbook Mailer

Corteva™ used the dynamic Flipbook design to promote its’ PinnitMax™ product. The inside of the mailer featured a pull tab and once pulled, several pages turn in succession with each page telling a story. The call to action is delivered at the end when the tab is fully extended.

Click here to see it.

NWMO Flipbook Brochure

Want to make page turning interesting and memorable. Here’s one way. Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) used this Flipbook brochure to inform businesses about this very important non-profit organization. When you pull on the tab inside the brochure, the pages automatically flip in succession with each. The pull-tab panel featured information on the different ways to get in touch with NWMO.

Click here to see it.

Mitsubishi Outlander Morphing Flipper

Mitsubishi Motors used our Morphing Flipper to demonstrate the features of its redesigned Outlander vehicle to prospective buyers, and to encourage them to book a test drive and “take a spin around the new Outlander.” As you pull on the tab that is on the cover of the mailer, the image of the vehicle literally spins full circle, tying in perfectly with the messaging.

Click here to see it.

In Summary

The Flipbook is an incredible way to tell your story. Use it to build anticipation, to animate your graphics, to deliver a payoff or make your call to action stand out.