The psychodynamics of vaccine deniers: the caregiver conundrum

People’s behaviors and buying preferences change significantly when  seeking a remedy for an illness that affects them.  They go from being “consumers” of goods that celebrate their sense of self–“I got a new iPhone!”  “A new Dior bag!”  “A new  Mustang!”–to a compromised and diminished version of themselves.  Healthcare brands […] keep reading

How to think about branding healthcare services

There are principles that make the consumer branding model for consumer services a dead end for healthcare services.  Many types of healthcare services exist. There are hospitals and other point-of-care practices such as walk-in clinics, practice management groups, medication distribution services, and health insurance companies.  Let’s use hospital service brands as […] keep reading

The worst unresolved healthcare branding issue of 2014

Vulvovaginal atrophy!  Say what??  Yes, that’s what it’s actually called by the medical community. The clinical definition is as follows (via The Mayo Clinic): thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls due to women having less estrogen primarily as a result of menopause.  No one would argue that it […] keep reading

Playing American Idol with healthcare brands: how cookie-cutter brand archetype systems can lead to dull launches

Several years ago, I was invited to help analyze the disappointing performance of a brand called Xigris (drotrecogin alfa).  It was the first of its kind to effectively resolve sepsis, a prevalent and often-fatal, acute systemic infection.  The company, Eli Lilly, had received an accelerated approval to launch the brand […] keep reading

Can a brand have too much personality?

Think of people you know, and name their personality traits.  Are they funny, smart and loyal?  Caring, diligent and non-judgmental?  Or could they be all these things and more, but at different times?  The more sophisticated and complex the person, the more personality traits they evoke because they live and […] keep reading

Critic, heal thyself: remedies and the zealots who would keep you from them

A recent Op/Ed piece in The New York Times by John La Puma, an internist and author (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/opinion/dont-ask-your-doctor-about-low-t.html?ref=todayspaper) is entitled: Don’t ask your doctor about Low T.  For those of you who don’t know, Low T is shorthand branding for testosterone levels ≤350 nanograms/deciliter of blood serum.  Low testosterone is […] keep reading