Sleep technology is fast becoming the go to method for getting the right amount of quality Zzzs. From sleep trackers and wearables to smart bedrooms that create the optimum conditions for sleeping, our Client Services guru Sara takes a look at the very best sleep tech available…

With up to 50% of new products failing each year, it’s not surprising that brand extension makes up the majority of all product launches. In our tenth and final Uncomfortable Truth for OTC, understanding consumer needs-led insights are key to stretching successfully.

Health matters are deeply personal. So why does OTC branding rely so heavily on cold, hard science? In Truth 9 we show how the human touch can open up a myriad of positive possibilities to engage with customers.

From user-friendly packaging to augmented reality apps, we look at how to get smart with OTC packaging in a meaningful way – benefiting consumers and leading the way to repurchase.

Regulation affects many aspects of OTC and healthcare branding, so it’s critical to understand the limitations before running with creative. Truth 7 looks at how to approach brand development in a way that transcends regulatory strictures.

Our first five Uncomfortable Truths, published in Drug Store News, examined big systemic issues in the world of OTC/healthcare. Truth 6 looks deep into why brands must also understand and meet consumer needs to succeed.

The fifth installment of 10 Uncomfortable Truths in the world of OTC/healthcare, published in Drug Store News, sees Nick Vaus and Sara Jones examining the evolving customer journey.

In two articles for OTC Toolbox’s industry-leading New Ideas Better Ways Magazine, our Sara Jones and Joanne Bell comment on digital challenges and opportunities for OTC and consumer healthcare brands.

Sara Jones and Nick Vaus reveal their fourth uncomfortable truth in the world of OTC/healthcare, part of a 10-part series for Drug Store News.http://bit.ly/4thTruthOTC

Sara Jones and Nick Vaus reveal their third uncomfortable truth in the world of OTC/healthcare, part of a 10-part series for Drug Store News.

Sara Jones and Nick Vaus reveal their second uncomfortable truth in the world of OTC/healthcare, part of a 10-part series for Drug Store News.

Sara Jones and Nick Vaus reveal their first uncomfortable truth in the world of OTC/healthcare, part of a 10-part series for Drug Store News.

Last week saw a Studio journey through the galaxy of science fiction at the Barbican’s exhibition, Into The Unknown. And whilst our inner sci-fi geek was left well and truly sated, we were also left questioning, is any of this *really* unknown?

The AXA PPP Health tech & You exhibition at The Design Museum showcased some of the best innovations in health technology. We gleaned the best in class in consumer health, telehealth and health monitoring and wondered when OTC brands will similarly up their tech game...

We’re chuffed to see Buscopan’s new global on-pack architecture and harmonisation is rolling out globally, following on from our very successful pack designs in 2008….

Last week our MD Steve went to the Association of the European Self-Medication Industry’s 52nd Annual Conference. He wonders if the healthcare industry is in denial about the impact technology is having on OTC self-care brands.

A wellness magazine that doesn’t use the word health? New publication, Balance, signals a shift in consumers from passive recipients of pills and potions to active participants in their own wellbeing. So what on earth should OTC brands be doing about it?

Despite the dire media headlines about its imminent demise, during her daughter’s long stay in hospital, Client Services Director, Sara Jones, discovered an NHS beyond compare…

Our strategy director Rory comments on how health and beauty brands are changing in a feature for Convenience Store.

From understanding and communicating the value of beauty in health-related technology to saving 10 million lives through the simplest of innovations, WIRED Health provided the kind of ideas that will change the way we live forever.

Innovate or die. This was the message from many expert speakers at the 26th Annual Nicholas Hall OTC Insights Conference in Paris. The conference theme was ‘Over The Crossroads’, but it felt like much of the industry hasn’t quite reached the crossroads.

Hot off the press is Steve’s article for Retail Packaging – focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare packaging for the magazine’s November/December issue.

Our relationship with food is full of contradictions these days. Never before have we been so preoccupied with healthy eating, but never before have we been so obese. The popularity of celebrity chefs, cookery shows and cookbooks is at an all time high, and yet we cook so little in our homes from scratch.

The personal care market is growing but is it the case that the more convenient the pack, the more successful the brand? Steve was recently interviewed for a feature on the matter for the July 2014 issue of Packaging News. In it, he discusses the role of design in personal care innovations.

To read the full article click here

Last week Steve attended the Nicholas Hall conference. Read more about his thoughts on the future of OTC in his latest blog post. 

The DBA Design Effectiveness awards were held in London last night and we're thrilled to announce we won two accolades for our work on Mama Natura. 

A new study from the University of Gothenburg claims that reading chick-lit while recuperating from illness can make women feel better and actively speed up their recovery – while we may all give testament to the mood-lifting powers of a good book, this seems to be one of the first scientific investigations into the efficacy of so-called ‘bibliotherapy’.