Spotlight: Pharmaceutical Packaging

The Bailey Group Devises a Specialty OraVetTM Package for Pet Oral Care That Suits Its Market Niche Perfectly

When introducing a first-in-category product aimed at both professionals and consumers, the package must inspire an immediate degree of trust. The new OraVet™ product by Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga., achieves that trust thanks to The Bailey Group, a brand identity and design firm in Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

The working relationship between Merial and Bailey goes back a few years, so Merial asked Bailey's help in every aspect of the category-defining product, from the distinctive packaging graphics to the structural details of the plastic case—even sourcing the applicator "gun." The purpose of the product is to prevent plaque and tartar in dogs with a process that is much easier than daily tooth brushing.

The OraVet product has two aspects—the veterinary product and the take-home consumer product. The vet applies the initial treatment with the gun in the clinic, and the pet owner takes home the consumer version of the product. The consumer OraVet gel takes just a minute to apply, and only needs to be applied once a week.

Merial looked to The Bailey Group for strategic branding and design expertise from top to bottom on their new product introduction, and formed a "task force" with combined resources. The resulting packages are clean looking and attractive, and the immediate impression that users have is that the product is very easy to use and reassuringly professional.

"In my own mind, I had an idea of what it should look like, and this was pretty consonant with that," says Don Schwartz, senior director of Business Development at Merial. Schwartz wanted the whole system to be as proprietary as possible from a materials standpoint, to give the product a category-defining air. The total estimated cost prohibited that approach, and the gun is a modified stock applicator, but the whole system still conveys a proprietary look and feel.

Bailey also helped Merial define the target audience, explore the product viability through marketing surveys, was responsible for defining the brand essence, brand identity, and the packaging system. "The hardest part about working with Bailey is making a decision from all of the choices you're given," says Schwartz.

The Bailey Group performed a multitude of graphic and structural design work to make the product more user-friendly and achieve "serious oral care made simple." The Professional Kit case is custom-molded with comfortable curves and accessible components. Chris Bailey, president and partner of The Bailey Group, explains: "We wanted to keep it as simple as possible and keep the focus on the product itself."

The Merial teal and white color scheme links the veterinary and consumer-based packaging with a consistent and recognizable color and design, with a color palette that is contemporary and type that is sharp. "The colors are very calming, but yet it looks effective," says Bailey.