How Design Can Help Restore Trust in Pharma

PERSPECTIVES | Creative Review | 11.08.24

How Design Can Help Restore Trust in Pharma

Design and digital innovation can play a vital role in renewing audiences’ trust in pharma brands and helping engage Gen Z, says Troy Polsley of creative agency Minds + Assembly. Americans trust pharma less than any other sector. In Gallup’s 2023 annual rankings, pharma fell below federal government as well as oil and gas. It’s a startling statistic. These are after all companies making medicines that improve, prolong and even save lives. It ought to be one of the most trusted areas of business, yet, in the world’s largest economy it is one of the least trusted, and the same would be true in many other wealthy countries.

This collapse in trust has been driven by a number of factors, but primarily cost and scandals. Healthcare is expensive and people don’t understand why. It only takes one or two headlines revealing the seven-figure cost of a treatment for people to start seeing pharma companies as more interested in profit than people. Then there is the media coverage of issues like the opioid crisis. It might involve the actions of one or two pharma companies, but it taints how all are seen.

This is unfair. The pharma companies I have worked with through my career are full of genuinely altruistic people. This mistrust also causes problems: it makes some patients reluctant to take the medicines or advice they need, and it creates a difficult environment for pharma companies to operate in.

So, they want to change it, and have been trying hard to do this, lifting the curtain on clinical trials to make them more accessible and understandable, as well as setting up community initiatives to communicate challenges in areas like cold storage and side effects. Many are trying to shift relationships from transaction to partnership, but once trust is lost it’s hard to regain. A major and largely under-explored area is design. Pharma has, by and large, yet to recognize the potential of design as a means to remake its relationship with patients and society. Here’s how it could change that.

BE FRIENDLY AND APPROACHABLE

All too often pharma and its products appear distant and unfriendly. Design can change this. Typography, tone, composition, and color choices influence patient perceptions. Thoughtful design conveys clarity, empathy, and reliability, combating misinformation and enhancing healthcare outcomes.

Look at Twyneo. Its visuals, messaging, and photography all emphasize the ease of use, appealing to Gen Z's preference for efficient, evidence-based skincare. The brand's tone is friendly and genuine, not shying away from potential side effects, which creates an impression of honesty.

Even though Twyneo is a prescription product, the use of bright, friendly colors and easy-to-understand instructions reinforces the straightforward and intuitive approach. This holistic marketing strategy, tailored to the Gen Z audience, has contributed to Twyneo's successful launch in the crowded skincare market.

The Tia Clinic is another good example. This female-led platform is building a new healthcare model for women, and manages to reach a skeptical Gen Z audience by blending modern aesthetics, technology, and a holistic approach to women's healthcare. Recognizing the importance of convenience, compassion, and personalization, Tia Clinic creates an inviting and visually appealing environment that resonates with younger consumers who prioritize mental and physical well-being.

EMBRACE DIGITAL

Pharma still trails in its use of digital. It's a missed opportunity in terms of transparency and engagement. Look at how Roche's Navify integrates medical data to provide clear, actionable insights for its audience. It's a tool that empowers both healthcare professionals and patients, meeting Gen Z's expectations for innovation and integrity in medical care. Its approach aligns with Gen Z's preference for technology and teamwork, while also addressing their skepticism by offering a transparent view of the diagnostic and treatment planning processes.

Or consider how Teal Health uses digital platforms for communication and results sharing. It provides at-home self-scanning tests for cervical cancer, and is a good example of how to cater to the mobile-first tendencies of Gen Z, ensuring ease of access to information and healthcare providers.

As new AI-driven solutions enable even greater personalization, so pharma will no longer be able to ignore the opportunity. People will expect increasing personalisation. They'll see it in consumer marketing where dynamic marketing, serving ads based on who the individual is and what they're doing, is already standard practice. It will be a leap of faith for pharma firms' legal teams, but a necessary one.

BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER

People may not trust big pharma but will trust each other. One way then for big pharma to convey its messages and rebuild trust is to help people speak to each other and share accurate information. That's what Otsuka Pharmaceuticals is doing with its Society of Valued Minds.

This is a social media initiative committed to helping destigmatize the conversation around mental illness in a way that appeals to a Gen Z audience. Through its emotional resonance and authenticity, the campaign is proof that healthcare brands can go above and beyond the industry's constraints, creating a brand that speaks to its audience.

By creating a community to share their personal accounts of mental health issues they used this human-centric approach to lead their campaign in terms of creating playful typography, bold color, and eye-catching animations, as well as an approachable design system that was relevant and engaging for their specific audience.

TIME TO INVEST

Too many pharma brands have ignored design for too long. But not all: as we have seen here, many pharma brands have invested in design, and are reaping the benefits. However, as the Gallup poll makes plain, it's time for others to follow suit.

This is more than an issue of mere aesthetics. Good design delivers engagement, take up, and connection between brand and user. It is the foundation of trust. The lack of good design has contributed to the collapse of trust in big pharma, and this is causing significant problems for the sector. It is time for pharma to recognize the power of design.

This article was originally published in Creative Review. Read the full article here.

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For the 2025 MM+M Agency 100 creative showcase, Minds + Assembly didn’t just roll the dice, we pulled a card. Specifically, The Magician, a timeless tarot archetype that embodies everything we stand for: transformation, vision, and mastery across disciplines. In a landscape defined by tight timelines, complex science, and rapidly shifting media, we don’t leave things to fate. We act with intention, energy, and purpose to commercialize the most beautiful brands in healthcare.

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In the tarot, The Magician stands at a table with the four suits: cups (emotion), swords (intellect), wands (creativity), and pentacles (practicality). The card is a reminder that resourcefulness and versatility are not just advantages; they are essentials in our work. That’s exactly why The Magician spoke to us.

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So, is it really magic? Or is it 10 years of diverse minds committed to uncompromising standards and to assembling bold new solutions? Well, we’ll let you be the judge of that. But this year we knew when we drew our card, we didn’t want to leave it to chance. The M+agician is simply the clearest reflection of who we are and what we’re becoming.

We don’t guess. We guide. All by design.

MINDS + ASSEMBLY | PERSPECTIVES | 06.25.25

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Read the full article here in MM+M, and check out our immersive profile for a behind-the-scenes look at everything M+A.

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Industry Veteran and BOLDSCIENCE CEO Mark Lydiatt to Lead the Combined Platform

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PERSPECTIVES | Creative Review | 11.08.24