Using an inexpensive product, that often changes hands as a Brand-product
How might a health organization with a narrow focus increase their impact and income through brand-enhancing merchandise? Stop Aids was the HIV and aids educating and reducing organization for gay men in Denmark. They wanted to increase their familiarity among their target group and their stakeholders. I designed a brand-product and an experience based strategy aimed at the target group and sponsors.
The pen is an inexpensive and all around product that is already being used as a platform for advertising. By adding an eye-catching color to the pen, the organization had a product that would easily travel among people and build a strong association to the cause.
Selling the Pink Pen together with an experience, like the ‘Draw a mustache’– stencil promoted through gay bars and parties, a positive yet effective story of fun and humor would be associated with the organization. This concept would be known as Pink Pen Plus.
Strategy and perspectives
By identifying the different groups of gay men in Denmark, a series of personas and design scenarios was developed together with a product design guide, Stop Aids would easily be able to come up with new experiences to sell alongside the Pink Pen.
Furthermore a service of providing companies and other potential sponsor with the possibility to buy all their pens from Stop Aids, gave the organization the possibility to expand their familiarity outside their primary target group. Pens are known as one of the most traveling objects among people. They get stolen from offices and are given away as inexpensive advertising.
By providing pens, Stop Aids provide offices the possibility to promote a good cause, and at the same time strengthen their positive reputation among their costumers.