Stride
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Helping men perform at their best.
Tackling male sexual health
Male sexual health has been in the limelight over the last few years. Several brands have come to market with brands that have tackled stigmas associated with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. Much of this has been to do with the popularisation and availability of Viagra which can be bought without needing to see a doctor in person.
Off the back of Project Screen, COVID fighting company Prenetics had some planning to do. Revenue was strong, but the opportunity for testing was falling away as more of the world became vaccinated against COVID. STANCE was tasked to help understand the male sexual health market and create a brand to address male sexual health issues.
Positioning the brand
The brand that we would create would be confined by the go-to-market products for hair loss, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction.
In a mature market with strong brands like Manual, Numan and Hims, it would be hard to make an impact without a differentiator. As such, at the end of our research process, STANCE offered suggestions to differentiate on product delivery, product form, on customer support, education, and most of all, by integrating with the wider Prenetics product portfolio which would include blood testing and DNA testing products. (For example, a DNA test customer may observe they have an increased risk of hair loss—ideal for a product cross sell.)
Unfortunately, we would be bolting onto an existing supply chain solution, so none of these opportunities would become available. In fact, the only differentiation would be the branding and a premium price point.
Confidence in every walk of life
Having conducted an exhaustive research process, the conclusion for our brand approach would be to anchor on a version of the product truth and tone not yet articulated by the competition. Numan are bold, Manual are educational, Hims are sensitive… We would be premium and confident.
A brand name and a story
To reflect the brand territory of confidence, STANCE landed on the name: Stride. The story follows:
Stride: Confidence in every walk of life.
One step at a time, we’ll help you build your confidence.Whether it’s hair growth, ED, or PE, we’ll get you back on track and free your mind from limiting beliefs.
Through thorough and professional consultations, we’ll analyse your situation and provide guidance on the best medicine for your needs.
With the right treatment, we’ll put the spring back in your step.
Our mission:
To give men confidence, in every walk of life.
Building a brand identity and tone of voice
The brand identity came to life through the fusion of two core elements. Fluid, and dare I say, sexual shapes flowing into each other overlapped with topographic map-like design. The bold system would have light connotations of navigation while providing a highly flexible system that would cater for the entire brand portfolio.
With a name like Stride and a mission statement, “Confidence in every walk of life,” we were careful to not over do it on phrases like stepping up, striding ahead, having a spring in one's' step and so on.
As we explored packing solutions, we realised that icons would have a role in the brand and offer the chance to have a little light hearted humour. A tent for erectile dysfunction and a treeline for hair loss. The icons would be contained in a lozenge to give them the confidence and oomph that Stride would portray.
Web design and go live
The Stride brand would all but go live before Prenetics HQ in Hong Kong would pivot their expansion strategy from developing products to acquiring companies. However, we developed a website, mocked up packaging and even invented future products. All of these would be presented in-person to help sell the brand.
Striding into the brand archives
Alas, Stride would never make the final leap beyond the mocks you can see below.
Dummy packaging was applied to off the shelf vitamins and hair wax products. Draft boxes were created to show how the product would be received by customers.
Nevertheless, Stride was a great full dress rehearsal for a brand go live. We thank Prenetics for the opportunity to flex our muscles on this project.
Thank you to our rockstars.
Alex Johnston - Creative Director
Sushant Bhattarai - Brand Strategist
Kenji Smith - Graphic Designer
