Drugs Need Identity Too

Identity in the Indian pharma business is a curious affair.

It begins with a name, navigates a maze of regulatory hurdles, builds momentum with the logo, peaks with the packaging — and then quietly fades away.

Somewhere along the assembly line, identity becomes a checkbox, not a commitment.

But in a business that trades in healing and hope, identity isn’t just cosmetic.
It’s functional. It’s human. It’s critical.

Yet in India, that identity rarely survives beyond the strip.

Take a stroll through any pharmacy. Ask for something common, like paracetamol. The chemist might reach for Parakind, Paraday, Parabliss, or Parafast. All legal. All functional. All designed to disappear into the background.

But just as often — you’ll hear Crocin or Dolo-650 offered first. That’s no accident.

Crocin, with its bright red type and cross motif, has long established itself as a household name — especially in families with children. And Dolo-650, once a prescription brand, rose to cultural prominence during COVID-19, when it became almost shorthand for fever relief. It had the recall, consistency, and wide distribution to back it up — and its clean, uncluttered packaging stood apart.

These aren’t just exceptions. They’re proof thatidentity matters.

Now shift your gaze to Southeast Asia. Same molecule —paracetamol — but meet Panadol.

Unlike most prescription drugs, Panadol is sold OTC in many SEA countries. That regulatory freedom means it can act more like a consumer product — with advertising, line extensions, and pack-level storytelling. And GSK took full advantage. Panadol Extra, Actifast, Cold & Flu — each has its own color scheme, symptom-specific claims, and even iconography that guides the user.

Yes, the rules were looser — but the intent was clearer.

Then there’s Zyrtec, the antihistamine giant from the U.S. When its patent expired, genericsflooded the market. Zyrtec didn’t change its formula — it changed its story.
It launched AllergyCast, an app that tracks pollen levels, forecasts symptoms, and helpspatients log and share their allergic patterns with doctors. The green-yellow palette, the“starts working in one hour” claim, the allergy tips across platforms — all part of an identitysystem that followed the user, not just the prescription.

Zyrtec is doing its best to ride the generic wave – with memorability.

Back in Bihar, a small public health project took a different route.

The team created visual aids to go with the medicines: stickers showing a sun for morning, a moon for night, arrows for dosage, and color codes for urgency. These were handed out by ASHAs in rural health centers.

The result? Fewer errors. Better adherence.
Not branding in the commercial sense — but identity as accessibility.

Because sometimes, even a symbol can speak louder than a strip of pills.

Meanwhile, in Japan, Takeda Pharmaceuticals applied the same principle with surgical precision.

Their OTC products include resealable pouches, Braille-embossed labels, bold dosage indicators, and color cues — designed not for style, but for daily usability. Because a product that’s easy to identify is a product that’s easy to trust.

It’s tempting to say Indian pharma doesn’t care about identity because of regulations. After all, advertising is limited, packaging rules are strict, and prices drive everything. But the global examples show us that constraints don’t kill creativity — they demand it.

Revital found a way. Panadol found a way. Zyrtec built a way.

But patients don’t stop there.
They open that box

They squint at the strip.
They second-guess the color.
They look for clues — any clues — that bring memorability.

Because most don’t — and can’t — recall the name of the drug.
Not when it’s Azithrowhat or Met-something-something.
What they do remember is:

“The green one I take after lunch.”
“The yellow strip with the sun logo.”
“The one that looks like last month’s fever tablets.”

These are not trivial details. These are survival strategies.

When a drug’s identity is only molecular, patients mix it up.

When it’s visual, distinct, and intuitive — they get it right.

So no, identity isn’t a marketing gimmick.

It’s a safety tool.

A way to reduce errors, reinforce routine, and return some control to the person on the receiving end of the strip.

Because healing isn’t just about what’s inside the tablet.

It’s about making sure the right one is taken — at the right time — by the right person.

That’s why drugs need identity too.

And that’s where Brandcare comes in — helping pharma brands craft clarity, character, and consistency that patients don’t just see — but remember.