When Hana became one of the UK’s first over-the-counter oral contraceptive pills to be approved for use in July 2021, it was heralded as a landmark win for accessibility in women’s health. In the six decades since the launch of the first contraceptive pill, women’s sexual empowerment has been completely transformed. Yet, throughout that period, femcare packaging has remained blandly discrete, usually pink and accompanied by cold, clinical, difficult-to-read instructions. The launch of Hana was an opportunity to turn this on its head, creating a healthcare brand that truly represented the revolutionary nature of the product. Hana was born with the big ambition to be the first regular contraception available to buy in a pharmacy, without prescription, and in doing so to positively empower women through broadening their access to effective, regular contraception. We wanted to create a desirable consumer brand for Hana that could still inform and assure efficacy.

The launch of Hana was an opportunity to turn femcare packaging on its head and create a healthcare brand that truly represented the revolutionary nature of the product. Hana was born with the big ambition to be the first regular contraception available to buy in a pharmacy, without prescription, and in doing so to empower women through broadening their access to effective, regular contraception.

The traditional femcare branding clashed with most women’s healthcare experiences today, which usually start with an online fact-finding mission or on an app, rather than with a trip to the pharmacy. There is a new wave of consumer friendly products which are providing bold, accessible information, busting taboos and putting women firmly in the driving seat of their own healthcare journeys. Inspired by these emerging tools that empower women, we wanted to create a desirable consumer brand for Hana that could still inform and assure efficacy.

The packaging design was the leading touchpoint in designing a wider visual identity that would help build Hana as a brand in a newly competitive environment.

Surrounding the logo, for instance, there’s a yellow circle made from 28 mini pills, one for each day of the month, signifying traditional contraception messaging of safety, through a constant cycle and consistent protection. And while gold foil wrappers position Hana apart from the clinical, restrained semiotics of similar contraceptive brands, it still contains a ‘Same Time, Every Day’ reminder and ‘days of the week’ blisters to signal the importance of timing.

The memorable name, unique brand mark, and vibrant visuals drive the eye-catching difference at shelf that will help to ensure that consumers always ask the Pharmacist for Hana. It sits comfortably in the OTC space, like your best friend, or a big sister, rather than an authority figure in a white coat.