Long-time clients, Church & Dwight engaged Davis to help launch their innovative new digestive health brand, Gastrovol. Offering 3-in-1 relief of nausea, upset stomach AND diarrhea, this effective new product created a powerful opportunity for Gravol in the category – with a catch.

Due to complex Health Canada laws, look-alike, sound alike (LASA) guidelines, and plain language labelling regulations, the new product was exempt from being branded Gravol.

So, what’s an integrated branding agency to do?

Look for opportunities to create meaningful connections to the core Gravol brand, that’s what.

“On the tail of our 2021 Gravol re-design and through deep OTC expertise, we know that Gravol has been a trusted Canadian brand for more than 60 years. The brand has come to define relief of nausea and upset stomach, and its brand value in the digestive health space is immeasurable,” explains Account Director, Craig McCrindle. “Leveraging that value and credibility while meeting rigid Health Canada guidelines became our focus through the development of this intense naming, identity, and packaging design project.”

Our design team created a compelling link to core Gravol assets through color, naming and typography. Although, due to strict regulation pink was never included in the visual toolbox due to its synonymity with Gravol. Coincidentally, it’s also a strong cue to the leader in this category.

Pink notwithstanding, the team leaned heavily into blue. Long recognized for its calming, trustworthiness, blue was a natural fit for this product. Breaking from category convention, it created an obvious point of difference from key competition and from core Gravol offerings. Sharing a common typeface and stylized V, the visuals further bolster the relationship between Gastrovol and Gravol.

Demonstrating the convenience and ease of a taste-free, dye-free liquid-gel capsule, innovative cold foil stamping was applied to the face panel. Drawing attention to the photo-realistic illustration, this adaptive detail lends flexibility to the design, allowing for modification as brand awareness increases.

“This was a complex and challenging assignment,” says Davis Creative Director Chris Plewes. “We had to thoughtfully balance stringent guardrails with business and brand objectives. And we had to do it quickly! Strategy, name generation, and concept development can last several months. We completed it all in about six weeks.”

Hitting shelves earlier this year, Gastrovol can be found in pharmacies and mass retailers throughout Canada.