Physicool have appeared on the BBC’s new series of Dragons Den as they look to get further investment and awareness of the product. The episode was aired in September 2009 and this will enable the brand to launch fully and create greater sales opportunities. Did they get the cash or not to help take the brand to the next level?
Initial condition
Equinice, a well known manufacturer of equine products for horse injuries, approached Chaos to create a brand to allow them to take new further developed unique ‘cooling bandages’ products and launch them into the lucrative athletic and sports market for both consumers and professionals. With some existing competitors, an appropriate brand name, identity and creative strategy was required for the UK and the worldwide potential sports markets. The brief was to create a brand that would cross over between high street retail and medical trade sales. The product is based upon a unique stretchy reusable bandage that combines cooling with compression and works by drawing heat out by rapid evaporation, as opposed to most other products that work by driving cold in. Suitable for the treatment of inflammation and bruising, it reduces pain and reduces swelling quickly. The cooling effect is achieved without the need for refrigeration.
Chaos thinking™
Aimed at sports and the home consumer market, Chaos devised the name ‘Physicool™’, as a play on words that combines the physical nature of sport and the inherent cooling properties of the product, with the word ‘cool’ differentiated in blue to reinforce the cooling message and give easy identification of the product. The Physicool asterisk marque depicts an arrow pointing to the area of pain and also suggests the refrigeration symbol. Supported by the tagline,‘Consistent cooling when you need it’, the packaging was designed cost effectively using predominantly silver foil pack. Graphically the blue arrow device within the asterisk acts as a simple device for communicating and highlighting the product information. Initial campaign ideas creatively use images of injuries that are happening and the sportspersons reaction (****!). This extension of the brand graphic is empathetically endorsed by the headline ‘sportsmen swear by it’ and provides an emotive connection which relates to the pain point caused by injuries.
Creative Enablement™
Since its initial soft launch into the UK market, Physicool is also looking to branch out into India and Australia. The new brand has had a lot of interest from many different types of sports, including tennis (as a promotion to raise brand awareness, Physicool was in every locker in Wimbledon), running, rugby, cycling, athletics to name but a few, plus it is now featuring in articles in leading sporting publications. The brand name and identity has been received well and has enabled the product to gain traction within the industry and gain an initial sales foothold with Boots.
Peter Campbell, Head of Creative & Brand Strategy, Chaos Design, commented...
"Chaos works with a number of Pan European blue chip Enterprises, but as a contrast we also work with a number of entrepreneurial clients to create new brands and help launch them to market. Following a recommendation, the client appointed Chaos accordingly to work with them to create this brand. When we were looking at naming ideas, Physicool soon became an obvious front runner and we had no doubt about recommending the name. The great thing about working with owner managers is that decisions happen quickly and effectively. Certainly it's a brand we feel proud having given birth to and we wish Physicool every success along the way following their investment with Chaos."
