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When Information Design is a Matter of Life or Death

In 2008, Lloyds Pharmacy conducted 20-minute interviews with 1,961 UK adults. Almost one in five people admitted to having taken prescription medicines incorrectly; more than eight million adults have either misread medicine labels or misunderstood the instructions, resulting in them taking the wrong dose or taking medication at the wrong time of day. In addition, the overall problem seemed to be more acute among older patients.

Almost one in five people admitted to having taken prescription medicines incorrectly; more than eight million adults have either misread medicine labels or misunderstood the instructions.

Medicine or patient information leaflets refer to the document included inside medicine packaging and are typically printed on thin paper (see figures 1.1–1.4). They are essential for the safe use of medicines and help answer people’s questions when taking the medicine.

If the leaflet works well, it can lead to people taking the medicine correctly, hopefully improving their health and wellness. If it works poorly, it can lead to adverse side effects, harm, or even death. Subsequently, leaflets are heavily regulated in the way they need to be designed, written, and produced. European and individual national legislation sets out the information to be provided, in a specific order, within a medicine information leaflet.

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Adding to the design challenge is the fact that the guidelines for how medicine information leaflets are designed to change from country to country, and the guidelines are often vague.

One of the changes in the 2004 European Commission directive was to ensure that all medical information leaflets ‘reflect the results of consultations with target patient groups.’ In other words, when producing a leaflet, user testing (or ‘readability testing’ as it is also known) must be done. A satisfactory test outcome is when the information requested within the package leaflet can be found by 90% of test participants, of whom 90% can show that they understand it.

The diagnostic testing method for medicine information leaflets also raises a unique challenge when designing leaflets and is more rigorous than the level of user testing most designers are used to.

Additionally, medicine information leaflets are required to be reviewed and approved by a competent authority, which varies from country to country, before being included in the packaging with the medicine.

Possible Design Improvements

How can these materials be designed so that people end up taking the medicine as directed?

One issue with medicine information leaflets seems to be that most people do not read the document from start to finish, although it contains important information. Reasons for not reading or only skimming the leaflet from start to finish could be due to the amount of information or the leaflet design.

Competing sources of information introduce additional confusion. Sometimes the pharmacist will attach to the packaging a sticker with dosage instructions. That sticker can cover the dosage instructions printed on the packaging itself.

There are now potentially three sources of dosage information: the sticker, the packaging, and the leaflet, all with different densities of information. This creates an assumption on the part of the patient that everything they will need to know will be on the sticker–a dangerous assumption because patients do not read through the whole of the medicine information leaflet.

Medicine information leaflets are usually long and contain a wealth of information and complex terminology. An option would be to provide the document written to different educational levels.

Sometimes leaflets do not make the most of headings and sectioning, which keeps people from finding quickly the information they need. Medicine information leaflets are usually minimally treated, featuring only plain text with headings in bold.

Could a more designed and illustrated appearance lead to people taking the medicine in the prescribed manner? A study suggests this is the case: Layouts that reduce text density, use purposeful sectioning, highlight key messages, and use a logical type of hierarchy helped people to find the right information more quickly.

The example shown in figure 1.5 is a step in the right direction; the different types of information have been given a diversity of treatments to provide emphasis.

Layouts that reduce text density, use purposeful sectioning, highlight key messages, and use a logical type hierarchy helped people to find the right information more quickly.

In a similar vein, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently proposed a redesign of nutrition labels on food packaging. Among the changes were putting calorie counts in large type, adjusting portion sizes to reflect how much Americans actually eat, and additional information about sugars in food.

The Lloyd’s Pharmacy research stated that older people make the most mistakes when using medicine information due to either misreading medicine labels or misunderstanding the instructions. Clearer written instructions would solve the comprehension issue; a more ‘large print’ design would enable both older and a wider variety of people to better use the leaflet.

Medicine information leaflets are often printed on thin paper and folded many times to fit into the medicine package. There is a lot of show-through from the information printed on the back of the leaflet, which decreases readability. When the leaflet is unfolded, the paper crease marks affect the readability of the text (see figures 1.3 and 1.4). A possible improvement would be to print the leaflet on a thicker paper. 

Article 63(2) of the European Commission, 2004, states that:

‘The package leaflet must be written and designed to be clear and understandable, enabling the users to act appropriately, when necessary with the help of health professionals.’

Diagnostic testing is examining an existing design to find out how it performs against the agreed performance requirements set at the scoping stage; for example, a satisfactory test outcome is when the information requested within the package leaflet can be found by 90% of test participants, of whom 90% can show that they understand it. Diagnostic testing takes the actions of people using the document as symptoms of the document’s health and is concerned with finding out what is wrong with a design. Diagnostic testing should be used iteratively—that is, repeated until its performance reaches the agreed benchmark. Diagnostic test questions are designed to see whether a consumer can find information quickly and easily and perform actions appropriately.

Conclusion

Earlier research from Lloyds Pharmacy1 and Dickinson et al. demonstrates that design and writing has the potential to make a real difference in regard to medical errors and that design, writing, and production of a medicine information leaflet can have a real positive effect on people’s health.

The design of medicine information leaflets provides some interesting challenges because they might not be seen as a typical creative graphic design job. Just because they do not contain overly designed text or graphics, however, does not mean creativity is not needed, in fact creativity is usually lacking in leaflets typically produced.

Furthermore, creativity when designing medicine information leaflets usually comes in the form of clear writing, clear layout, and user testing—more of an information design challenge rather than graphic design.

The designer’s job is to clearly communicate the desired message. The designer also has to follow guidelines—in this case, not corporate identity guidelines but guidelines laid out in legislation and vetted by a regulatory body.

Effective design can make the difference between a person deciding to read a leaflet or not, or getting the information they need about the medicine they are taking or not. And that difference can be a matter of life or death. The not so typical design challenge of medicine information leaflets shows the importance effective design can have.

Questions / Enquires - hello@RadkaAdvertising.com

tags: design, advertising, ads, creativity
categories: branding, advertising
Tuesday 11.01.22
Posted by Bart Radka
 

Why you need to be investing in advertising at all times

94% of the WORLD is aware of the Coca-Cola brand.

Why?

Because they invest.

They invest HEAVILY in their advertising.

You see it everywhere - Sports, Music, Charity… you name it. They’re involved. On average Coca-Cola spend over £4 Billion a year on the advertisement.

To be a pillar in YOUR industry you have to make YOUR brand be known. You need to be investing in advertising.

This isn't a cost... This is an investment… In your brand, and in yourself. Hoping someone comes across you is a waiting game that no one wins.

Actively putting yourself in front of your potential clients? That’s taking action…

Set global domination aside for a second and ask yourself - who knows you in your city…? 94%???

Time to take action!

Questions / Enquires - hello@RadkaAdvertising.com

tags: advertising, ads
categories: advertising
Sunday 12.26.21
Posted by Bart Radka
 

Advantages of online advertising

Everything goes online these days, and there is practically no place for good old tools of marketing. Alright, let’s not be dramatic, there are still ways of advertising that are as ancient as the newspaper itself. Nevertheless, successful online advertising is an undisputed ruling king. If you want to be seen, you better be seen on the Internet. If you don’t feel encouraged (yet) to make a digital shift in your business, here are some reasons why you undoubtedly should.

Hit the bull’s eye - all around the world

Online advertising has one great advantage over traditional ads. It’s global. Access to the Internet is easy in the USA, Europe, or Asia, and it’s the same network. That means that your ads will reach potential clients all around the world. If you’ve never thought about expanding the business abroad, this will give you a chance. The best part is that, although you reach people worldwide, you might only get to those who are your target audience. Online advertising allows more accurate targeting of the ads, as it filters and selects the recipients based on their preferences. For you, it means more clients, earned money, and less spent on missed advertising.

Sit back and measure your successful online advertising.

Advertising in an online world gives you a chance to measure and track how the ads serve (or not) their purposes. There is a number of different tools you can use to make sure that the money was wisely spent. Analytics tools show you which of your ideas were brilliant and what part of your advertising is a waste of time. As a result, you invest right where you should and save time (and obviously money) for something more productive. It is a win-win situation because you invest less (in comparison to traditional advertising), and you lose less (because you avoid missed campaigns). 

Get rid of the distance

A traditional ad tells the consumer that there is a company that does or sells this and that. Eventually, where to buy their product. In other words, it’s read and forgotten. Successful online advertising helps you get closer to your clients. When posting ads on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media, you can add links, clickable elements that move the users from site to site, directing them straight to the place where your product is available. Being online also means that you can interact with the consumers there and encourage them to choose you over your competitors.

Those are not all advantages of online advertising, but a few to make you realise that it is the future. If you haven’t invested in an online world yet, now’s the time. With an advertising agency or all on your own, but just do it.  

Questions / Enquires - hello@radkaadvertising.com

tags: advertising, ads, marketing
categories: advertising
Tuesday 10.05.21
Posted by Bart Radka
 

Brand Awareness - why your Brand should be a celebrity?

The general notion of brand awareness is actually simple, and there is nothing twisted about it. To explain it as plainly as possible - it refers to the consumers’ familiarity with a given brand. It describes who, and how, remembers and associates this particular brand and, as a result, what are the chances (if any) that a consumer will become a customer.

Recognising and recalling - what is brand awareness?

Brand awareness is often interchangeably used with brand recognition and brand recall. These two notions are not the same, as they are narrower terms than the idea of awareness itself. Brand recognition is related to the so-called aided awareness, which means that a consumer can name a brand on the top of their head when asked about an example. Brand recall refers to the situation when a person has recognised a brand, but only when shown on the list.

Make yourself known

Building brand awareness is crucial when entering a new market but, sorry to disappoint, the effort never ends. Even if your business thrives for some time, you need to take care of increasing awareness. Why? The answer is the same as always - more customers, higher profit, expanding business. The more people recognise you, the more of them trust you and buy from you. 

Brand awareness can be, and is, built entirely from scratch. Here are some key elements that will help you understand, how to increase brand awareness:

  • Your brand is their friend - people tend to trust and choose those brands that they find appealing. How to make it attractive? It’s best to give it a face, present the brand as something more than just a money-making machine. There are many ways to do that. Be active in social media, comment, post, intrigue. Make sure that your content is not only about products or services, but also informs, gives advice, or entertain. Engage people to interact with your brand, and they will be more willing to stay.

  • A story behind everything - everyone, and everything, has a story to tell, and people generally like to hear some good narrative. Don’t be coy and share the history of your success, the anecdote or the tale. The choice is yours, but storytelling is an invaluable marketing tool.

  • Be associated - the well-remembered brands are the brands associated with something. If you want to be recognisable, engage in sponsorship, social actions, or other events. Find something that corresponds with the message and idea behind your brand and stamp it with your logo, so the participants of the event will keep the brand in mind.

Is it fame yet?

How can brand awareness be measured? It is a tough task, but not impossible. The easiest ways are traditional surveys (although in a modern, online form), in which you can ask respondents if they recognise your brand among others. You can also ask them which brand comes to their minds when they think about a given product or service (so-called aided brand awareness). Other tools might be helpful, like site traffic statistics or social engagement notifications. 


Questions / Enquires - hello@radkaadvertising.com

tags: advertising, ads, marketing, branding
categories: branding
Saturday 08.28.21
Posted by Bart Radka
 

The more I advertise the more successful I become

Uncertain times makes individuals careful, particularly with money. Clients decrease their spending, businesses have less, so they consider reducing expenses. So what then to cut? Numerous companies decide to cut the Advertising budget first. They consider Advertising to be an optional expenditure, when in certainty it should be considered as essential. Here are a few reasons why:

Strengthen Your Reputation 
What are you telling your clients concerning your business and what do you represent, and how are you letting them know? Eliminating your communication can convey a negative message. In the event that your Brand Image lessens in the marketplace what impression will that leave in the minds of your clients? In the midst of vulnerability you have to keep your Brand Image noticeable and bolster its strength. If people are more inclined to shop around for deals because they are feeling cautious about spending, then it’s not the time to reduce your visibility in the marketplace. Your clients watching out for bargains, and you most ensure they discover you through your #Advertising

Continue Moving Forwards 
Positive thinking can be difficult to maintain in uncertain times, yet business relies upon forward movement. For a business to develop it needs to generate new business, and Advertising is a key method for doing this. You need to guarantee that your Brand Image is still out there and in if you cut back on your Advertising, you are less likely to be able to do this.

Hold onto the Initiative 
Each activity can offer ascent to a response, and with vulnerability comes opportunity. You can step up to the plate with your Advertising to increase a competitive advantage. Be prepared, in light of the fact that putting resources into a downturn is an Advertising major – this is key and it's tied in with remaining ahead and winning a bigger share.

Business experiences cycles, yet in the event that you've kept up your Advertising during a downturn, you're better situated to receive the rewards toward the beginning of the recovery or upswing. You're as of now ahead of the race, before the starting pistol sounds.

Questions / Enquires - hello@radkaadvertising.com

tags: marketing, business, facebook, instagram, twitter, linkedin, google, ads
categories: advertising
Tuesday 03.17.20
Posted by Bart Radka
 

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