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GSK - ViiV Healthcare

STI Home Testing

Design Direction, Design, Identity Design, Brand Development, Icon Design, Print Collateral, Illustration, Artwork.

With mounting concern over the escalating incidence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Germany, the German Government conducted research and identified a lack of accessible testing facilities, particularly in urban and rural areas, as a significant contributing factor.

The issue prompted action from the Government, which enlisted the help of ViiV Healthcare, the world's leading pharmaceutical company dedicated to HIV research and treatment, along with the German AIDS organisation, to find a solution.

Together, they embarked on a mission to develop an innovative pilot testing and counselling service for HIV and STIs within Germany. The aim was to provide a widely accessible, low-threshold testing service to combat this concerning trend.

S.A.M Heimtest (Home Test) offers an easy-to-access, simple-to-use postal home test kit. Participants can test themselves in the privacy of their own home and return samples for testing via a pre-prepared postal service. Results are discreetly delivered via SMS, with an arranged doctor's appointment and counselling service available for those requiring follow-up treatment, eliminating the need for widespread testing centres and clinics.

As the designer on the project, I collaborated closely with ViiV Healthcare on the development of the 'S.A.M Heimtest' testing kit, educational materials, and an online awareness campaign.

The first stage of the project involved establishing a preliminary branding and logo design.

The logo strives to capture the essence of the testing service by featuring an open box tilted at an angle to symbolise the inclusivity, speed, and efficiency of the postal testing process. Coloured red to give the design a sense of urgency. The open lid of the box signifies the figurative act of 'lifting the lid,' representing the uncovering of truth and embracing transparency.

S.A.M - procedure overview

S.A.M - Awareness Campaign Poster

S.A.M - Micro information Card

Test kits

A great deal of consideration went into designing the test kit to ensure that the process was clear and concise, as it was imperative that the experience remained as stress-free as possible, so that psychologically the kits should not offer any additional barriers to completing a test.

Given there were five types of tests, each requiring different literature and testing equipment, emphasis was given to facilitating easy kit assembly. This involved implementing colour coding and iconography on the instructions, test process overview leaflets, postal instructions, forms, and labelling. This streamlined the kit assembly process and also ensured that the laboratory could instantly recognise any testing requirements.

Illustrations

An essential aspect of maintaining clear and simple instructions was the use of illustrations. As part of the design process, I produced hand-drawn illustrations for the instructions, drawn in a S.A.M. brand style. Some of which were reinterpretations of pre-existing diagrams, which were also styled to match and incorporate the correct S.A.M. testing equipment.

S.A.M - Instruction leaflet designs

Awareness

As well as distributing promotional material in clinics and surgeries to promote testing and encourage adoption of the test kit, I created banner ads for a campaign that were strategically placed within location-based social networking and online dating applications, specifically targeting the individuals that were most at-risk.

S.A.M - Procedure overview leaflet

Success

The S.A.M. pilot home test scheme was successfully launched in Bavaria and the service has now subsequently been rolled out across Germany. This success meant there are now plans to eventually make the test available globally.

Lets work together

Please get in touch if you have any questions or a brief you wish to discuss

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Simple and discreet

The awareness campaign, primarily targeting high-risk groups, emphasised the simplicity and discretion of the S.A.M. service, with messaging that focused on its ease of access, convenience in testing, and obtaining results discreetly. Promotional materials were distributed to doctors' surgeries and clinics, displaying posters and making educational literature and micro cards available as informative takeaways.

S.A.M - Awareness Campaign information leaflet

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