Skip to content

StrongWell – Brand Development & Integrated Marketing

Launching a stigma-free substance use support brand hinged on precise, effective messaging.

Key Performance Indicators

Growing program footprint across the Southeast

YoY program enrollment increases

Situation

Business-to-business healthcare brand 180 Health Partners developed an innovative approach to getting substance-exposed expectant mothers the coordinated care they need. Healthcare providers, insurance companies and community organizations were immediately interested in the program, but mothers themselves were more difficult to reach.

Solution

iostudio helped 180 Health Partners create StrongWell, a welcoming, relatable brand that speaks to a generation of moms who use social media as a key mode of communication. Participants might first encounter StrongWell through in-office videos, an informative one-sheet or simply a word-of-mouth recommendation, so each entrypoint had to convey the program’s empathetic and encouraging spirit if moms were going to feel comfortable enough to reach out and later download an app that would keep them connected to their care team and fellow moms.

Impact

The most important aspect of StrongWell’s branding strategy was the precision of its messaging. Through interviews and research, iostudio learned that mothers living with substance use felt they were typically spoken to as if they were somehow broken—even by people and organizations who were trying to help—and that connecting with a community of like-minded women with similar experiences could help empower them as individuals.

As one StrongWell mother put it: “You are not a number; you are not a statistic. Don’t let these bad moments in your life define you. But let them build you up and make you who you are meant to be. … With StrongWell, I knew I could do it, and you can too.”

Strongwell Branding

For StrongWell, making a good first impression was everything.

All of our research, including interviews with providers, mothers and family members, indicated that meeting mothers where they are on their journey to recovery was the key to driving enrollment in the StrongWell program. The visuals and messaging had to strike a chord immediately with women who might have grown accustomed to being talked down to or counted out. StrongWell’s aim is to empower these moms—so making the effort to understand and speak to them was paramount. It was also important to make the program mobile-friendly, as audience members typically turn to their mobile phones for web browsing.

StrongWell mom quote, "I just felt in my heart that these people genuinely cared. I knew I wasn't alone and there were women who supported me without judging me whatsoever." - Robbie
StrongWell brand entrypoints
included social media posts,
in-office videos and one-sheets.
StrongWell advocate, lady with flower illustrations
StrongWell social post of a lady holding her baby's hand in a field with the words "Be Powerful" written on it.
A photo shoot with real
StrongWell moms captured joy,
hope, and confidence.
StrongWell social media post with quote, "As soon as the StrongWell peer walked into the hospital room, she made us feel at ease. She wasn't there to tell us how to do things. She was just there to help." - Kathy, mom to a StrongWell Mom
Social media posts included supportive,
uplifting quotes from participants and
care team members.
StrongWell advocate, lady with flower illustrations
Imagery was Instagram-ready
but relatable and real.

StrongWell moms shared their stories in honest, compelling videos.

App activity turned out to be a clear indicator of personal progress.

A smooth UX allows StrongWell to monitor the relationship between screen time and progress. Any obstacles or user journey road blocks would interfere with that metric. However, the app was easy to interact with, so more moms felt comfortable communicating with it. And 180 Health Partners reported that the more active their moms were on the app, the better their recovery progressed. They felt supported and capable, and they wanted to share their successes with their care team and their fellow StrongWell moms.

StrongWell's message transcends marketing.

While it was technically marketing work that we were doing when we collaborated with 180 Health Partners, StrongWell was about so much more than conversion rates and funnels. We were reminding every woman who interacted with the brand that she was strong, capable, and worthy of love and support. Let us help you communicate with your audience.

How We Made It

Building this brand required becoming familiar with not just the struggles and triumphs encountered on the journey to recovery, but the struggles and triumphs of a mother on the journey to recovery. The more we learned, the more we understood how crucial it was to reach our audience with exactly the right message and keep them engaged through ups and downs.

Complete Brand Development

Once we felt confident in our understanding of StrongWell’s mission and the needs of their audience, we crafted visual components—which included everything from color palettes and fonts to custom photography overlaid with hand-drawn illustrations—and developed the brand’s written voice. Then we compiled it all in a thorough guide, making it easy for 180 Health Partners to maintain consistency and keep messaging on track in a variety of scenarios.

StrongWell advocate, lady showing her strong arms
Brand visuals combined photography
with colorful overlays and playful
hand-drawn illustrations.
StrongWell illustration pattern of flowers, crowns and filigree elements
The colors in StrongWell's palette were chosen
to evoke optimism, strength, and energy.

Combining custom photography, color palette and illustrations

 

Visually, StrongWell’s branding successfully communicates their identity: dependable and trustworthy, approachable and supportive, empathetic and loving.

StrongWell Logo
StrongWell Logo Icon Sketch
Our team developed the Strongwell
logo from scratch

Highly Accessible Digital Platform Development

The StrongWell Virtual Community must feel safe and secure in multiple ways.

Strongwell App mockup on an iPhone
App features and capabilities created
opportunities for participants to relate
to one another and provide support
throughout the day.
Strongwell App mockup on an iPhone
Heightened security and an intuitive
interface encouraged app interaction.
StrongWell Community App prototype user flow
It was critical for the app to be easily
navigable, with no obstacles to daily activity.
Navigation and information
architecture are complex, even
within the simplest apps.

Deliverables

Logo
Iconography
Hand-drawn illustrations
Custom photography
Brand guide

Persona profiles
User journey (web and app)
Digital design system
Custom design
Functional prototype

Mobile app

Program one-sheets
Business cards
Trade show assets

In-office videos

High-stakes messaging requires thorough, thoughtful research and a desire to make a difference.

We love to partner with organizations and brands that make a positive impact on the world—and that kind of work requires knowing how to speak to audiences who are making life-changing decisions. Does delivering your product or service involve in-depth research and exceptionally precise messaging? Let’s talk about it.