The Impact of Branding on Patient Perception and Trust

Effective branding does more than distinguish you from competitors; it fosters trust around the institution, clinic, specific medication, healthcare professional, or even a public health program — a vital factor for patients making health-related choices. 

Research demonstrates that patients often choose their medical clinic based on reputation and visual appeal. For instance, a vibrant logo, an up-to-date website, and proactive social media engagement can significantly enhance trust levels. Visual brand elements frequently serve as indicators of professionalism and service quality to patients. 

Consider this medical marketing statistics: 74% of patients regard online reviews as critically important and pay close attention to the style and management of clinics' social media. In contrast, those with outdated website design and lack of online activity are perceived as less reliable.

This also applies to the colors and symbols used on drug packaging. Studies indicate that specific color shades and tones can trigger associations with safety, trustworthiness, and effectiveness. For instance, blue is commonly associated with trust and serenity, whereas green signifies health and natural ingredients. Bright colors such as red or orange can catch the eye and signal the urgency of the medication to be administered. 

Symbols like the cross or the pharmacy bowl also create instant association with medical care. They help patients quickly recognize drug’s intended use and prevent confusion with products like cosmetics or dietary supplements. 

Packaging must be both visually appealing and informative, providing essential “signals” to the consumer. 

As part of its marketing research services, Aston Health conducts testing of advertising concepts and assists clients in studying how their target audience interprets promotional messages — including packaging design, promo materials (booklets, leaflets, websites), naming, presentations, video content, and other materials.

Assessing how advertising materials and promo messages are perceived helps deliver the most relevant version of ads, products, or presentations to the intended target audience. 

The choice of evaluation technique usually depends on consumer profile (doctors, patients, mass audience, professional community) and the specific subject of analysis. 

Aston Health employs various data-gathering tools such as focus groups, quantitative online and offline surveys, online bulletin boards, and online communities. 

The outcome of such testing is a set of recommendations for refining /modifying the overall advertising concept, visual elements, and textual content based on informativeness, clarity, emotional appeal, recall, and most importantly, the needs and behavioral patterns of the target population. 

In today’s highly competitive environment, the right branding approach can be the critical factor influencing the consumer’s choice.