The Problem: Pharmacy chain with own generic medicines struggled despite deep discounts. "Generic" signaled inferior. Even loyal buyers hesitated for families. Doctors stuck to trusted brands. In-house medicine brand had no recall.

THE PROBLEM

A pharmacy chain with its own generic medicines struggled despite deep discounts. Even loyal buyers hesitated to buy generics for their families. Doctors stuck to trusted brands. The in-house medicine brand had no recall.

"Generic" signaled inferior quality. Discounting reinforced those concerns. The harder the brand pushed price, the more consumers worried about safety.

THE INSIGHT

The problem was trust, not price. "Generic" meant substandard in consumer perception. Discount positioning reinforced quality concerns instead of overcoming them.

Consumers wanted assurance over savings. They needed confidence that these medicines were safe for their families. Price was secondary to peace of mind.

The brand needed reframing from "cheap alternative" to "trusted partner."

THE WORK

Interviewed patients and doctors. Both confirmed buyers prioritized confidence over cost when it came to family health.

Dropped "generic" terminology entirely. Repositioned around care, not cost. Reframed discounts as member benefits (earned through loyalty) rather than desperate price cuts that implied low quality.

Separated the medicine brand from the pharmacy brand. Each needed distinct identity and credibility. Trained staff to sell with empathy, not transactions. Overhauled the customer experience: introduced WhatsApp ordering, CRM follow-ups, and shifted from transactional service to proactive healthcare partnership.

THE OUTCOME

Sales rose 1.3X in pilot regions. Staff behavior shifted from transactional clerks to guided healthcare advisors. Consumers started seeing the pharmacy as a partner in family health, not just a discount outlet. The trust barrier broke.