Corporate Identity Guidelines Jessica Necor
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION medicare: the system 2 RESEARCH assessment and diagnosis perception analysis products and services visual audit social media analysis government visual audit target audience 3 BRAND DEVELOPMENT mind maps concept statement new position and key attributes logo and color development type exploration logo / type refinement final logo and type solution 4 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT print collateral apparel promotional products signage and outdoor sculpture wayfinding outdoor advertisements transportation website and social media 5 CONCLUSION
PART ONE
INTRODUCTION
Medicare is a national social insurance program created in 1966 that provides access to health coverage for senior citizens above 65 years of age and people with certain disabilities. Medicare provides health insurance to over 48 million Americans. However, with the current state of the system, the hospital trust that funds Medicare is projected to run out in 2026. The challenge is to brand and innovate the Medicare organization and their services to make them the premier, reliable, and essential resource for health care and to design and develop a brand strategy for the system for years to come.
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
“Medicare aims to ensure effective, up-to-date health care coverage and to promote quality care for beneficiaries.� - CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES MISSION STATEMENT
In 1965, Medicare was created under Title XVIII
qualify if they are eligible for Social Security
of the Social Security Act to provide health
Disability Insurance or Railroad Retirement Board
insurance to senior citizens 65 years of age and
disability benefits and they have been receiving
older, regardless of income or medical history.
them for at least 24 months before becoming
Its goal was to make health coverage more
eligible to enroll in Medicare. With certain plans,
accessible; at the time, senior citizens paid more
people can face penalties every year if they do
than three times as much for health insurance.
not enroll on time.
All people over the age of 65 qualify who
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Medicare has expanded to include benefits
have lived in the United States for at least five
for speech therapy, physical therapy, chiropractic
years and have worked for at least 10 years
therapy, the permanently disabled, and those
(non-consecutively at a job that withheld Social
with severe kidney disease also known as end-
Security taxes from their pay). People can also
stage renal disease (ESRD).
INTRODUCTION / the medicare system
SERVICES: THE 4-PART STRUCTURE
A B C D
PART A: HOSPITAL INSURANCE // Patients who are eligible can usually get coverage without paying a monthly premium. Covers hospital stays, meals, supplies, testing, a semi-private room, rehabilitation, skilled nursing services, medical equipment, parttime necessary home health care, and hospice care for terminally ill patients. PART B: MEDICAL INSURANCE // Patients must meet an annual deductible before coverage begins. Every year one is eligible for Part B but did not enroll, the monthly premium increases by 10%. Covers doctor’s appointments, surgical services, diagnostic tests, some equipment, home care but does not cover routine checkups. PART C: ADVANTAGE PLANS // Patients must meet an annual deductible before coverage begins. Every year one is eligible for Part B but did not enroll, the monthly premium increases by 10%. Covers doctor’s appointments, surgical services, diagnostic tests, some equipment, home care but does not cover routine checkups. PART D: PRESCRIPTION DRUGS // This plan helps seniors pay for their medications but the first $250 is not covered. Medicare will pay 75% of any drugs up to $2,250. Patients must sign up 3 months before 65th birthday. This plan is funded by payroll taxes and money goes into a trust to pay doctors, hospitals, and private insurance.
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PART TWO
RESEARCH
Medicare provides health coverage to 48 million Americans, but many still fall through the cracks due to the high cost of healthcare, a confusing system, and impersonal experiences in the medical field. By closely examining the system and it’s pros and cons, a solution to rebranding Medicare and extending care in a sustainable way can be found.
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
For many people that are currently benefitting
family. The current state of Medicare is directly
from Medicare, the system works well for
related to the state of the health care system.
them. “I’m not involved with it, they just take
I found that costs of health care continue to
money out of my pension. $104 a month, no
rise because of highly inflated chargemaster
problems,” says Nimfa Carnes, my healthy 75-
systems, more advanced technology, and
year old grandmother. However, with longer
cushion charges from institutions protecting
lifespans, the baby boomer generation aging,
themselves from medical malpractice
and fewer people paying into the system,
lawsuits. Time Magazine reports that “one
Medicare will not be financially viable for much
acetaminophen tablet costs 1.5 cents. Your
longer and is projected to run dry by 2026.
hospital marks it up 10,000%.” On top of that,
“One acetaminophen tablet costs 1.5 cents. Your hospital marks it up 10,000%.” - TIME MAGAZINE
There is little oversight on
hospital bills are indecipherable, full of medical
drug fraud and inflated
jargon and deceiving labels.
hospital and doctor claims
In addition to financial woes, the Medicare
which contribute to a
system is complex, made of many variables,
growing deficit. Some say the
and is difficult to navigate for any average
system is designed to boost
person. For those who use the website, they
profits of pharmaceuticals
are presented with a barrage of links and
and hospitals, even the non-profit ones, instead
information without a clear flow of tasks.
of helping seniors pay for their prescriptions.
Medicare also communicates with people
Another issue with Medicare is that it covers
aging closer to eligibility by mail but could
less than half of a person’s medical expenses,
be updated to reach a technology-savvy
the rest is covered by secondary insurance
population. The lack of transparency hurts
or paid out of pocket by a patient and their
patients and milks the Medicare system.
10 RESEARCH / assessment and diagnosis
CURRENT PERCEPTIONS
EXISTING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Complicated
Prone to fraud
Expensive
Daunting
• 1-800-MEDICARE Hotline
Unaffordable
Too much oversight
• Medicare & You 2014 Booklet
Simple transaction, for some
Financially inaccessible
• Plan marketing materials
Not transparent
Financially inviable
• Email updates
Malpractice
Not supportive
• Online Medicare enrollment • Online Enrollment Check • Comprehensive doctor, care facility, and hospital comparison
DESIRED PERCEPTIONS
• Medicare Advantage Plan • Medical Savings Account Plan
Accessible
Supportive
Sustainable
Understandable
Affordable
Human interaction
Honest
Accountable
Transparent
Eases burden
Easy to navigate
Successful
• File a Complaint • File an Appeal • CMS Youtube channel
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
“My biggest pet peeve is that it is way too complex.” - SIGHTINGSAT60.BLOGSPOT.COM
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Medicare website, Medicare website, Medicare & You: Online Companion, Personalized Plan search, Medicare Twitter, Medicare website’s navigation, logo, Medicare & You Handbook, Medicare brochure
12 RESEARCH / visual audit
SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS No Facebook presence
VISUAL AUDIT
Twitter 1,675 tweets 6 following 6,612 followers
Across all platforms, Medicare has inconsistent and dated branding with a mix of color palettes and
Informational tweets, Medicare website links, and reminders
typefaces. The website and handbook have a behemoth amount of information and redundant navigation. Within the Medicare websites are supplementary websites,
Youtube
often with different aesthetics. However, Medicare.gov
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
has many useful tools such as a comprehensive, easy-to-
Services
navigate comparison search for doctors and hospitals.
5,978 subscribers 345 videos Informational videos, webinars, videos in Spanish, interviews JESSICA NECOR 2014
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
14 RESEARCH / visual audit
GOVERNMENT LANGUAGE AUDIT President Obama believes that all seniors should be able to retire with dignity, not just a privileged few. And, he believes that all Americans deserve to know that, if they become disabled or if they lose the breadwinner in the family, Social Security will be there to protect them.
GOVERNMENT VISUAL AUDIT
-WHITEHOUSE.GOV “To put us on solid ground, we should also find a bipartisan solution to strengthen Social Security for future generations.
Since Medicare is a federal program, it is essential to
We must do it without putting at risk
understand the language and visual style of the United
current retirees, the most vulnerable, or
States government. This includes government websites,
people with disabilities; without slashing
architecture, apparel, signage, literary language, etc.
benefits for future generations; and
Government platforms must maintain an air of authority
without subjecting Americans’ guaranteed
and credibility but the health care industry requires a
retirement income to the whims of the
sense of friendliness and accessibility; Medicare needs
stock market.” - PRESIDENT OBAMA
to be a balanced mix of both. Government language uses empowering words and pronouns like “we” to ensure Americans that their important needs are being taken care of.
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
TARGET AUDIENCE Americans over the age of 65 who have paid into the Medicare system for at least 10 years qualify. The next generation of senior citizens will be more technology-savvy, able to use Internet resources to research and manage their
For the first time, more than half (53%) of Americans age 65 or older now use the Internet or e-mail - PEWRESEARCH INTERNET PROJECT
insurance options. Over the long term, Medicare will face significant financing challenges. Among these challenges is the aging of the American population. The first of the ‘Baby Boom’ generation turned 65 and became eligible for Medicare
in 2010. Between 2001 and 2030, the number of Medicare beneficiaries is projected to almost double, rising from 40 million to 77 million. It is imperative to find a way to keep the system viable and accessible for the next generation.
Out of adults ages 66-74 that use the internet: 63% use it for health information 47% have broadband at home 76% have a cell phone 88% use search engines 12% have a smartphone 19% have a tablet 24% use social networking sites JESSICA NECOR 2014
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PART THREE
BRAND DEVELOPMENT
Although Medicare is a huge government program, it has no mission statement or consistent brand guidelines. The following exploration leads to clearly defined brand guidelines, reassuring customers that they are a legitimate institution worthy of their trust. Clear brand identity ensures quality experiences for all current and future beneficiaries. My attempt to rebrand the Medicare system positions it as a more accessible and understandable institution that places the patient’s care first.
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
20 BRAND DEVELOPMENT / mind mapping
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
CONCEPT STATEMENT AND APPROACH
To improve the Medicare system and make it
website. Currently, only two states, California
more affordable for a wider spectrum of people,
and Maryland, require hospitals to make lists
I focused on “why” health care is so expensive
public. This will allow people to view the prices
instead of simply “who” will pay for it.
of standard services and a basic listing of costs
The chargemaster is a comprehensive listing
that come with it. This enables patients to shop
of items billable to a patient or their insurance
around their area for affordable, competitive
provider. It is managed by individual hospitals
options and places responsibility on hospitals
and their chargemaster teams which consist
and larger chains to make their care accessible
of the hospital board, compliance officer, and
and accountable. Billing content will be simplified
chief financial officer. These lists are often highly
and easier to read for the average person with
inflated, charging up to eight times as much for
a hotlines available for questions and disputes.
products and services.
A liason will be available to walk new enrollees
Medicare will make the chargemaster lists of hospitals public and available on their
22 BRAND DEVELOPMENT / concept statement and approach
through the process to pick institutions that work for their needs.
To fix Medicare, we need to focus on “why” health care is so expensive instead of “who” will pay for it.
NEW POSITION
KEY ATTRIBUTES
Medicare is a comprehensive national
Accessible
insurance program that provides health coverage for senior citizens above 65 years of age and people with certain disabilities. The system aims to promote quality care for beneficiaries and makes prices of procedures public to help customers shop for the services that work best for
Affordable Sustainable Understandable Supportive
them, keeping health care costs low and competitive. A Medicare liason is there to help you with every step.
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
EARLY IDEATION
24 BRAND DEVELOPMENT / early ideation
SECOND ROUND Based upon peer critiques, I chose three directions to experiment with. Keeping my key attributes and mission in mind, I sketched symbols with subtle references to a torch, medical cross, and the four parts of Medicare. At this stage, I kept the sketches loose to get a feel for the shapes I wanted.
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
LOGO IDEATION
26 BRAND DEVELOPMENT / early sketches
THIRD ROUND I tested my next round of symbol ideations with actual type to see which typefaces, serif or san-serif, and case suited my shapes. After experimenting with more forms, I solidified my symbols and simplified them.
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
EARLY DIGITIZATION
Medicare
Medicare
Medicare 28 BRAND DEVELOPMENT / color studies and digitization
COLOR STUDIES
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
SYMBOL REFINEMENT I simplified one of my favorite symbols down to its most basic forms. I modified it to match my concept. Two aspects, Medicare and hospitals, support the human figure in the middle, the patient. I initially chose bright teal and lime green because they are friendly colors familiar to the medical field. I ended up changing to a more serious, but still approachable, palette.
30 BRAND DEVELOPMENT / symbol refinement and type exploration
Medicare
MEDICARE
Myriad Pro
Gotham Medium
Seravek Regular
Avenir Medium
BReplay Regular
Banda Regular
Medicare
Medicare
medicare
Medicare
Medicare Medicare Medicare medicare Cabin Medium
Bariol Regular
Bitter Regular
Akzidenz-Grotesk
TYPE EXPLORATION I experimented with various typefaces looking for the perfect hybrid of corporate aesthetic and friendliness to convey the professionalism and approachable nature of the institution. JESSICA NECOR 2014
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
FINAL COLOR AND TYPE The color palette captures the essence of the medical care field and the new Medicare experience. The colors are saturated but deep, keeping the logo approachable and corporate. I chose the typeface Bariol to complement the logo. It is a rounded, slightly condensed typeface designed with versatility and readability in mind. It is friendly yet corporate and is legible at all sizes. The typeface reflects the new, accessible, and understandable Medicare system.
HEADLINES: Bariol Regular
CMYK c86 m48 y29 k5
CMYK c20 m21 y21 k0
CMYK c47 m18 y86 k1
RGB r34 g113 b145
RGB r203 g193 b189
RGB r148 g172 b81
HEX #227191
HEX #CBC1BD
HEX #94AC51
ABCDEFGHIJKLM NOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcefghijklmnopqrs tuvwxyz 123456789
32 BRAND DEVELOPMENT / final logo and type
COPY: Avenir
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO PQRSTUVWXYZ abcef ghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890
FINAL LOGO Logo
Symbol
GRAYSCALE VERSION
Wordmark
GUIDELINES The negative space between the wordmark and symbol must remain the same as well as the white space between shapes in the
SOLID BACKGROUND VERSION
symbol. The symbol may be cropped for advertisements but the proportions of height and width must be equal in all applications.
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PART FOUR
APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
The next step after finding the solution to the logo is to apply it to a variety of mediums in a cohesive way, from print collateral to employee uniforms. The look and feel of Medicare must translate to multiple surfaces while maintaining the program’s values and branding guidelines. The applications must also keep the target audience in mind.
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
PRINT COLLATERAL Personal Membership Cards QR codes can be read by doctor’s offices, hospitals, or by patients to manage their accounts on mobile devices
36 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / print collateral
Corporate Stationery Letterhead Envelope Executive Business Card
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
PAPER BILLS The new Medicare bills are easier to read, use plain language, and include QR codes to pay with credit cards through mobile devices.
38 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / billing
Paper Statement
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
Initial Medicare Brochure
PRINT COLLATERAL Medicare Handbook For people who prefer to read printed material, the handbook includes all necessary information to understand the system
40 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / print collateral
Medicare Planner The Medicare Daily Planner is a useful tool for remembering doctor’s appointments, keeping milestones, and jotting down questions to ask Medicare agents.
Planner Stickers
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
EMPLOYEE APPAREL
42 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / apparel
PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS
APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / promotional products
43
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
BEVERAGE CONTAINERS Travel Thermos
Beverage Mug
44 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / beverage containers
Inside Beverage Mug
INTERACTIVE Vending Machine
Interactive Quiz
Dispenses useful products like reusable water bottles, textured socks, reading glasses, blood sugar testers, and headphones
APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / interactive devices
45
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
EXTERIOR ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS National Headquarters
46 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / outdoor sculpture
SIGNAGE National Headquarters
Local Offices
APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / signage
47
MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
WAYFINDING Outdoor Pedestrian Sign
48 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / wayfinding
Indoor Interactive Map
OFFICE SIGNAGE Door Graphics
Office Sign
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
OUTDOOR ADVERTISEMENTS Pole Banners
50 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / outdoor advertisements
Bus Shelter Posters with QR Code
Backlit Subway Sign
The new Medicare system makes sure there are no surprises. Visit us at medicare.gov
Medicare
SCAN THIS CODE WITH YOUR PHONE
R
hospital services and costs. No surprises, just quality care.
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
TRANSPORTATION Appointment Shuttle
52 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / transportation
Bus Advertisement
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE Facebook
54 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / social media presence
YouTube Channel
The goal of Medicare’s new social media presence is to educate people about the new, more transparent system and the new liason program. The YouTube channel will post helpful videos regularly and the Twitter will be a hub for news and reminders. APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / promotional products
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MEDICARE CORPORATE IDENTITY
WEBSITE The new Medicare website is much simpler and begins with a straight-forward user experience. The most important features of the website are easily accessible from the home page.
56 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / website
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MOBILE APP The new Medicare app, My Medicare, is an easy way to make appointments, create a medication schedule on Pill Box, and stay in touch with your Medicare agent. The app can be logged in using the QR code on one’s Medicare card.
58 APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT / mobile app
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PART FIVE
CONCLUSION
With more and more Americans reaching the age of 65, the Medicare system needs to adapt to current technology and become more financially viable to continue to exist. The new generation of senior citizens is more up to date on technology trends such as touchscreen mobile devices and need web interfaces that are easier to navigate. The health care system at large has been too profit-driven and has become inaccessible to a large population. My attempt to rebrand the Medicare system positions it as a more accessible and understandable institution that places the patient’s care first.
Laguna College of Art + Design Corporate Identity Spring 2014