Universal Favourite crafts brand for Aussie start-up
Universal Favourite has developed a brand for WHEN – an “Australian-first at-home egg count test”.
The announcement:
Design firm Universal Favourite has created the brand for Australian-first at-home egg count test, WHEN.
Homegrown start-up WHEN is democratising fertility knowledge. The simple three-step egg-count test* puts the power in the hands of Australian people with ovaries, connecting them with the country’s leading fertility experts and opening a pathway for better access to fertility information.
WHEN CEO Maz Coote said: “We are taught to be proactive about our health – we get our breast checks, our cervical screens, we wear our sunscreen and take our supplements – but we’re not taught to be proactive about our fertility. So often the fertility conversation starts only when there is already a problem. And when is this ever a good approach in healthcare? WHEN exists to help people start their fertility conversation sooner, proactively, so that they can have more options later.”
The project began with a series of focus groups, one-on-one interviews and stakeholder research conducted by VMLY&R which highlighted the personal nature of fertility, a topic seldom discussed.
Leveraging this research, WHEN approached Universal Favourite to conceive an inviting brand that started a conversation in a warm and understanding way.
Universal Favourite saw an opportunity to create a brand with humanity that balanced credibility and compassion in equal measure. One that felt just as comfortable in a trusted doctor’s office as the shiny shelves of a retailer.
Universal Favourite founder and ECD Dari Israelstam said: “Since WHEN is truly changing the landscape of fertility, it was only right that the brand also break free of the category norms and forge a new path. One that encourages autonomy, community and conversation.”
The final result is a visual and verbal system that blends emotion with science; expression with information.
Israelstam said: “The brand name itself is a question – when? – as well as a statement of intent. The WHEN wordmark sits at the heart of the visual identity. Clear and confident, it anchors the brand as a dependable figure in the health and wellness space.”
Accompanied by an organic cell shape that reacts to the world around it, the wordmark and logo form are a perfect foil to one another. Together, they represent standing strong amid the ever-changing nature of life. Paired with a colour palette of lemon and neutrals, the identity feels light and warm.
This sentiment extends into the brand voice with copywriter Amy Scott developing a verbal concept exploring the idea of an inner monologue, giving voice to the questions we ask ourselves but perhaps never verbalise.
Intimate portraits and close crop images focus on these internal thoughts and feelings, capturing moments that feel like a natural extension of everyday life, empowering and relatable in their familiarity.
Together these elements allow the brand to move seamlessly from packaging to print, retail stores to social media.
The at-home testing kit – the Egg Count Check – is an important first touchpoint. Split into three sections, Prepare, Collect, and Send, Universal Favourite designed the experience to follow the same logical structure.
Inspired by the sleek aesthetic of tech brands, the packaging takes a rigid form with attention paid to premium print finishes. Inside the box, a custom-designed instruction booklet guides users through the process.
WHEN’s Coote added: “We wanted to create a brand with medical credibility that could feel like a part of your lifestyle. Universal Favourite has done a brilliant job and exceeded this vision. We are thrilled with the way the brand feels and sounds.”
* Always read the label and use only as directed
Source: Universal Favourite
