The Yewtaxan Case
This is an example of one of the branding cases Jan Martin was responsible for. Together with Frans Jansen they serviced the company behind Yewtaxan, a subsidiary of Pharmachemie, from day one. Although an older case it had a huge impact on the marketing of generic medicine. The impact, its implications and its results were so big that the Yewtaxan case was taught at the faculty of marketing of the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
Although a generic drug it was branded and marketed as an upmarket A-type brand, targeting hospital pharmacists, hence its consumer look and feel. As a product it would never be available to the patients directly being a highly toxic, but very effective anti cancer drug. Unlike some drugs these days (2019) Yewtaxan—being a generic drug—was sold at a more competitive (read: lower) price than its competitors.
This commission lasted for about 5 years, building the company and its worldwide brand from scratch comprising of brand development, design, marketing as well as business strategy and event organization. Jan Martin designed the brand and logo, labels and packaging, safety boxes, service manuals, leaflets, invitations, magazines, advertisements, etc., etc.
The image at the top of the page was made by Frans Jansen when he and Jan Martin were in Los Angeles preparing Yewtaxan’s first big event in the United States, the ASCO Conference (American Society for Clinical Oncology). The heart was drawn in the sky over the Château Marmont Hotel to honor Frank Sinatra who passed away that morning...
