ISIMIG, a Drug Name for Migraines

Laboratoires Bouchara-Recordati are a subsidiary of Italy’s Recordati Group.

They specialize in cardiology, pneumonia, gynecology and other medications. One of Quensis’ first assignments for Bouchara was to create the name for their new anti-migraine to be launched on the French market.

The drug belongs to the Triptan family, used in the treatment of severe migraines.

This category of drugs names is quite cluttered with well-known brands such as IMIGRANE or NARAMIG (GSK), ALMOGRAN (Almirall) or ZOMIG (AstraZeneca).

The Quensis added-value

We explored two strategic paths: names based on the pathology (migraine), and names based on the molecule (Frovatriptan).

With the power of our linguistic technology, we explored thousands of possibilities around MI, MIG, FRO, FROVA, to exhaust each create route and eliminate bad candidates at the same time.

Indeed, names were screened while they created both against Trademarks registered in class 5, as well as against the entire French drug name database (over 6,500 drug names, commercialized or not).

Creative output

The winning name: ISIMIG.

Not only does it clearly indicate to doctors and to patients that the drug is designed for migraine treatment, but it also suggests in a clever, euphonic and graphic (the skeleton-structure in “I-I-I”) way the idea of easiness (ISI is pronounced as “easy” in French, and most French people understand the word easy).

The message hidden in the name becomes: with ISIMIG, you’ll get rid of your migraine easily.

Pathology clearly indicated, consumer benefit included, euphony and high graphic potential: all the ingredients were united to make a great name.

From a legal standpoint, the name cleared as a TM and drug name standpoint right away, in the first registration.

Commercial results

ISIMIG was launched on the French market in September 2008. With innovative packaging, the first one in France with a black background, symbolizing the dark oppression of a migraine, and a very graphic treatment for the initial I to express the relieve from the pain, thanks to ISIMIG.

ISIMIG received great appreciation of Bouchara’s sales forces.

At the end of 2008, sales doubled versus initial objectives.