As mentioned in previous articles, branding has evolved from simple visual representation and brand identification to something much more complex that involves how users assume a central role in their development. Over time, clients have become more involved in brands and critical participants in their growth. Brands that build narratives and involve their customers as a fundamental part of their growth are those that last and become media banners in the active world of character-centered branding.
An outstanding case of brand development in Mexico is that of Farmacias Similares, whose iconic good-natured character with a mustache inspired by Joaquín Pardavé, one of the stars of Mexican golden cinema, has become a cultural phenomenon that has transcended the pharmaceutical sector. Dr Simi has managed to be a protagonist in events where users, without the objective of promoting, have positioned the brand internationally in a clear example that effective advertising is not done by large agencies or the corporations responsible for marketing. We do them as clients.
Since 1997, Farmacias Similares entered as another competitor in a country where public health services are saturated, and the private sector is aimed at a privileged minority. We can attribute its outstanding success to a business model that precisely managed to significantly reduce clients’ dependence on a state-controlled health service that does not have positive recognition from its users. The great success of Farmacias Similares was achieved with the affordable medical consultation service in most of its pharmacies throughout the country so that later and naturally, the sale of generic medications that contain the same active ingredients as the patent medications occurred at a considerably lower price.
The story behind Dr. Simi: More than a corporate character
In Mexico, it is expected to see a Dr. Simi bottarga dancing outside their pharmacies to the rhythm of popular songs. People sometimes interact with them by taking photos or recording videos, leaving behind a generalized idea that health issues are usually severe. Something that in other cultures would be unlikely to succeed, in Mexico, is that it represents a highly valued brand identity not because people do not take health issues seriously but because they have associated Dr. Simi with something much more profound, which has to do with care, but also with the representation of very human values and social awareness, which they have worked masterfully using their figure as their primary spokesperson.
This case is particularly suitable for explaining how value generation makes a brand transcend, no matter the sector in which it is located. In 2022, the first Retailer Preference Index of Mexican pharmacies was carried out, where the ranking was determined, taking into account their main strengths compared to the habits of their consumers. In this ranking, prepared even during a pandemic and carried out almost at the same time as the first event that made Dr. Simi viral on a global scale, Farmacias Similares was positioned in third place only below Farmacias Guadalajara and Farmacias del Ahorro.
It will be interesting to know the current statistics to determine whether recent events have been decisive for a hypothetical rise in the ranking of the Farmacias Similares brand.
From pharmacies to stages and television: The popularization of Dr. Simi
2021 was a hopeful year regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. As there has been mass vaccination and a decrease in positive cases, activities in multiple areas of entertainment began to resume, including concerts. By the end of this year, the Corona Capital was held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, and with it, the tradition loved by many and hated by others began of throwing stuffed animals with the figure of Dr. Simi to the artists. Since then, this practice has spread to concerts by singers such as Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Karol G, and Harry Styles.
What began on that occasion as a spontaneous show of affection for the singer Aurora, throwing stuffed animals on stage during musical events, quickly transformed into a trend that has given the brand global visibility. This event also recognized the disabled people responsible for manufacturing Dr. Simi’s stuffed animals. With this, the brand has also taken the opportunity to spread a message of accessibility and support for social and environmental causes through its foundations.
In addition, Dr. Simi is on national open television with programs focused on social well-being and culture. This shows that the sectors of the population with fewer resources not only have access to health services but also become involved as content consumers through the development of audiovisual products designed to generate value for them.
Simi Fest: When your character connects with an entire generation
The phenomenon of stuffed animals at concerts reached such a magnitude that Farmacias Similares did not stop there and has made efforts to capitalize on those events that people have promoted organically. With this, El Simi Fest was born, a music festival announced to take place in November 2024 and that will feature artists such as Anderson Paak and the Free Nationals, Jungle, Ely Guerra, and Motel, among others.
The festival itself has the same essence as other festivals sponsored by big brands; however, Dr. Simi’s brand presence during the festival promises to enhance its character-centered branding and generate new experiences that reinforce the values of its brand.
The figure of Dr. Simi has been a phenomenon in terms of brand development and is an exemplary case of how positioning a brand character can be an effective strategy for connecting with the millions of potential clients they have in Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, and Colombia.
What other similar cases of brand positioning through characters do you know?