Project: Virgil
Date: 2021

ROLE: HEAD OF BRAND
(Cold Start Ventures Project)

DELIVERABLES:
Research, CONCEPT, STRATEGY, NAMING /
mission, vision, values definition /
VISUAL IDENTITY /
Ux Writing + Copywriting /
campaign CONTENT /
WEBSITE DESIGN /

Virgil is a mental health startup with a mission to make virtual care accessible to those who need it the most. Our differentiation in a crowded virtual mental health care space is to provide intensive treatment to high acuity patients.

Leading the brand creative team at Cold Start Ventures, I developed the brand strategy and all consumer touchpoints from concept discovery to launch to finding product/market fit. Virgil scaled from seed stage to launching national locations across the US and a 100-person team.

Why Virgil?

Virgil was an ancient Roman poet, a trusted guide, and a wise protector. He was a symbol of hope in his time.

This inspiring story was the anchor of our brand purpose. Like Virgil, we guide people through a difficult mental health journey toward a better, healthier, happier future.

Problem 1: Overwhelm

The Insight: At Virgil, we meet people at their lowest point. Overwhelmed and depressed, feeling as if life can’t get better. Our research revealed that most people feel stuck and have no idea which first step to take towards getting better.

The Solution: Embody the role of the guide across all touchpoints in order to instill confidence, and inspire people to take the first step.

Problem 2: Stigma

The Insight: Stigma around mental health has shifted immensely over the past decade, but there is still a long way to go. How do we position Virgil as a leader in a saturated conversation?

The Solution: Embody the role of a guide in order to create a relatable and approachable experience, making mental health care feel like an ordinary part of modern life.

Service Repositioning

The Problem: Virgil’s core offering was Intensive Outpatient Therapy (IOP), a high-intensity therapy program designed to get patients back on their feet in as little as 4 weeks. This program was failing to resonate with patients, with low engagement and conversion.

The Goal: Increase conversion by repositioning the offering. The goal is to better empathize with the target audience and make the messaging more informative, personalized and compelling.

The Hypothesis: By renaming “IOP” to “Accelerated Therapy” and offering it as a personalized, rapid solution to feeling better, we’ll increase conversion because we’ll provide assurance that their suffering isn’t permanent and they’ll be back on their feet quickly and easily.

The Results: The landing page achieved a 17% conversion rate, far above industry standards, and the highest performing landing page in the history of the company.