Coloplast’s mission is to make life easier for people with intimate healthcare conditions. The company is renowned for its innovative, state-of-the-art products that win the hearts of users all over the world (as well as numerous design awards).

Historically, Coloplast has focused on building strong relationships with healthcare professionals. But the company is increasingly prioritising end user communication, driven by emerging trends that see consumers playing a more active role in researching and deciding their treatment options.

But given the many taboos associated with intimate healthcare conditions, there is an understandable reluctance on the part of users to engage with the company, especially on social channels. What’s more, Coloplast didn’t want to be seen to be bypassing the healthcare professionals with product-focused communication targeted directly at potential users.

We set ourselves the challenge of finding a way to help Coloplast forge a connection with potential users in a way that would not be overtly product-focused but would still help build the brand and create new leads for the continence business unit.

People with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis and other neurogenic conditions are the main target group for the continence business unit. Many of these people are wheelchair users. Their bladder management issues mean they need to catheterize 4-6 times a day according to their treatment protocols. Catheterizing in a safe, hygienic environment is crucial to these people to avoid urinary tract infections (their number one concern).

As a consequence, they often feel housebound and are less likely to take part in activities outside the home. When they do venture out, users tend to stay within their comfort zones and plan every trip they take to make sure they can catheterize when needed. Others simply skip their treatment protocols, which is damaging to their health and potentially life-threatening.

WheelMate™ is a mobile app and a website – branded by Coloplast but co-created with users. WheelMate allows users to locate and evaluate wheelchair-accessible toilets and parking spaces, and gives an instant overview of their nearest options. Wheelchair users add and verify every single location themselves, ensuring that facilities are adequate and live up to the standards expected by users.

Building on the insight that finding clean, accessible toilets and parking spaces when on the move can be a real challenge for wheelchair users and embodying the Coloplast mission of making life easier for people with intimate healthcare conditions, WheelMate proved extremely popular with wheelchair users.

To date, more than 100,000+ locations have been added all over the world. And because the app also serves as a direct communication channel to users, it is directly responsible for creating thousands of new leads for the continence business.