COM’s PRLab Takes On Medical Apparel Brand VERDE as a Client | BU Today

Scrubs are the foundation of healthcare uniforms, meaning there is a huge market ripe for innovation. BU’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine enrolls 1,700 students each year. A fashion brand wants to target this market of new medical students and young doctors and nurses.

This fall semester, medical apparel and lifestyle brand VERDE enlisted the help of College of Communication’s PRLab for fresh ideas and know-how to reach a younger audience. By applying classroom knowledge to PR campaigns and communications, a semester-long, student-run lab can have a significant impact on the nearly 20 brands and organizations it serves.

PRLab divides agencies into teams of 3-4 students, called account executives, who work directly with clients. These account executives are overseen by an account supervisor who manages the day-to-day execution of the team’s tasks and edits and approves all work.

Jiatong (Emma) Li (COM’24), a PRLab student, said the experience helped lay a “great foundation for future and other internships related to PR and marketing.” Another student, Han Chang (COM’24), said he learned the value of teamwork this semester. It’s not like turning in a task given to him by his boss like it’s homework. ”

VERDE’s medical uniform designs fuse traditional American sportswear with technical materials such as Polygiene to provide enhanced hygiene and antimicrobial protection that reduces odor. The products are currently only sold online, and popular items include crew neck and V-neck long and short sleeve scrub tops, utility joggers, and cargo pants. In addition, commuting bags and rucksacks that can be used by people outside the healthcare industry are also popular.

The company also uses recycled materials and high-quality fabrics and stitching to ensure that their uniforms last and don’t need to be replaced like other scrub brands. Hai Ngo, co-founder of his VERDE overseeing sustainability, said:

The company’s catchphrase, “New uniforms for everyday life,” aims to make customers aware that they can still show off their style while wearing uniforms.

VERDE was founded by Scott White and his brothers Tony and Hai Ngo. The founders, who have worked at top US and international fashion houses throughout their careers, run VERDE almost entirely remotely from New York, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, typically meeting via Zoom. “One of the reasons it works is that our personalities mesh so well with each other. can really help solve the situation,” says Tony Ngo.

Launched in April 2022, VERDE joined PRLab in hopes of increasing brand awareness. PRLab has assisted in projects such as social media outreach via Instagram and TikTok, as well as traditional media outreach to news outlets and magazines. VERDE also wanted to target medical students, so on campus he hosted a PRLab-sponsored event, and in VERDE scrubs he created a video featuring BU medical students.

White said VERDE is aimed at current medical professionals as well as those considering joining the industry. “Through internships and residencies, medical students also wear scrubs and medical apparel,” he says. Even if you are a doctor or a nurse aiming to become a

The VERDE PRLab team consists of juniors and seniors, and in addition to Li and Han Chang, Account Supervisor Yadira Cabrera (COM’24), Account Executives Bonita Chang (COM’23) and Joshua Toledo (COM’23) included.

(Left) Rosy Gu (COM’23) models VERDE scrubs from the #VERDEstudents campaign. Photo courtesy of Tanya Evans (COM’23). (Right) Brian Park (Questrom’23) models his VERDE scrubs for the #VERDEstudents campaign. Photo credit: Perry Sosi (CFA’23)

One of the major projects the team worked on this semester was a large-scale photoshoot on campus and around Boston featuring student photographers and student models wearing VERDE products. After creating this original content, the team launched a #VERDEStudents campaign on social media. Since the campaign launched last month, his Instagram likes have tripled, his followers have increased by 35%, and his VERDE account has surpassed 800. “The whole photo shoot was facilitated by BU students. Models, photographers and the whole team. It was a really great experience,” says Bonita Chan. The PRLab team also held on-campus events at the George Sherman Union to increase brand awareness, including raffles and other giveaways for social media followers and those subscribing to his VERDE newsletter. held.

Over the past few months, the PRLab team has met three times a week (once after class, once with the VERDE founder, and once during mid-week check-ins) and kept in touch daily through group chat. Dividing the workload evenly, each team member discovers its strengths and weaknesses as the semester progresses, and develops the strengths and weaknesses of each project, including communicating with clients, composing photo shoots, editing reports and documents, researching, writing, and editing. Led various aspects. “Everyone has their own strengths, and I think our team is really good at bringing them all out and making every member shine,” says Bonita Chan.

About halfway through the semester, the team found it difficult to balance content creation and social media posting while simultaneously pitching the company to outside media outlets and influencers. The team decided to slow down, prioritize quality over quantity, and focus on specific tasks.

“When I first joined PRLab, I treated the experience like a really hardcore internship. It felt like there was no room for error, no room for error. It was a very learning experience and made me realize that the ability to have empathy is very important in a teamwork environment,” says Bonita Chan. The team says they’ve learned a few other lessons as well. Some of these include teamwork, meeting deadlines, being open to feedback, and understanding how her PR works in an agency setting.

VERDE said it may work with PRLab again in the future. “I was very impressed with the professionalism of the students,” he says Mr. White. “We wanted them to get real professional experience from this. I am confident that we are really ready for it.”