The intention behind “Pelago”: addressing the stigma surrounding substance misuse

Today, we are pleased to reveal Pelago, formerly Quit Genius, the leading digital clinic for substance use management. We launched our new name—along with an intentionally approachable brand look and feel—to address stigma, starting with some of our foundational senses. The word “Pelago” is rooted in the word Archipelago, a string or chain of islands scattered among the sea. Islands that have moved away from the continent to which they were attached. However… they are close enough to be connected.

Pelago the brand is a metaphor for the open sea and is meant to inspire a sense of support and connection. It is a positive word, one that is uplifting with forward movement. Our intention is that this name and brand make substance use management more approachable and easily accessible.

What did we change? We changed a lot.

1. Starting with our color palette, which is centered on Pelago-yellow. Yellow is a naturally optimistic color, but this specific tint has a touch of blue in it, making it a very fresh yellow. We’ve paired that with other more grounded earth tones (like moss green, maroon and tan) to show that everything we do is grounded in understanding and knowledge.

2. Our fonts are memorable and unique, as all of our members are memorable and unique. For our supporting typeface, we selected a serif font, because according to research, serif fonts are more trusted. We want to convey that Pelago can be trusted by our clients, our partners, and most importantly our members.

3. Our icons are all just slightly askew—imperfect—as we are all imperfect. Not only does this give some personality to our brand, it makes it more approachable.

Our brand personality is one that is forever optimistic, honest, and an ally to our members— we are with them every step of the way—helping them navigate and overcome obstacles. We are centered and progressive, delivering care informed by science. We have used cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights to build the most effective and validated digital clinic—the future in substance use management.

Why did we change?

Our “why” matters because the world is not where it needs to be; it is not yet where it will be when it comes to the stigma that surrounds substance misuse.

The hard truth is that substance use has reached a crisis point in the workplace, a crisis that impacts everyone. You can learn more about this crisis and how it is impacting employers and employees alike in our newly published report, Pelago 2023 Annual State of Substance Use Management Trend Report. The reassuring news is that the gravity of this crisis is creating a positive paradigm shift.

There are people who may drink too much alcohol and want to cut back. And then there are some that are so deeply submerged in unhealthy substance use that it seems impossible to recover; impossible to return to the best version of themselves. Wherever someone is on the substance use spectrum, it is crucial for them to know that they are not alone. They are not an island. Support is within reach, and having a connection can make all the difference.

As the leading digital clinic for substance use management, our mission is to break down barriers to substance use care that works, inspired by our vision of a world where everyone has access to substance use support. We believe that our new Pelago brand will help us accomplish this by making substance use support approachable and accessible.

We’re here to support clients, partners and members, and hope that you will find us approachable and trustworthy as a source for that support, comfort, care and treatment.