Cultural Comparison Project by Maggie Sweeney

Walgreens - Check Out

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 02:30:40 UTC

Both Walgreens and CVS have their check out counters located right next to the entrance. From my observation I believe that this is to encourage a better relationship between staff and costumers. As soon as you walk in you are aware of the workers and if you have any questions you know exactly where to go. Walgreens unlike CVS only had in person check outs. They very much value in person connection and establishing a relationship with customers.

CVS - Check Out

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 02:46:00 UTC

What makes CVS check out a bit more unique is that they have two self check out machines towards the end of counter. This shows that they have value in connivence and allowing their customers to go at their own pace and control their own check out experience. It also shows trust in their customers to be honest and correctly check out themselves. I feel CVS also values connection with their customers but that connection comes from more of the trust built between the independence and respect for timing and staff rather then face to face and in person connection that Walgreens pushes for a bit more.

Walgreens- Color Scheme

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 02:52:29 UTC

The use of color was a big observation for me. Walgreens uses a lot more colors and has a softer more pastel looking palette. In this photo you can see a baby blue and spring time green on the top of the wall with white walls adjacent to it. I think this promotes a more fun, quirky, and unique atmosphere. It is not just all the same and they use the colors to play off one another. Even with the flooring they chose to do two different color woods to give it more of a funk and make a pathway.

CVS - Color Scheme and Pharmacy

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 02:58:01 UTC

CVS is much more black and white or should I say red and white. These are the brands colors and they don't go much past that in their stores. All the walls were just white with red accents. The only other color that they used was black for some of their wording. And the white that they used for the walls is a very true white that reminds me of a hospital. Both CVS and Walgreens are primarily a pharmacy and I think that CVS focus more on the pharmacy part and Walgreens is more of a convenient store. The other thing that I noticed though about the pharmacies is that they are both located in the back of their stores. They make customers walk through the whole stores and making them look at the other products that are sold their in order to get to the pharmacy.

Walgreens - Exterior

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:03:38 UTC

The outside of Walgreens is more open and house like. Both CVS and Walgreens use a red brick with a bold red color for their logo to make the building it self stand out a bit more compared to the surrounding modern industrial styled buildings. But Walgreens has more large windows promoting transparency between customers and the business. It makes a more welcoming environment as they are just inviting everyone right in. Then they choose to do a point like structure at the top resembling a roof. This makes it feel wholesome and nostalgic.

CVS - Exterior

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:06:53 UTC

Although similar in color scheme for the outside CVS has a more condensed entrance. It has less windows and more narrow opening. From the outside it feels like a more in and out experience. Go in for what you need grab it and then come out. As of Walgreens they show you a lot from the outside and give the feeling of come in and look at what we have as CVS feels like you have to have a pre motivation to need to come to CVS.

Walgreens - Signage and Layout

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:17:30 UTC

As previously stated Walgreens and CVS are both most known for being a pharmacy company. However, they have expanded their brand into being a convenient store. To help sort the layout of their stores both utilize signs to show costumers where everything is and put their products into different sections of the stores. Although both utilize this technique in making sections they use different finishing touches to their look. Walgreens uses color and picture to frame the words of the signs. More informal but also more accessible. If someone has bad eye sight or another disability this can help them be included in being assisted to find what they are looking for. It helps our brains comprehend the words faster and leave less room for mix ups. What this reminds me of is when parents put kids art work up on the fridge. It is more fun and shows character of the company. Along with the large sign that shows the sections Walgreens also has smaller signs right on top and attached to the aisles. It shows specifically where that item is on the shelves. This still show organization of where items are located for guest but it also encourages customers to browse around. Instead of just looking up and finding where your item is you have to look at shelf level where all the other products are in order to find the sign in which your item is by. Walgreens wants a culture of people who are just in the store walking around. The layout of the aisle is also less grid like. There are aisle to the left when you walk in that are horizontal and then ones to the right that are vertical. It is much more untraditional and cause you to need to walk around and see more things in order to get what you need. They also provide very clear walk ways and it feels more spacious in the store.

CVS - Signage and Layout

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:23:02 UTC

CVS takes a more formal and professional approach to their layout and signs. All of their words that show the different sections of the store are simply letters on the wall. There is no pictures or any color that makes the word pop and draw are eyes to it. It is again giving the sense of just looking for what you need. The font is very basic and readable. It doesn't seem like they care to grab your attention to the words and rather just navigating the store. Unlike Walgreens however, CVS utilizes numbering their aisles and giving a summary of what is in each aisle. Very similar to how most grocery stores are. The aisle a straight up and down and are grid like. This again is giving very much a get in and get out type atmosphere. They value the time the customers have to be here and want to make the experience for them as convenient as possible. On top of already having the store in sections they have even more labels that help with the clarity of where things are.

Walgreens Link 1

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:38:37 UTC

https://www.walgreens.com/livestyleguide/walgreens.com/v3.0/pages/lsg/colors.html

Walgreens Link 2

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:39:30 UTC

https://jobs.walgreens.com/en/life-at-walgreens

CVS Link 1

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:40:33 UTC

https://brandpalettes.com/cvs-color-codes/

CVS Link 2

sweeneym21 — 2025-02-24 03:41:55 UTC

https://www.cvshealth.com/about.html