We employed a robust voice of the customer (VOC) market research study to understand the brand equity and to quantify the perception of the services and expertise of both organizations in the marketplace. Through collection and assessment of that data, we evaluated the company’s brand perception, learned what services customers were looking for, and identified areas where they could perform better in order to meet customers’ expectations. Additionally, we conducted a series of surveys and interviews with the internal staff and management in both companies to better understand how the employees perceived the company and to determine which elements of each organizations expertise they would want to leverage as they integrate the two organizations.
Using the data from both segments of research, we created a series of brand platform workshops that enabled key stakeholders to define the customer journey, target audiences, which service areas to focus on, the arena, and unique value proposition. Additional workshops focused on the character and personality of the organization, as well as the vision, mission, positioning, and finally a naming workshop to define a cohesive brand platform.
• Execute 2 rounds of market research targeting external customers and internal stakeholders
• Leverage market research to feed a series of brand platform workshops to align and define the “big idea”
• Visually rebrand the newly united companies to create one cohesive corporation
• Mood boards
• Logo options; merger logo options
• Logo options; merger logo options
• Brand guidelines
• Brand campaign
• Activate the brand through a full website content rewrite, fresh design, and integrated development project
2 websites created (professional and consumer): Corporate clinical research organization's website with a link to a separate patient recruitment site (not pictured).
The Results
The new brand strategy “Transforming research. Advancing health.” launched nationwide through a nationwide press release and a new website launch. Activation efforts are ongoing to ensure that all their activities align with its new vision. This has also provided a consistent platform for other existing business units and new entities to cohesively conform to the corporate vision. Time will tell how strategic branding and activation efforts drive growth within the organization. But, today they have a renewed sense of purpose and a clearly defined strategy with which to move forward – and that is the first step in the right direction.
