I often find myself in competition for healthcare assignments against some very fine consumer branding companies. However, while such stellar agencies excel with clients like American Express, Virgin Airlines and Chanel, they are ill-equipped to call themselves experts in healthcare branding. Here’s why. 1. Healthcare customers do not celebrate the […] keep reading
Branding and the UX: are you listening to the stereo or the music?
In my experience working with digital agencies over the years, the central goal of my involvement was to help explode the perception among clients that they—the agencies—were excellent at digital projects, but unable to market brands in a full-service capacity. And clients have good reason to see things this way. […] keep reading
The Private Lives of Doctors: Who are you really talking to?
One of the classic misunderstandings that keep healthcare manufacturing and service clients from connecting better with their audiences is the reductivist practice of assuming that all doctors are relatively alike. Strange as it seems, clients spend a significant effort in researching “It Beliefs”—what doctors think about their product/service (It)—when they’ll […] keep reading
Is Bigger Better? Thoughts on the Omnicom/Publicis mega merger
Reading the announcement in the NY Times today about the merger of “equal partners” Omnicom and Publicis brought a smile to my face. Not because I own stock in either company, nor because I think it is a good idea, but rather because I am continually amused at how these […] keep reading
Logo testing: informative practice or horrible waste of money?
In the healthcare industry, where the products go through rigorous tests to prove that they are safe and effective, it is not surprising that many healthcare manufacturers insist on putting their logo designs through the same vetting process. “First do no harm” is not just the physician’s credo, but […] keep reading
The Digital Brand: how technology enables brands to be more like themselves
It is common wisdom to suggest that rock and roll was invented by the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley. But the most un-heralded father of rock and roll is not a person at all; it’s the electric guitar. Jimi Hendrix […] keep reading