For life science and biotech companies transitioning their products from laboratory research use only (RUO) into clinical application — such as upgrading a PCR reagent kit or a genetic assay into a validated medical diagnostic — effectively communicating the change is a significant challenge. Such a fundamental shift takes more than just changing a tagline or adding a pipeline page to the website. It requires a complete brand repositioning, whether the product in question is a reagent, diagnostic, instrument or software platform.
There is no one-size-fits-all communication strategy for making such a transition public. However, it demands a well-planned approach. Having guided multiple companies pivoting from RUO to clinical use, HDMZ has established a foundation for clearly and successfully communicating this change, based on consistency, understanding of the audience and intentionality.
Tell a consistent story
When a brand’s focus shifts from RUO into clinical applications, there is a great deal of potential for confusion in the marketplace. Messaging that isn’t clear and consistent risks being misunderstood. And if that happens with the media, the misunderstanding can spread to their broader audiences and muddy the waters further.
As a result, bringing a brand repositioning into the public eye requires full internal alignment on the planned story and messaging. Achieving such alignment means documenting the new messaging in writing, giving all relevant parties a common reference point. This plan is what communicators will be equipped with as they go out into the world, whether that means pitching investors or pitching to the media.
If possible, brand messaging should make it clear how the new story has evolved out of the old one. This helps to minimize confusion and maintain continuity with the brand’s established history. By demonstrating that the new direction builds on the core scientific and technical foundations that the company has already established, audiences will be better able to make sense of the repositioning and trust the brand’s domain expertise.
Bringing a brand repositioning into the public eye requires full internal alignment on the planned story and messaging.
Tailor your message to your new audience’s needs
Different user groups prioritize different product qualities. Therefore, messaging should be tailored to each audience’s specific priorities. Academic users who are conducting research, for example, might be interested in affordability and ease of use. Meanwhile, a commercial laboratory or pharmaceutical manufacturer may be more interested in current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) compliance, supply chain scaling, the potential margins in manufacturing and clinical validation data supporting product claims. Clearly identifying what matters most to the new target audience is key to messaging that will connect with them.
That messaging must clearly answer essential audience questions, such as:
- How can the product be used? Details such as restriction to preclinical settings, cGMP certifications, clinical validation, safety and fitness for use in humans will dictate the contexts in which the audience can apply it.
- How will the product benefit users? Communicating the unmet need it fills, what makes it different from other options, and its impact on patient populations can show potential users why they should choose a particular product.
- What does the data show? In the life sciences industry, concrete clinical and analytical validation data is critical to making the case for any product or intervention.
As a final consideration, message placement is equally important to reaching the new audience. Different journalists and publications will be relevant than those that were previously targeted for public relations initiatives. Similarly, digital marketing and ad placement should be reevaluated to ensure the right people will see marketing efforts.
Take your time with the transition
Market forces and other pressures may make it tempting to move fast and debut the new story as soon as possible. However, rushing a brand repositioning is likely to be counterproductive. Moving too quickly introduces more opportunities for mistakes that can cause confusion and erode brand credibility. It can also lead to the public perception that the brand is chasing trends rather than making an intentional, well-considered change.
Because first impressions are so important, ensuring everything is ready before moving forward with any external communications is worth the extra time it may take. Moving at a more deliberate pace enables a company to establish the story cohesion and messaging already discussed. With so many elements affected by the change, securing buy-in throughout the company is essential.
Because first impressions are so important, ensuring everything is ready before moving forward with any external communications is worth the extra time it may take.
The ripple effect
Making the shift from RUO to clinical use is a massive undertaking that impacts not just messaging, but every outreach tactic a company uses. Everything from press releases and boilerplate to the awards a company pursues and the conferences it attends — on top of digital marketing and owned content — should evolve in response to the brand repositioning. Though this level of change can be intimidating on the surface, HDMZ’s life science communication expertise has helped numerous clients make this transition successfully. With a consistent story, the right messaging for the audience and enough time, brands can clearly and effectively communicate their new direction.
