From Concept to Icon: Successful Pharma Brand Management (Part 6) – The Brand Document: The Secret Weapon Every Successful Brand Wields
In this article, the CEO is a generic term. It could be the owner of the firm, the entrepreneur, the managing director, the chairman or anyone .
The Story Behind this Blog
In 2009, Jupiter Pharma unveiled a ground-breaking probiotic specifically designed for neurological applications, targeting neurodevelopmental disorders. The product was aptly named “MindBoost.” Naina Pradhan, the Brand Manager, conducted extensive field research to gather crucial insights. Not surprisingly, the most valuable information came from the mothers, who were the primary caregivers and the decision-makers.
Naina’s research revealed a critical finding: mothers of children with special needs were struggling significantly to manage their children’s conditions. This challenge faced by mothers became a central focus of the product’s positioning.
With this knowledge, Naina strategically targeted MindBoost towards pediatric neurologists and psychiatrists, specifically for the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders. These included attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, and intellectual disabilities.
This approach segmented and targeted MindBoost as a novel therapeutic option for the pediatric neurologists and pediatric psychiatrists, addressing a significant unmet need in the management of neurodevelopmental disorders.
In the tender embrace of hope, MindBoost emerged with a promise: “Guiding Hands of Doctors, Loving Hearts of Mothers: MindBoost for Neurodevelopmental Disorders.” This powerful message resonated deeply, brought to life by a poignant image – a mother, eyes brimming with determination and love, gently leading her child to a school for special needs. It was a snapshot of countless untold stories, of struggles and unwavering devotion.
The MindBoost logo, a visual symphony of compassion and strength, perfectly captured the essence of their mission. It stood as a beacon of hope for families navigating the complex journey of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Behind the scenes, passion and perseverance collided. The creation of the doctor-mother-child model was no small feat, demanding resources that stretched beyond initial projections. It was then that Naina Pradhan, her voice trembling with conviction, stood before CEO Saidas Iyenger. With eloquence born of deep belief in their cause, she pleaded for additional funding. Her impassioned words painted a vivid picture of the lives they could touch, the families they could support.
Moved by Naina’s heartfelt appeal, Saidas Iyenger saw beyond the numbers. He glimpsed the potential to transform lives, to offer solace where once there was only uncertainty. The additional budget was approved, and what followed was nothing short of magical.
The result? MindBoost had created more than a campaign – they had crafted a lifeline of hope, a promise to stand with every parent, every doctor every child with intellectual disabilities, in their journey towards understanding and growth.
MindBoost matched the brand promise and was widely accepted by the targeted segment, the pediatric neurologists, and psychiatrists. Day after day the numbers of prescriptions for MindBoost were increasing.
And within three years, MindBoost was tending towards becoming a mega-brand for Jupiter.
And that was the time when Naina Pradhan got married and went to Australia. The new incumbent Rakesh Roy was from a multinational giant with several successful brands to his credit.
The brilliant Rakesh felt that the segment was too narrow and broadening it could result in a better prescription flow. Accustomed to getting all inputs and brand directions from the parent company based at Basle; he did not bother to generate newer insights for MindBoost.
He included all neurologists, psychiatrists, gynaecologist, and obstetricians. He also incorporated GPs as he felt that the mother would first go to the GP to seek advice for her child.
Rakesh was pleased with his newfound self-discovery. He changed the logo, the positioning, tagline, the visual, the color, or almost everything he could see.
We are re-launching MindBoost he said. In the relaunch meet and in the medico-marketing promotional material he named the brand as Novel MindBoost.
The relaunch was done on a grand scale. The field managers were taken to Singapore for the relaunch meeting and Novel MindBoost was launched with great fanfare at Hotel Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
The new logo was revealed, but the field managers weren’t impressed. The new medico-marketing tool was textbookish and bland. No hint of emotions anywhere. More rational than emotional.
Back home, Novel MindBoost was given a cold shoulder by the new segment of the doctors. Novel MindBoost isn’t for my patients. And at the same time, the efforts on the core doctors: the pediatric neurologists and psychiatrists, got diluted.
The digital marketing team failed in social listening.
Within a few months, the prescription flow for Novel MindBoost from the pediatric neurologists and psychiatrists dropped by more than 50 per cent. New prescriptions from the new targeted doctors were in trickles and did not offset the loss of prescriptions from pediatric neurologists and psychiatrists
Within 18 months Rakesh Roy was looking for a change of job.
Who failed? Who was to blame? Was it Naina Pradhan for not writing the Brand Document or Rakesh Roy for the new STP?
Neither!
The root cause of the issue lay squarely with CEO Saidas Iyengar’s negligence.
Saidas Iyengar failed to ensure the creation of a crucial Brand Document for MindBoost, a fundamental error in strategic planning. This oversight had cascading effects: Rakesh Roy, tasked with implementing changes, operated without understanding the brand’s core concepts. Iyengar should have mandated that Naina Pradhan produce this essential document. Had he done so, Roy could have been required to study it thoroughly before proposing any alterations.
The absence of this Brand Document created a critical gap in the company’s marketing framework, directly impacting its strategic direction and execution. However, the Brand Document simply did not exist.
Rakesh Roy virtually discarded the history and legacy of MindBoost. You can’t simply abandon that to showcase creativity and wisdom. The new branding effort should have consistent with the original STP of MindBoost. Its heritage should have been preserved.
What is a Brand Document?
A brand document is like a rulebook for how a brand presents itself to the world.
It’s a guide that tells everyone involved (from designers to marketing folks) how to use things like the company logo, colors, fonts, and importantly the STP.
This helps make sure the brand has a consistent image everywhere and every time you see it.
A brand document serves as a comprehensive guide that defines the essential elements of a brand’s identity and desired public perception.
A brand document functions as a strategic rulebook, delineating how the brand should be consistently presented across all platforms.
This crucial document ensures that internal teams and external partners, such as advertising agencies and visual designers, have a clear, unified understanding of the brand’s core attributes.
By providing this standardized reference, the brand document enables all stakeholders to maintain consistency in communicating and representing the brand, thus reinforcing its identity and message in every interaction with the public.
This document typically includesThe brand’s mission and values
This part explains why the brand exists and what it believes in. The mission is the brand’s main goal or purpose. Values are the principles that guide how the brand behaves and makes decisions. For example, the mission of an analgesic might be “to quickly relieve pain in thousands of patients with toothache, body ache and joint pain”.
2. The brand’s segmentation, targeting and positioning – its STP
Segmenting, targeting, and positioning (STP) are key steps in the branding process:
Segmenting involves organizing the market into distinct groups of consumers with similar needs, characteristics, or behaviors. This allows companies to better understand their potential customer base.
Targeting is the process of evaluating and selecting the most attractive market segments to focus on. Companies assess factors like segment size, growth potential, and fit with their capabilities.
Positioning refers to creating a distinct and valuable place for the brand in the minds of target consumers. It involves developing a unique value proposition and brand image that differentiates the product or service from competitors.
And do not forget the positioning statement.
A positioning statement is vital in brand positioning. It’s a concise internal tool that defines the brand’s unique place in the market. This statement guides all marketing efforts by clearly articulating the target audience, key benefits, and how the brand differs from competitors. It ensures consistency across all brand communications, helps align team efforts, and forms the foundation for developing doctor-facing messages and marketing strategies.
Together, these steps help companies identify their ideal customers, focus their marketing efforts, and craft a brand identity that resonates with their chosen audience. STP is crucial for developing effective marketing strategies and building strong brands.
3. The brand’s personality and tone of voice
This describes how the brand would act and speak if it were a person. Is it serious or playful? Formal or casual? Innovative or traditional? The tone of voice guides how the brand communicates in writing and speech. For instance, a children’s toy company might have a fun, energetic personality and use simple, excited language.
4. The Visual elements like logos, colors, and fonts
This section covers the brand’s visual identity. It includes:
- The logo and its variations in size.
- Color palette (main colors and how to use them)
- Typography (which fonts to use and how)
- Imagery style (types of photos or illustrations to use
- Guidelines for using these elements in various materials
5. Guidelines for using these elements in various materials
This part provides rules and examples for how to apply all these elements. It might show:
- How to place the logo on different backgrounds
- Which color combinations to use
- How to layout text and images on a webpage or brochure
- Examples of correct and incorrect uses of the brand elements
These guidelines help ensure that whether someone is designing a website, writing an email, or creating a product package, the brand looks and feels consistent across all touchpoints.
The purpose of a brand document is to ensure that all communications and materials created by the company look and sound consistent, helping to build a strong and recognizable brand image.
Some call the Brand Document as the Brand Guide, a Brand Style Guide, Brand Book, Regardless of what your nomenclature is, the Brand Document is a tool to give your brand consistency and flexibility over a long time frame.
Name, logo, mascot, colors, typeface, and the ‘Why’ behind it are documented.
Documentation of the thoughts is very important as it gives the successor the thoughts which went into it. He can build on those thoughts and carry the brand forward. And eloquently express the deep emotional relations with the brand.
Articulate the brand identity in your Brand Document elaborating each of these elements (which follow a little later in this write-up). These are the pillars of your brand identity.
When you prepare the brand document, articulate your beliefs, your feelings your emotions which went into your thought process in creating them. Document your thoughts behind a particular typeface, or a color. Why and how the brand mascot has been created.
Documentation is imperative to understand the original thinking of a brand. Your successor should know why a particular segmentation and positioning has been decided.
In fact, your Brand Document must contain anything and everything about your brand. What are the essential elements of a brand document, the pillars?
- An overview of your brand’s history, personality, and key values. And the ‘Why’ behind it.
- Brands Vision. And the ‘Why’ behind it. This will energize the field.
- The brand character and personality and the ‘Why’ behind it.
- The brand’s segmentation, benefits, USP, value proposition, positioning statement, and positioning message and the ‘Why’ behind it.
- The brand’s strategy, tactics, including the communication strategy and the ‘Why’ behind it.
- Color palette – showing your primary and secondary color palettes with color breakdowns for print, screen, and web and the ‘Why’ behind it.
- Typeface i.e. typography and the ‘Why’ behind it. Show the specific font that you use and details of the font family and default fonts for web use and the ‘Why’ behind it.
- The brand Logo and the mascot usage – where and how to use them, including minimum sizes, spacing, and what not to do with it. And the ‘Why’ behind it.
- Image style/photography – examples of image style and photographs that work with the brand. And the ‘Why’ behind it.
- The tagline and the ‘Why’ behind it.
- The supporting graphics And the ‘Why’ behind it.
- The packaging and packaging style and the ‘Why’ behind it.
- Business card and letterhead design – examples of how the logo and font are used for standard company literature. And the ‘Why’ behind it.
Final Thought
Why should the Pharma CEO insist on a Brand Document?
When it comes to building a memorable brand, consistency is everything. In a world where the attrition rate of brand managers is very high – over 60% – the Pharma CEO should discipline his brand managers to create and maintain a brand document. And he should be the ultimate custodian of the brand so the consistency is maintained.
The Brand Document is like the Constitution of India. Its contents are sacrosanct and any deviation would need prior permission. The Brand Document can be a physical or digital booklet filled with examples of what to do and what not to do. Had Saidas Iyenger taken the time to insist on a Brand Document, it could have ensured that the brand image of MindBoost stayed consistent after the departure of Naina Pradhan.