MERCK
True Partnerships Start with A Shared Narrative.
New leaders at Merck Research Labs introduced a plan to reposition the R&D group and grow the company’s pipeline. As they set out to transform the organization with new strategies, an expanded ambition and a new approach to external innovation, it was a perfect time for a fresh look at the brand. The target audience for this new brand strategy was potential innovation partners. In this highly competitive space, the new brand had to portray what makes Merck a strong partner and, more important, what makes Merck different than all their peers.
We built this brand around common ground—the deep values that both Merck and their potential partners share. A typical pitch to partners by big pharma is an assemblage of facts that sounds somewhat like boasting contest: “We have more labs, more PhDs, more sales, etc.” All good stuff in a partnership, but a one-sided dialogue that can make a company come off as a bit arrogant. Merck’s new brand platform is summed up by “Your Science Matters.” This statement positions Merck as partner-centric, in sharp contrast to many of its peers. This brand story is one where Merck and partners share the hope and inspiration of what science can do for patients.
