Medical Marketing Becomes an Origami Crane – Part IV

Authors: Kathleen Dunn and Peter Gordon

Part IV. Is it a crane yet?

Marketers need to keep in mind that each prospective audience comes to the party with its own set of contextual variables, as well as its own set of conceptions — and misconceptions. Obviously, you begin with a thorough analysis of the needs of each target audience. The critical questions and message streams that flow out of this analysis guide the communication with each.

Are you done? Do you have an origami figure? No, you only have several target-specific efforts or campaigns. Now comes the really hard part — the heavy folding. Just as when you’re creating an elaborate origami bird, you now have to rationalize the various facets of the offering into a cohesive branding structure.

Each message stream and the strategy that underlies it must be tested and evaluated from the perspective of each of the target audiences. Where are the touchpoints? How does this message impinge on the world of target A, on target B, on target C? Once you have taken all of your messages together and cranked them through each of the targets, you should have discovered where the commonalities are (this is the gold we seek, those key messages that serve as the foundation for the brand across all segments) and where the differences are (this is where you show your value, by creating expressions of the brand that serve different purposes, and different prospect needs, without contradicting each other).

In Part V, I think we’ll find the Crane.