– Transitioning from a Founder’s Personal Brand to an Organizational Identity
The Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Laboratory (BATL), at Northeastern University, led by Director Jared Auclair, PhD, provides training through experiential learning on the intricacies of regulatory considerations for pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and other related health products. BATL works as a neutral, global facilitator of collaboration between academia, industry, and government. In its early phases, BATL was strongly associated in the industry with Dr. Auclair’s personal brand, rather than establishing an independent and strong identity itself. With his impressive credentials, Dr. Auclair, not BATL, was who clients trusted. This lack of a distinct brand for the organization could have potentially hampered its development.
Dr. Auclair, as a founder, wanted to ensure his organization could build its own identity and could grow beyond his personal work. However, BATL had no extra budget for brand development. Husky Communications stepped in at the right time to help BATL with brand awareness and begin to build its digital presence.
Summary
Website, Social media, Blog, and Brochure. By always being receptive to BATL’s needs and feedback, our students created a brand aligned with the organization’s mission. Our communications are helping the organization raise its online profile and further establish its identity fas an industry leader.o
Process
Analyze the website and present recommendations for content and navigation improvements
Launch a presence on Twitter as the social media channel favored by the scientific community
Develop a blog to being establishing thought leadership
Create a brochure geared towards BATL’s three main audiences: regulators, students, and industry
Creating a Framework for Success
The program exceeded expectations, notes Dr. Auclair. Besides improving BATL’s brand awareness, the program set the organization up for future success with a manageable, efficient marketing communications framework. “We are still using some of the ideas for the website and content ideas for social media,”, said Dr. Auclair. Speaking of Husky Communication’s benefits for students, he adds: “It’s a great opportunity to get real-world experience. Students lead the project as if it’s their own real firm. Meanwhile, the firm is professional, provides meaningful work within the deadlines set, and is willing to learn and be involved and meet client needs.”
Case Study – NEURON