Industry Insight

Internal Branding: Singing from

the Same Corporate Hymn Sheet
Internal branding isnt just a gimmick to keep marketing professionals
occupied; for employees, it provides a link to a companys culture and
values, while for leaders it helps enable corporate goals to be linked to
organisational outcomes.

By Cameron Tew
at Best Practices, LLC

Disease state education is a critical success factor in

launching new pharmaceutical products particularly
if the product treats a disease or condition that is
previously unknown, socially sensitive or stigmatised,
or is first in its class. Todays brand leaders must
communicate new disease state information to their
own employees as well as to physicians, patients and
payers. While many companies use established external
communication practices to reach employees, leading
brand teams develop internal communication
processes, channels, guidelines and timing to customise
internal messages.
Where external messaging simplifies patients and
physicians lives by streamlining their choices, internal
messaging allows the company to prioritise its time and
ensure that its employees are singing from the same
hymn sheet. But getting these internal and external
messages to sync up is critical for those companies that
wish to create a platform from which to communicate to
their vision, mission and urgency. Internal branding
helps improve credibility and strengthens the bonds of
trust between leaders and employees.
At Best Practices, we conducted research to highlight
and quantify the best practices and tactics that veteran
pharmaceutical executives use to communicate disease
state information within their companies. The research

Figure 1:
Communications
excellence
involves 10 key
practices

10. Monitor
internal
messages for
effectiveness

1. Name
or brand
the medical
condition

9. Use a
mix of channels
including new
technology
8. Conduct
education/
communication
in waves for best
retention

2. Put a
human face
on the disease

Internal
communications
and education
excellence

7. Use segmentation
cautiously
to customise
6. Engage
education
KOLs and
influencers
to win
employee
support

36

5. Prepare
for rapid
responses to
controversial
issues

3. Build
communications
on solid science
and clinical data
4. Use a
structured
approach to
communication
and education

"You need people to

have a shared vision,
because if they don't,
you can expend a
whole lot of effort, a
whole lot of money
and a whole lot of
time, with people
tugging in different
directions, and then
ending up nowhere".
Interviewed Director, Global
Product Strategy

Source: Best Practice, LLC

focused on communication challenges for products that

are first in class or that treat conditions that are largely
unknown or stigmatised, such as HIV, erectile
dysfunction, overactive bladder, restless legs and others.
Through our research, we discovered some clear
internal branding and messaging steps that best-in-class
brand leaders utilise to garner internal support for new
products. There are 10 key practices or tactics that
articulate a blueprint for communications excellence in
bringing a novel product to market (see Figure 1).
Companies that utilise these 10 practices are better able
to prepare their employees for the launch of novel drugs
or drugs for socially sensitive disease states than those
who follow typical external branding plans alone.
1. Name or brand a new medical condition to enable
professional education and discussion about human
disease states that may invoke social sensitivity or stigma.
When a company prepares to launch a product for a
new or relatively unknown condition, it should acquaint
its employees and the public with the new disease before
it can introduce the product. By branding a condition,
a company can educate employees and the public, and
guide somewhat uncomfortable or sensitive discussions.
An example of such branding was Pfizers launch of
Viagra for erectile dysfunction, previously known as
impotence. Pfizer and subsequent companies were able
to brand the condition as a medical rather than a lifestyle
issue, and created the prejudice-free clinical term, erectile
dysfunction, which later evolved to the conversational
phrase ED. Pre-Viagra, the term impotence carried a
negative connotation. People inside and outside of Pfizer
were embarrassed to discuss it, thereby hindering
productive discussions of the new product.
Interviewed executives recommend that the naming
or branding of a condition occur before pre-launch
education. This allows for investigators and key opinion
leaders (KOLs) to use the term when first writing about
the condition, and later when reviewing clinical studies.
2. Put a human face on the medical condition to elicit
compassion and understanding in order to gain support

Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology

for a brand that will treat a new or socially

stigmatised condition.
Communicating a diseases severity to employees
requires more than providing statistics about the
number of patients affected. Best-in-class brand
teams put a human face on the disease. Showing
the human suffering that a disease causes provides
powerful examples that build internal and external
brand support. The benefits of humanising the
disease include:

Arm employees
with script for
answering
question/
challenges
in social
situations

Demonstrating to employees and others that a

new condition is real so they can empathise.
A company can share compelling patient stories
with employees through live assemblies and/or
videos posted on an internal website, and
gather patient testimonials and case examples
Fostering professional behaviour by encouraging
respect for patients and families. As one
interviewed Executive Director commented:
Professional behaviour... is driven by respect
for patients and what theyre going through
Building job satisfaction. Providing human stories of
a diseases impact provides employees with patient
insight. The employees empathise with those
impacted by the disease and can feel good about
their work and proud of the new product
Helping employees to understand and retain the
science. Science does not speak for itself when
talking to the larger population, one Marketing
Vice President said. Instead, matching that science
to a patient story gives them grounding in the
challenges that an individual faces and gives them
something they can relate to on a one-to-one basis

3. Use a structured approach to effectively communicate

and educate regarding disease state information.
Effective internal disease state communication
requires a structured approach that includes clear
education objectives, tight processes for message control
and prepared responses to product questions or challenges
that employees encounter in social situations (see Figure
2). Pharmaceutical executives stressed the importance of
planning before launching an internal communication
programme. The original message is what people will
remember, so it must be right or a brand team may find
itself in an uphill battle correcting mis-steps or mistakes.
The best practices for setting internal communication
objectives include the following:
N

Understand and align communications with the

positioning, goals and market definition that have
been established for the brand

www.iptonline.com

Revise approach as
necessary to keep pace
with changes and/or
brand strategy

Evolve
communication
priorities as
market changes

Give employees
communication
tools

N
N

Exercise
tight messaging
control

Carefully
qualify/select
designated
speakers

Qualify and designate a limited number of approved speakers

Consider assessing/developing speakers through role-playing exercises

Coordinate with the brand team to set

communication objectives that support brand goals
Do not undermine brand messaging by using a
different terminology. For example, if the brand
is to be positioned as a treatment for a condition,
make sure messages use the word condition rather
than disease
Exercise tight message control. Once communication
objectives have been established, it is vital for
companies to exercise tight message control this is
a critical success factor for internal branding
Test message effectiveness on groups of employees
before general internal (or external) release
Avoid over-communicating non-essential
information

Clear objectives before

communication begins prevent
inconsistencies that create
problems over time

Structured
approach

Offer employees
sensitivity training

Set clear
communication
objectives
at the
beginning

Align communication
closely with all brand
messaging to support the
product

Ensure consistent message

with all audiences to ensure
communication integrity

Communications will leak.

Don't say anything internally
you wouldn't want to see
in print

Figure 2: Use
a structured
approach to
communication
and education
Source: Best
Practice, LLC

4. Build communication on solid science and clinical data

to effectively demonstrate that a condition is real and that
there is now a product with which it can be treated.
Scientific and clinical data form the bedrock of
effective internal messaging. When a brand treats a new
or little-known medical condition, it must show medical
and clinical data that demonstrates that the condition is
real and the product works. That said, executives at topperforming companies caution against providing too
much technical or medical information to employees.
The pitfall is that the science can be detailed and become
murky for general employees. It is better to avoid talking
about the pathophysiology or the mechanism of action as
employees can quickly lose interest. Tactics for using
science/clinical data include the following:
N

Explain the medical background who is affected,

known causes, symptoms, treatment availability,
incidence, and so on
Provide statistics on morbidity or diminished
quality of life

37

N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N

Explain how the disease is presently understood

Avoid communications that are too technical
Make sure data is believable
Discuss how the company plans to fulfil unmet need
Share clinical trial results and health outcomes
data as available
Let senior leaders, KOLs and influencers
introduce the science
Share messages in all-hands meetings, web chats
or internet video
Publicise events and postings via email

many companies set guidelines that increase the value of

such experts. These include:
N

N
5. Prepare for a rapid response to controversial issues to
ensure the timely resolution of potential crises or
conflicts with adversarial or hostile groups.
With more public scrutiny and scepticism nowadays,
some brand teams have faced conflict with hostile or
adversarial groups over products. For example, Eli Lilly
was the target of a Church of Scientology campaign
against Prozac. Mercks Gardasil also raised public
controversy that required a corporate response.
Interviewed executives who experienced these and other
conflicts advocate creating a standing communications
infrastructure that enables the company to respond
quickly to challenges and public issues, as well as to
opportunities. This infrastructure supports both internal
and external communications needs for fast response.
Experienced executives recommend creating a structure
that employs the following practices and principles:
N
N

N
N

Prepare an internal and external communications

infrastructure to support rapid response to issues
Identify and appoint communication deputies
across functions and regions to accelerate response
to crises or key events
Centralise information management and
coordinate field response on an enterprise basis
Respond to local challenges at the local level
to prevent escalation into additional areas
or regions
Keep the core communications team well informed
through rapid updates on issues/events

6. Engage KOLs and influencers to win employee

support for new products.
Brand leaders with experience in new conditions and
socially sensitive diseases recommend using KOLs (and
company experts) to build internal support for a new
product, noting that these influencers are a critical
resource for educating employees.
Brand executives find that employees retain more
disease state information when it comes from senior
leadership, key opinion leaders or internal experts and

38

Building awareness by having senior leadership

introduce basic disease information at regular
company meetings (all-hands, quarterly briefings,
and so on). This process should generally begin
at or before clinical Phase 2b
Getting leaders to share the basic message:
this is coming; this is what it does; this is
why were doing it; this is the value
Providing scheduled product development progress
reports at corporate meetings
Featuring KOLs and clinical trial investigators at
speaker forums or in web chats, and video speakers
for employees to replay on the intranet
Sharing the disease state and product information
with those who are furthest from the patient
early R&D and manufacturing as well as with
marketing and sales

7. Use segmentation cautiously to customise

educational messages to employees.
Segmenting or customising messages for internal
audiences can improve message reception. However,
internal segmentation is not a highly-developed process
for internal communication and only about half of the
benchmark class said they use it inside their companies.
The ones who chose not to use segmentation noted that
it is critical to project consistency in basic brandpositioning messages, which can over-ride any benefits
that segmentation could deliver.
Still, those companies that effectively use
segmentation of messages most often do so by varying
timing (some groups get information before others) or by
depth of detail (some get more information than others).
Likewise, trainers find segmentation useful to provide the
right content for different job functions. Regional
segmentation and employee job function or job level are
also used by some to increase message relevancy and
improve retention. Dividing employees along
demographic lines gender, age or ethnic group is less
common. Several partners cautioned that basic brandpositioning messages should not be segmented internally
as it can introduce message inconsistency.
8. Conduct education and communication in waves to
allow for optimal message retention.
Savvy brand team leaders find that a success factor in
educating employees is to present the information in
phases, waves or bites. Employees absorb the information
most effectively when they receive just enough at a time
to make them curious and interested in learning more.

Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology

Most interviewed companies begin internal communications activities

at least 18 months prior to launch
18 months before launch and onward

Name or
brand the
medical
condition

Build
communications on
social science and
clinical data

Put a human
face on the
disease

Use a structured
approach to
communication
and education

Figure 3: Most activities

are underway by or
before Phase 3
Internal diseases states
communication activities
should be underway
or complete by the
beginning of Phase 3.
Interviewed executives
stressed that
communications for
a socially sensitive or
new medical condition
require more lead
time than drugs for
established conditions,
due to a need to build
condition as well as
brand awareness.
Source: Best Practice, LLC

Prepare for
rapid response
to controversial
issues

Phase 3

Phase 2

24-18 months before launch

Use segmentation
cautiously
to customise education/
communication

Engage KOLs
and influencers
to win employees
support

Use a mix
of channels
including new
technology

N
N

Conduct education/
communication
in waves for best
retention

Monitor
internal
messages for
effectiveness

More often than not, good internal disease state

communication begins with messaging about the burden
of the illness. This is especially true when a condition is
considered to be a lifestyle issue.
Many suggest beginning communication activities at
least 18 months before launch. Internal disease state
communication activities should be underway or complete
by the beginning of Phase 3 (see Figure 3). Interviewed
executives stressed that communications for a socially
sensitive or new medical condition require more lead time
than drugs for established conditions, due to a need to
build awareness of the condition as well as the brand.
The majority of companies surveyed begin internal
communications before New Drug Applications (NDA)
filing for all employee groups, with the exception of sales,
manufacturing and lower level employees. Sales
communications are often held back to prevent preapproval selling.
9. Use a mix of channels, including new technology, to
maximise employee reach when communicating disease
state education.
Using a multi-channel approach to disease state
communication and education can maximise employee
reach. Technology-based channels are used more often to
reach younger, tech-savvy employees. This blending of
traditional and new technology channels provides
coverage to all employees.
Activities such as email bulletins and conference calls
or webinars are the internal communication channels

Cameron Tew is Executive Director of Bio-Pharma Research and

Advisory Services at Best Practices, LLC (Chapel Hill, NC, USA). He brings
experience in research, analysis, writing, field interviews, management
and project leadership to Best Practices. Cameron has served many biopharmaceutical clients in commercial operations, marketing, sales, earlystage commercialisation and global new product launch activities, as
well as working with medical affairs, competitive intelligence, strategic
planning and regulatory affairs groups. Email: ctew@best-in-class.com

40

that most companies deem effective, although leader-led

classes are the channel most often rated as highly
effective. Among the advantages for in-person, group
training are that:

N
N

Leaders can report back on education challenges

encountered
Employees can get comfortable with using
terminology in conversation
Leaders can model appropriate behaviour
Any need for additional training can be identified
and implemented

Social media, animation and video offer additional

tools to extend content, message and education. Brand
executives said they are increasing the use of such tools
to reach the younger generation, although they could
not yet identify which channels work best with the
youngest employees. More than half of all research
participants expect to see an increase in their
use of social networking (64 per cent), podcasts
(61 per cent) and online video (57 per cent) as critical
tools for communicating internal disease state and
product information.
10. Monitor internal message effectiveness at least on
an informal basis to gauge overall communication
success.
While measuring the effectiveness of external
messages is a standard practice for most companies,
formal measurement of internal message effectiveness
isnt practical for the majority. Internal messages are
rarely optional and the expense of measuring would
outweigh the benefit of the information gathered. To
gauge the success of internal communications, many
companies rely on informal methods of data collection
such as monitoring hallway buzz, to determine whether
their words have been understood. Benchmark
participants indicated that formal metrics would be
useful in crafting more meaningful messages and
improving their outreach, but such a formal
measurement of internal communications presents
challenges.
CONCLUSION
Dont think of internal branding as a gimmick to keep
marketing professionals with too much time on their
hands busy. Internal branding offers a link to the
organisations culture and values for its employees who
must work to help the company achieve its goals. Thus,
leaders should link their leadership communication to
the internal branding process to bind corporate goals to
organisational outcomes.

Innovations in Pharmaceutical Technology