THE CLIENT
Avania is an integrated global, full-service CRO with specialized expertise in medical technology, novel technology, and combination products. The company advances products from feasibility through post-approval, providing expertise for analytics, clinical trials, consulting, regulatory, reimbursement, and more.
THE CHALLENGE
In 2020, four entities, including Factory CRO (Netherlands), BBA (Boston), Five Corners (Australia), and MileStone Research Organization (San Diego), were combining operations into one company. After undergoing recent mergers and acquisitions, the client engaged SCORR to develop a single cohesive brand that would present the unified company worldwide.
The new identity and brand would need to support the merged organization’s combination of regional expertise, global capabilities, and services from feasibility through postmarketing. This would involve numerous business lines (e.g., clinical trial management, analytics, consulting) and areas of expertise (e.g., therapeutic areas, investigational product types).
THE SOLUTION
During the SCORR Core process, the SCORR team developed naming options for the newly merged company, and Avania was chosen to represent the united global CRO. The name derives from abante (meaning before or in front in Latin) and avante (meaning forward movement or advancement in several languages).
With the name selected, SCORR created a logo and core identity elements to support a greater brand system. The logo was developed to convey forward movement, approachability, and client centricity. Warm grey serves as the base color to relay a sense of warmth, stability, and trust, while teal is used as an accent to suggest safety and loyalty.
Once Avania’s core identity elements were finalized, SCORR developed three options for a Big Idea direction. Avania selected “It Takes Avania.” Building on the concept of Avania as a partner that drives advancement, the Big Idea visuals incorporate elements that suggest movement and a modern, data-driven approach. Waves of lines represent a smooth, seamless process, while abstract green, purple, and darker teal elements could represent milestones or products in the development pipeline.
The secondary color palette provides depth to main branding graphics, while serving as featured colors for specific solutions (e.g., green for analytics, magenta for consulting).
SCORR wrote, designed, developed, and launched a new website that brought many of the brand’s elements to life through animation and interactivity. The website features extensive information on Avania’s service catalog and also features several forms that help gather leads for particular Avania services.
To support business development at Avania, SCORR created a library of internal tools, branded templates, and sales collateral. All of this — including annual goals and a detailed tactical plan — was outlined in Avania’s Strategic Marketing Action Plan (Strat MAP).
Big Idea
In today’s globalized, digitally driven world, a strong corporate brand is required to stand out in a crowded space. SCORR’s efforts helped unify our internal team as we integrated four long-standing organizations with complementary and enhanced capabilities. Together, we are building strong brand recognition on a global scale and recognition as an innovative medical technology CRO. SCORR realized that the faster we could present an integrated brand, the quicker we could gain ROI. We were able to establish the key framework needed to reflect Avania’s identity and vision across all regions.”
THE OUTCOME
SCORR launched the Avania brand and quickly generated industry visibility. Avania’s introductory press release generated significant viewership and was picked up by numerous industry publications, including MassDevice, Medical Design & Outsourcing, and Pharmaceutical Outsourcing. Avania quickly earned organic industry publication opportunities to complement paid campaigns.
The website and digital advertising campaigns also drove substantial lead capture. SCORR developed blog posts, social media content, media placements, white papers, articles, and paid search campaigns that drew extensive traffic to the new Avania website — 78% of this traffic was comprised of marketing influenced potential leads.
Beyond the website and traditional sales collateral, SCORR developed a virtual venue for Avania to bring a trade show-like experience to their website throughout 2020. The virtual venue showcased the new brand, content, and resources to a global audience during a year in which most in-person events were canceled or moved online.
Avania remains a SCORR Circle client. Sapna Hornyak, president and CEO of Avania, is now a SCORR strategic advisor. SCORR is now focused on enhancing Avania’s service positioning in the diverse markets it serves.
