James Humphreys & Bill Kobel
Quest Diagnostics & JPL
Earlier this year, Quest Diagnostics, which provides diagnostic and other testing services to patients and physicians, rolled out a top-to-bottom brand refresh. According to James Humphreys, Quest’s vice president of commercial marketing, the effort originated from the company leadership’s new direction for the organization. “It began with crystallizing our value proposition and helping our customers understand the value that we bring,” Humphreys recalled. “As a result of that, we elevated it to an entire rebranding effort.”
Bill Kobel, vice president of strategy and integrated communications at integrated communications company JPL, said that Humphreys’ story is a familiar one. “We typically see rebranding centered on a couple of key issues,” he said. “One really aligns with what James was talking about, in that the company wants to focus on market segments where they can grow. Another key factor is inconsistency, when everyone has their own idea about how the brand should be delivered to customers.”
Humphreys said Quest did have some internal disagreement on how to approach the marketplace. To address that, “We began as a typical team would, getting customer insights,” he said. “We tried to take those insights and make sure we embedded them in our whole branding strategy.”
Having a strategy is key, Kobel advised. “This isn’t about just a marketing and communication exercise; this is business transformation,” he said. “This is activating your brand operationally in all aspects of your business.”
Highlights from this week’s Marketing Superstars podcast include:
What makes companies decide to undertake a rebranding effort (3:50)
The challenge of communicating a brand consistently to multiple customer segments (7:30)
Building a brand for longevity while also staying ahead of the marketplace (10:05)
Why branding is more than just a marketing and communication exercise (14:05)
Rebranding needs to be rolled out and understood through the entire organization (18:10)
Tips for navigating the rebranding process (22:20)