Ethicon Identity Evolution for a Medical Pioneer

The Situation

A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary, Ethicon Endo-Surgery (EES) is a medical devices and diagnostics pioneer in minimally invasive surgical procedures. EES needed to update its identity and brand platform to drive competitive differentiation and increase market share. The company would transition from device-focused, brand-based teams, to a centralized, overarching brand architecture, aligning all product teams to the same brand voice, nomenclature, and application standards. EEH has subsequently evolved to become Ethicon.

The Challenge

While the legal entity would remain Ethicon Endo-Surgery, the acronym “EES” was introduced as the brand name in internal communications. In addition, a new design platform and logo were implemented for all internal and external audiences. This new brand design and architecture would completely replace the existing brand on all assets including heavily regulated items such as products and packaging. To identify precisely where the name and/or identity existed to ensure compliance, BrandActive performed a thorough analysis of each SKU, accounting for all associated items, including inner and outer packaging, all product components, labels, stickers, manuals, and inserts. With operations in more than 120 countries worldwide, EES wanted to drive the change through their global organization while leveraging normal operational activity and budgets.

I want to be sure you all know what a pleasure it has been to work together. I’ve never been surrounded by a better group. I hope you know how vital and visible your efforts have been to the company’s and my personal success.

— Global Marketing Director, Franchise Brand & Digital Strategy, EES

The Solution

BrandActive began with a scope and assess analysis to generate scenario options for change with associated cost and impact estimates. This provided the senior team with the facts needed to make a fully informed decision on the best approach to the transition. Next, over the course of a year, we engaged the necessary organizational resources to develop a detailed transition plan for all branded assets. We performed a global marketing collateral audit, analyzing communication needs to inform the development of, and transition to, a centralized collateral system. BrandActive also led a products and packaging steering committee tasked with the creation of a brand migration strategy and rationalization plan for the newly restructured device families around the world. Throughout the process, we ensured that development and access to application standards for each branded asset type was in accordance with brand guidelines.

The Results

Our brand identity and platform change was so successful that when Ethicon Endo Surgery merged with its giant sister company, Ethicon, the EES brand platform was adopted by the newly formed organization. BrandActive was engaged again to support this second transition with a brand helpdesk, a digital asset library, an art exchange site, and a global brand management site.