BRCA Research & Cure Alliance: Case Study
The Brief:
Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky and Tanya Polsky looked to advance their impact on BRCA gene-related cancers. BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations increase the risk of developing breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, and other cancers.
The Approach:
In a crowded philanthropic oncology space, we wanted to help the Polskys’ foundation stand apart, while understanding that everyone in the oncological space is working towards the same goal.
To inform our branding work, our team carried out in-depth interviews with philanthropic operators, surgical oncologists, and BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutation carriers.
I built a set of key findings centered on the unique experience involved in BRCA gene testing; while carrying a BRCA gene mutation is not a definitive diagnosis, knowing or not knowing one’s carrier status opens a Pandora’s box of early cancer screenings, potential proactive surgeries, concern about having biological children, and a disjointed patient journey.
This notion is also reflected by a disjointed ecosystem of academic and research institutions, private philanthropy, and smaller community-based support groups/forums.
The Brand Identity:
Based on our discovery, I defined three brand “territories” based on the Ogilvy Big IdeaL framework: between a resonant cultural/human truth and a unique value proposition, we find a brand’s belief about the world that informs its reason for being. After a workshop with the BRCA team, I honed in our final brand strategy framework.
