Background

With over 6,200 employees worldwide, sales in nearly 100 countries, and revenues of $1.24 billion, Edwards is the number-one heart valve company in the world.

Issue

Faced with an increasingly competitive marketplace, including the emergence of a significant new European competitor, Edwards' largest division—Heart Valve Therapy (HVT)—was seeking to differentiate itself and strengthen its reputation as a provider of premium products.

Strategic Insight

During a discovery phase that included in-depth interviews, competitive analysis, and a review of quantitative research already conducted by the client, we identified an opportunity to position Edwards HVT as the brand that supports physicians' growth.

In an industry rife with overused promises of “committing” and “partnering,” we chose to sum up our positioning idea for Edwards HVT as “Championing Growth,” a theme that was then echoed through advertising and tradeshow materials we created for the business unit. The client's delight with the work resulted in a series of additional projects, including a visual brand audit, brand architecture and nomenclature recommendations, brand positioning work for another business unit, and product advertising.

Result

“Having RiechesBaird share their brand expertise to help us understand our company's current position in the market and to help differentiate us from our competitors was like looking at the whole industry with a fresh set of eyes—now I feel like we can tell the Edwards story in a way that's both compelling and unique.”

Lisa Burson,
Director of Brand Management,
Edwards Lifesciences