Giving purpose a name

Finding the shared story

As part of UMass Chan Medical School, Commonwealth Medicine had developed a strong reputation within MA as a great partner for healthcare consulting and organizational transformation. They also became a significant revenue generator for the school. Even with this success, they had a tough time communicating who they are – and their value proposition – outside of their inner circle of clients. This became a particular issue as they started to get clients out-of-state and in the private sector. 

We were brought in to help them articulate their value, define a differentiating and relevant brand position, and unify the organization around a powerful shared story.

Services Provided:

• Strategy
• Messaging
• Creative and design
• Branding
• UX/UI
• Social
• Digital

Leading with what they’re for

Our solution: a new name – ForHealth Consulting – and identity that put their purpose front and center, while helping them become a credible contender in a crowded marketplace. Their new position – Empowering enterprises to make the healthcare experience better –  took their value to MA state agencies and made it relevant to national and corporate clients. 

The 18-month long process included stakeholder and market research involving one-on-one conversations, digital panels, and a nationwide client survey, as well as multiple insight and strategy presentations, and managing a complex approval process across a multi-level university bureaucracy. Throughout, we developed a strong and trusting relationship with ForHealth Consulting leadership that went beyond brand consulting to shape their business strategy and the internal organizational of their products and services.

Key to the success of the project was the decision to root their logo and visual identity in familiar elements of the UMass Chan Medical School Brand, reimagined to become relevant and differentiating within the consulting business landscape. Our research showed that the UMass Chan relationship was valuable but not a key selling point outside of Massachusetts, so the new identity had to stand on its own in a marketplace that included giants like McKinsey and Deloitte.