Brand Revamp & digital transformation for UAE’s First Clinical Research Organization: IROS An M42 Company

Industry

Healthcare

Services Provided

Brend Identity

Identity & Messaging Audits

Brand Strategy

Messaging Strategy

Brand Communication

Logo Design

Communication Marketing

UI Design

Website Development

INTRODUCTION

At it’s core, IROS leads the way as a groundbreaking UAE-based Contract Research Organization (CRO), driving excellence in clinical research. IROS is dedicated to improving patients’ lives and shaping the health landscape by conducting high-quality research and achieving groundbreaking insights.

We collaborated with key stakeholders from IROS across various business departments, as well as the marketing teams at G42 Healthcare and M42. Together, we embarked on a strategic rebranding journey that included in-depth market research, brand strategy development, identity creation, and much more.

BACKGROUND

After proving their mettle in the industry, IROS ws ready to expand it’s reach and needed a brand that would expand it’s horizons and position it as the go-to choice for their target audience.

IROS’s messaging and visual identity did not reflect its core values and forward-thinking nature. It lacked a clear brand strategy and relatable identity for its audience, partners, and team. As IROS enters its next growth phase, it needed a cohesive brand that embodies its core values and crafts a narrative that can resonate with all stakeholders. Also, due to the lack of established guidelines the previous brand identity was not cohesive and was used inconsistently by internal teams, leading to a fractured brand experience externally.

CHALLENGE

During our early conversations, it became clear that the team needed to define their value system and develop a cohesive messaging strategy to unify it. They also required a uniquely tailored visual identity system which can reflect what the brand stands for. IROS’s team has some of the best minds in the world working on ground breaking research and processes, and our goals was to capture, refine, and project that excellence through a strategic branding exercise.

PAIN POINTS DISCOVERED

Limited Identity Impedes Growth

The brand's underdeveloped identity restricts its global expansion and recognition.

Blending with Competitors

A non-distinct identity places IROS at risk of being indistinguishable from competitors.

Weak Brand Recognition

Inconsistent messaging and lack of impactful visuals lead to weak brand recognition & recall.

Marketing Adaptation Struggles

IROS faces challenges adapting its marketing to diverse stakeholder perceptions.

Difficulty Standing Out

IROS struggles to differentiate itself in a competitive market.

Unclear Brand Values

Communicating the core values and strengths of the IROS brand is challenging.

Inconsistent Brand Image

The brand experiences inconsistency across various customer interaction points.

We believe whether for is B2B or B2C, all interactions essentially boil down to Person to Person (P2P). And, that’s where we began.

Speaking to the team members gave us a clear understand of their surface level needs, as well as the core needs. We then created a tailored strategy that ensured we deliver what is required.

RESEARCH

We began by auditing the existing infrastructure to understand the brand's current situation and challenges, ensuring we address these issues moving forward.

We then conducted multiple brand discovery workshops and extensive internal stakeholder interviews to capture the essence of the brand and what it means to it’s own people.

Through these comprehensive interviews, we distilled the core essence of the IROS, including its personality, values, mission, vision, beliefs, and behaviours, etc.

The insights gained formed the foundation for articulating principles, making IROS ready for expansion while being firmly rooted its core values.

After the brand discovery phase, we performed a comprehensive Heuristic Evaluation, competitive benchmarking and Industry Trend analysis to ensure that the results remain relevant and stay ahead of industry standards. . This also enabled us to tackle issues such as accessibility (in accordance with WCAG 2 standards), improve scalability, improving on existing industry design trends, inconsistencies in visual elements, etc.

This process led to the foundation of a new strategy that clearly communicates the revitalized IROS brand.

APPROACH

There is no one process that fits all. And, even if there were - we don’t believe in it. Cookie cutter processes yield cookie cutter results.

Organizations are different, people are different, business challenges are different and that shapes how we work.

We started with distilling the DNA and soul of the brand, before moving on to design and concept explorations.

The culmination of these efforts is aimed at ensuring that the revamped identity and website are meticulously curated to address and rectify all identified issues, delivering a brand that stands out.

STRATEGY SOLUTION

Our solution is deeply rooted in the core brand values identified through workshops, and stakeholder interviews.

STRATEGY SOLUTION

Through extensive workshops, interviews, and research, we collected a wealth of information. We then distilled this data to identify IROS's core attributes, purpose, USPs, beliefs, behaviors, personality, positioning, and much more.

We defined the brand's foundational values, paving the way for a new positioning with the tagline 'Catalyzing Breakthroughs.' This emphasizes IROS's unique role as a transformative force in the UAE healthcare industry.

The creation of a comprehensive brand strategy centered on values ensures a clear, unified brand message, fostering a strong connection with the audience and guiding consistent decision-making for a cohesive brand identity.

BRAND IDEA

Catalyst

Aligned with the brand positioning, the core theme for messaging and visuals elements is "Catalyst". This concept uniquely positions IROS as a catalytic force for transformative breakthroughs, drug development advancements, and meeting needs in underserved regions, accelerating global healthcare transformation.

This led to the creation of "Formix", a visual element that captures the brand's essence, highlighting collaboration, innovation, discovery, and progress.

Website Design & Development

Transforming Digital Experience

We identified IROS’s core USPs, value proposition, service delivery areas, and their audience’s intent.

We began with the creation of an efficient information architecture (aka sitemap) that promotes discoverability and enhances information adoption. Using previous audits and the information architecture as a guiding beacon, we created low fidelity wireframes to align stakeholders on the potential experience and take their thoughts.

After consulting with department heads and taking their inputs, we moved on the designing and prototyping stage for their website.

Explore the digital essence of IROS through our meticulously crafted website screens, seamlessly blending innovative design with user-centric functionality for an intuitive online journey and improved user experience.

CONCLUSION

The strategic rebranding and website design exercises have received widespread appreciation, adoption, and acceptance from the market and stakeholders.

The new identity reflects their core values of Innovation, Collaboration, Commitment, & Precision. IROS has transformed for merely another player in the market, to a strategic brand that it’s audience can relate to and identify with.

In a significant development G42, the leading Abu Dhabi-based AI technology company, and Mubadala Investment Company, an Abu Dhabi-based global sovereign investor - announced the launch of M42, an integrated healthcare company formed through the merger of G42 Healthcare and Mubadala Health. IROS is now proudly part of M42, further enhancing its capabilities and reach.