HOW WE REFRESHED
THE NGS LEADER
Illumina
Brand Refresh & Launch
Client
Illumina's innovative sequencing and array of technologies are fueling groundbreaking advancements in life science research, translational and consumer genomics, and molecular diagnostics. They are the global NGS leader.
Challenge
Illumina has been moving at lightning speed since its inception in 1998. They approached us to audit their brand positioning and visual expression and recommend enhancements to reflect the true reality of their brand and help further strengthen brand differentiation.
Big Idea
To help build radical differentiation, we conducted a multi-step brand refresh℠ including brand internal discovery, performance evaluation, repositioning, strategy development, brand elements evaluation and new brand elements design, which included a new corporate brandmark. We also helped visualize the “genetic energy” theme with the now-famous multi-color wave.
Impact
“We have loved working with Audacity on brand strategy and implementation projects. They provide a strategic angle to inherently creative projects, a truly unique combination. Audacity has been a great business partner for us overall. I would highly recommend them.” — Karen Possemato, Senior Director Corporate Marketing
Why this brand matters
Almost 25 years after the Human Genome Project launched, and a little over a decade after it reached its goal of reading all three billion base pairs in human DNA, genome sequencing for the masses is finally arriving. This tool, capable of reading all of your DNA (rather than just looking at certain genes), is far surpassing it's historical research value and will soon be affordable enough to be used regularly for pinpointing medical problems and identifying treatments. And Illumina is at the forefront of that revolution by democratization.
Where we landed
We carefully developed visual expression frameworks with subtle but significant adjustment to the brandmark. Can you figure out the reasoning behind removing the beads and adding the orange to the “I”?
Brand Launch
We developed the “feel the energy” theme with the famous multi-color wave and built a campaign with bold, impactful messaging and visuals. Internal adoption was ensured through an integrated web, digital, environmental, giveaways and collateral launch.
Ad Campaign
To create awareness while providing education around the availability of its full genome sequencing capabilities at the consumer level, we developed a concept around the 23 chromosomes of the human genome – symbolized by books, circled by…genetic energy. This ran in the “The Economist”.