Raising brand awareness through earned media
Industry:
Pharmaceuticals and Biotech
Offering:
Media relations
Challenge
NanoVation Therapeutics, a leader in next-generation lipid nanoparticle (LNP) nucleic acid drug delivery, sought a partner who could deliver a comprehensive earned media strategy to promote its first major business development deal with a biopharma manufacturer. The company viewed this up to $600 million partnership as a pivotal step to securing future deals. They hired Orangefiery to create the company’s communications infrastructure and announce this significant corporate milestone.
Approach
Discover
Through a series of briefings with their executives and review of corporate marketing materials, we gained insight into the company’s market, scientific approach and goals, as well as its key points of differentiation.
We held a workshop with their executive team to align on key messages and approach for the upcoming announcement. Notably, their corporate messaging was designed purely as a marketing platform, requiring significant evolution for use in an earned media context.
We conducted a media audit of competitor, comparator and client coverage to develop a targeted media list.
Develop
- We created corporate and announcement-specific key messages as the foundation for all materials.
- We created announcement materials, including a press release, pitches, Q&A, fact sheet, social posts and stakeholder communications (internal, BoD and potential partners).
- We coordinated the reviews of the press release with NanoVation and its business development partner.
- We created a strategic outreach plan, including embargoed earned media targets and stakeholder communications.
Deploy
- We contacted select reporters under embargo to secure coverage timed with the press release distribution.
- We coordinated the distribution of the press release and pitched the news to a media list of 100+ targets.
- We facilitated live media interviews.
- We monitored for media/social coverage and key message pull through.
- We coordinated with the NanoVation team to ensure coordinated release of the news to employees, BoD and potential partners and that corporate and executive team social posts were shared.
- We activated stakeholder engagement with several life sciences organizations and biotech content creators to further amplify the news.
Results
The partnership announcement and earned media program led to a significant increase in company visibility and engagement across multiple channels:
- Media coverage in top industry trade publications (50+ original stories with 74MM+ UVPM), including Fierce Biotech and Endpoints News. The news was highlighted prominently in newsletters, including STAT and Endpoints.
- 70%+ pull-through of the top four key messages.
- Strong social media amplification and engagement from employees, media, industry groups and influencers.
- 10+ media publications shared links to articles
- 30+ posts from biotech executives/influencers with a total audience of 225K+
- 15+ posts from industry organizations, with a total audience of 195K+
- 100+ reactions to and 20+ reposts of NanoVation’s announcement post
- Generated positive feedback from potential business development partners and leaders in the LNP/drug delivery scientific community.
