Consulting CASE STORY
An industry leader integrates two acquired companies—and expands its brand
VMG Health is the leading consultancy that helps healthcare organizations across the nation achieve and sustain superior business performance. Hinge helped them integrate two newly acquired firms, develop a communications plan and launch a redesigned website.
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COMMUNICATOR AWARD WINNER
Acquisitions create branding questions
VMG Health, a private-equity-backed firm, had acquired two smaller firms that specialized in helping ophthalmology and ambulatory surgery practices, respectively, run their businesses. A few years earlier, Hinge had refreshed the VMG’s brand and website. Now they asked us to design a research study to determine whether the new brands should remain separate or be integrated under the VMG brand.
A diagnosis and a cure
The study sample included 79 clients and staff from all three companies. We asked a wide range of questions about each company’s strengths, weaknesses, visibility and brand loyalty. We found that while the VMG brand had broad market recognition and strength, the two acquired brands were less well known and there was comparatively less loyalty to their names or brands. As a result, we were able to make a clear, evidence-based recommendation to begin the process of folding the smaller companies into the VMG brand. This decision created new opportunities and challenges. Hinge was able to help on both fronts.
We were able to make a clear, evidence-based recommendation to begin the process of folding the smaller companies into the VMG brand.
Messaging and communications
When a firm absorbs another, the acquisition can raise questions in the minds of both firms’ teams and the larger marketplace. To anticipate these questions and provide answers, we developed a set of internal messaging guidelines, as well as a comprehensive communications plan to explain the changes to the outside world. The messaging guidelines supplied clearly articulated talking points to overcome objections and explain the benefits to each party. The communications plan provided specific activities and a 12-month timeline to rollout the new brand messaging and website (see below), including updates to marketing collateral, email announcements and a social media campaign.
A website to unite them all
At the same time, we began planning a new website to integrate the three brands under the VMG Health name, update the brand, sharpen their messaging and improve performance. One of the purchased firms provided specialized medical certifications, so we connected their learning management platform to the new site. A new search engine optimization strategy provided an opportunity to reach new audiences, encourage people to return to the site and engage them over time. The new website design is modern, friendly and easier to use than ever. It is also a powerful platform to deliver their thought leadership.
Refreshed marketing collateral
We took this brand inflection moment to redesign key marketing pieces, as well, including pitch decks and client deliverables templates in a range of formats. We also updated the brand style guidelines to document some of the changes.
Healthy successes
The brand integration initiative allowed VMG Health to pivot quickly from their acquisitions to other priorities. The messaging and communications plan provided the tools they needed to explain the changes to all stakeholders and increase the firm’s real and perceived value. In addition, they now had a template they could apply to future acquisitions. Within a few months, the new website was far outperforming its antecedent. In this period, website visits, organic traffic and site engagement rose roughly 70%. Visits to the homepage from landing pages almost doubled. And keyword ranking in the top 10 positions increased by a third. Today, the firm is well equipped to seize emerging opportunities and grow.
What we did
Visible Firm Program
- Brand Research
- Differentiators & Positioning
- Marketing Strategy
Branding
- Logo Design
- Brand Style Guidelines
- Brand Equity Study
- Brand Integration Strategy & Internal Messaging
- Brand Integration Communications Plan
- 12-Month Brand Integration Marketing Plan
High-Performance Website
- Design
- UX Design
- Automated Lead-Generation Strategy
- Offer Strategy
- Search Engine Optimization
- Hubspot Integration Strategy
- Website Development
- Copywriting
- Ongoing Website Maintenance
