BE HUMAN TO THE CORE How can brands ride this wave of change, convince people they’re relevant and build trust? By keeping people at the center of everything they do. Patients want to feel they are more than their medical history. More than the sum of their data. This human need goes even beyond patient-centricity, a concept more than 48% of companies indicate is top of mind, but few are delivering on well. Being human to the core requires brands to reach deep into themselves, understand what they really are, and be willing to offer up their soul to connect with the soul of their customers. For health brands, this means operating with purpose , promise and personality . One could assume that health brands are good at articulating their purpose. After all, they are in the business of saving lives. But, in truth, they often struggle to express this at the tactical level. Same goes for expressing their personality. Brand and communications managers at larger companies are often under-resourced and worried about breaking compliance. They are tasked with navigating conservative cultures, complex business models and pressure to achieve short-term business goals. On the other hand, smaller healthcare companies have fewer internal obstacles and hierarchies to navigate and can be nimble disruptors. Since many originate as passion projects of their founders, they know who they are, where they come from and why they exist. Therefore, they tend to be more purpose driven, have vibrant personalities and lead with their soul. For all healthcare companies, regardless of size, every communication, every interaction is an opportunity for a human touchpoint. Communicators need to rethink events such as data announcements or regulatory milestones as opportunities to be human to the core — a moment to reconnect with their soul, express their personality and demonstrate their promise in the most human ways possible. 9