From a start-up to a challenger brand

Dedicated to solving the scourge of diabetes and obesity which affects millions of Americans, Amylin was preparing the launch of its first two medicines nearing FDA approval. However, the Amylin brand remained a relatively unknown research biotech firm with a hastily adopted logo. Collaborating with a new, brand-savvy CEO, Straightline needed to build a full-fledged pharma brand to align employees with the mission, raise the external profile, and anchor an evolving communications program with fresh audiences as manufacturing and marketing grew exponentially.

Within the close-knit start-up team, Straightline quickly identified a distinctive company culture that embraced its innovative science and a patient-centric passion. This informed a comprehensive re-brand led by the tagline “Challenging Science. Changing Lives.”, which was anchored by a logo that pictured the state of balance Amylin’s therapies sought to restore to patients. A complete brand toolset and training program enabled consistent communications throughout the company’s rapid growth phase. Straightline documented the first year of patient experiences with an emotional “Patient Initiative” book, website, and poster campaign.

Equipped with a new brand that successfully articulated its culture and envisioned its purpose, Amylin began a seven-year journey as its presence increased in the commercial market. This period of rapid growth – from 40 researchers to 1600 employees manufacturing and marketing its therapies – culminated in the company being acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb for $5.3B in 2012.