The Right Mix Over Big Numbers: Early Feedback on a Brand Position
Early-stage positioning doesn't need a large sample. It needs the right specialists quickly.
A manufacturer was developing a new brand position for a family of covered stent grafts. It wanted early feedback on the brand story, positioning statement, tagline, and pillars.
This was the second round of an iterative program. The screening criteria, shared across both rounds, aimed for:
A specialty mix of about 40% vascular surgeons, 30% interventional radiologists, 20% interventional cardiologists and 10% interventional neuroradiologists
At least 15 to 20 endovascular stent procedures a year across all indications
2 to 30 years post-fellowship
In the US, about 70% are hospital-based, and 30% are in office-based labs
Round 2 targeted eight interviews: three interventional radiologists, three vascular surgeons, and two interventional cardiologists. Six were in the US and two in Europe. Interviews were held by Zoom and lasted about 60 minutes.
The eight were drawn from a pool of 40 qualified physicians, helping to match the mix of settings and experience levels.
Reporting the shortfall plainly, eight, kept expectations clear. For early-stage positioning, the goal was to catch what resonates and what confuses before a larger test.
The round gave the client concrete reactions to each element of the brand position, and a clear steer for the next iteration.
