How do you define a brand for millions of people across 15 countries?
Double-digit global preference boost
The problem
Novo Nordisk needed brand positioning that worked for millions of people across 15+ countries with different healthcare systems, cultural attitudes, and regulatory environments. GLP-1 market had evolved from niche specialty to consumer-influenced phenomenon. The brand needed to succeed in both clinical credibility with healthcare providers and consumer appeal with patients...simultaneously, globally.
What I did
Served on the core team developing global brand strategy for Novo Nordisk's leading obesity medication. Structured analysis across three lines of inquiry: market dynamics, consumer psychology, and clinical differentiation. Translated the 7000-person segmentation research into actionable positioning inputs. Developed the positioning framework balancing emotional and functional benefits, tested across stakeholder groups, built for global consistency with local flexibility.
Outcomes
What I learned
Universal psychological patterns exist across markets, but you have to design your research to find them. Assuming local uniqueness produces local insights.
The hardest creative tension in global brand work: maintaining a core that travels, while giving markets enough flexibility to feel local ownership.
Brand strategy is only as good as its translation into execution. Shared language across regions and functions matters as much as the strategy itself.
Got a similar problem?
Tell me what you're working on. I'll tell you if it's a fit.
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