As one of the largest clinical research organizations (CROs) in the world, Parexel helps bring life-saving treatments to patients faster. While other CROs emphasize technical expertise, we wanted to demonstrate it’s not just data or processes that drive success in clinical research – it’s the dedication, passion, and comprehensive expertise of Parexel’s people that truly make the difference.
Through the Insight-Generation Engine campaign, we set out to highlight Parexel’s greatest asset – its people – and spotlight the team of 21,000+ experts globally who have an unwavering passion and world-class expertise to drive breakthrough innovations in clinical research.
The campaign’s primary goal was to establish Parexel as the CRO uniquely equipped to provide pharmaceutical and biotech companies with the insights needed to improve patient outcomes. While their previous branding relied on stock imagery and generic visuals, the new campaign introduced a more emotionally resonant tone by showcasing original photography and videography featuring real Parexel employees. This shift brought authenticity to the brand, powerfully highlighting the human side of clinical research.
Specific campaign goals included:
To highlight Parexel’s talented team and bring the Insight-Generation Engine campaign to life, we partnered with award-winning photographer Randall Ford to execute a four-day photo and video shoot in March 2024 that included two studios, 13 Parexel employees, 6 models (to represent Parexel’s global workforce), and a production crew of 25+ people.
The shoot utilized innovative camera practices and 360-degree rotations to capture multidimensional still and motion visuals of each Parexel employee and model. Long-form interview videos were also captured with each employee, providing an authentic look into their expertise, dedication, and personal connections to their role.
The content captured was then transformed through cutting-edge editing techniques, using double exposure with CGI overlaid onto the photography to create grid-like still and motion compositions. The compositions represent a sum of many different business aspects, illustrating the cross-functional expertise of Parexel’s people. Personal anecdotes were also carried into the compositions, weaving in employee’s unique interests and inspirations.
One of the greatest challenges was creating a campaign that resonated across countries and demographics, ensuring the imagery and messaging were universally relatable while maintaining authenticity. Every detail, from language to cultural representation, was carefully considered to create a campaign that reflected Parexel’s global presence and diversity.
Further, the campaign was conceived, developed, and launched within an ambitious five-month timeline from initial concepting to launch of assets. Meeting this demanding schedule required meticulous planning, seamless cross-functional collaboration, and precise execution across multiple teams.
Despite the accelerated timeline, the campaign maintained a high focus on innovation and quality, ultimately producing a comprehensive suite of bold marketing collateral that was strategically deployed across both owned and paid channels throughout 2024. Campaign executions included:
Visual Assets: 18 still photography compositions, 12 motion graphic compositions, and 11 subject matter expert interview videos leveraged across Parexel’s corporate website, social/digital channels, conferences/trade shows, new business and sales pursuits, internal company assets, and more.
Website Revamp: The development of a new “Powered by People” landing page and integration of campaign visual assets and videos within the existing website.
Digital/Social Campaigns: The launch of paid campaigns across Demandbase and LinkedIn in June 2024, including a total launch of 12 LinkedIn ads through the end of 2024.
Sales Enablement Tools: Development of emails, CEROS microsites, and new business pursuit materials featuring campaign visual assets and messaging.
Internal Materials: Development of a comprehensive campaign implementation guide, messaging matrix, desktop backgrounds, office signs, and a company-wide holiday card video.
Event Integration: Pull-through of campaign creative and messaging at conferences and trade shows, notably the launch of the campaign at ASCO 2024.
The campaign’s originality stems from the people-first approach, a bold departure from traditional, process-driven CRO messaging. The use of cutting-edge visual techniques paired with employee-focused storytelling highlights Parexel’s core differentiator: its people.
By positioning Parexel as a CRO that delivers not just operational excellence but also human-driven insights, we created a campaign that stands out in a crowded market and reinforces Parexel’s reputation as a trusted partner in speeding breakthrough treatments to patients faster.
The Insight-Generation Engine campaign has achieved its primary objective of redefining Parexel’s brand by showcasing its greatest asset — its people. By spotlighting the expertise, dedication, and humanity of Parexel’s team, the campaign resonated deeply with its target audience of biopharmaceutical decision-makers.
The campaign’s success was evident through various qualitative and engagement-driven results:
Live Events and Conferences: The creative debuted at prominent industry events through digital displays and interactive touchscreen panels, sparking meaningful conversations among attendees. Feedback from these events consistently highlighted the campaign’s emotional resonance and visual distinctiveness, positioning Parexel as an industry leader.
Social Media Impact: Advertisements and organic posts featuring the campaign’s bold visuals and messaging garnered exceptional engagement, showing strong audience connection to the artwork and messaging. With over 2.8M impressions and 11.8K clicks on LinkedIn globally, increased interaction rates signaled that the messaging struck a chord with its intended audience.
Internal Employee Feedback: Parexel employees expressed pride and enthusiasm in seeing their contributions and stories celebrated. This internal connection fostered a sense of unity and alignment with the company’s mission, amplifying its impact beyond external audiences.
By aligning the campaign’s execution with its objectives — celebrating the people behind Parexel’s insights and highlighting their role in improving patient outcomes — our efforts succeeded in differentiating Parexel in a competitive marketplace and solidifying its reputation as a trusted partner in clinical research.
