The funny thing about “brand resistant” audiences

"I'm not influenced by branding or marketing. I only look at the data."

Sometimes companies will hear this from customers in market research or in the field, and they'll believe it. They shouldn't.

It may seem paradoxical, but for "brand resistant" audiences like clinicians and researchers, being intentional and focused around your brand is vital, whether you're working on an ad campaign or any other type of communications. Because those who say they are immune to branding really just respond to brands in a different and more subtle way.

1 - Branding is not just about marketing or advertising.

A strong brand strategy establishes relevance and differentiation. For clinicians, researchers, and others whom we assume don’t care about brands, a clearly defined brand acts as a cognitive shortcut, helping them make faster, lower-risk decisions. Establishing your brand position, its value and meaning, and its uniqueness is the clearest and quickest way for your audiences to get what you’re about. It should be the single jumping off point for all of your communications, from traditional advertising to your website, sales deck, investor deck, and white papers.

2 - Skeptical audiences are often deep and independent thinkers.

It's good to challenge them, especially when it comes to considering a newer brand. They are often open to new ideas and new ways of thinking, whether that comes from a marketing campaign, a colleague, or independent research. A strong brand is a succinct way to communicate your value and relevance, helping these audiences make informed decisions from a wide variety of sources.

3 - Analytical thinkers are still human.

People, even clinicians and researchers, are social animals. They drink Coke instead of Pepsi. They drive certain cars and wear certain clothes. They are influenced by emotional cues like design, tone, language, and identity, even if they don’t realize it. They see and respect the brands other professionals gravitate toward. A strong brand position, executed well, operates subtly: it signals professionalism, innovation, or safety before a single technical claim is read. Brand choice often reflects who we are and what we value, including the technology and tools we gravitate toward and adopt.

If you are intentional about your brand, you will reach even those skeptical audiences. When you know what your brand stands for, why it’s relevant to your key audiences, and how it’s differentiated in the marketplace, you’re better positioned to reach even those who say they don’t pay attention to brands. Because they do.