Mission-Driven Company
Eating Disorder Center
of Montana
Cut through thick, entrenched stigma to introduce a revolutionary approach,
build out the team, and serve over twice the number of patients in a severely underserved state—even in a pandemic.
Research+Brand Strategy
Target Audience Research
+ Brand Strategy
Results
Hangup: Widespread misconceptions and not enough staff
The Eating Disorder Center of Montana needed to shake the image of “treatment” that movies falsely portrayed if they wanted to change the face of eating disorder treatment in Montana. With the seriousness of their charge, they needed to bring an expanding team on board—fast.
Fix: Grow in alignment with a comprehensive, researched brand strategy
I personally interviewed past patients and delved into online forums to understand audiences and their resistances to treatment. Then, I created an extensive “brand bible” to launch every communication on the same page, guiding projects like a new facility, updated Instagram, and even fresh hires—all while dispelling incorrect ideas about treatment. (And when the pandemic hit early in the project, I updated the guide with plenty of Covid-friendly ideas for activating the brand.)
Double everything—staff, patients served, offices…
Once we knew what was stopping people from getting into treatment, we could address it head on and reduce friction in their journey. Since I presented the brand, the Eating Disorder Center opened their Missoula office, launched a digital campaign (concepts by me), more than doubled their staff, assembled a cohort of expert independent contractor marketing support, and most importantly, served exponentially more patients—all through the uncertainty and chaos of a pandemic.
Photo: Priscilla du Preez
“To say our brand strategy is beautifully written is an understatement. It is the living document that is shared with all new staff, catapulting them into our culture.”
Erin Gorres | Operations Manager of the Eating Disorder Center, 2020
