A communication kit
for fundraising

Imagine a world in which doctors, researchers, patients, industrialists and policy makers can use an online platform to access abundant knowledge on rare diseases. This world already exists. And this online platform is called Orphanet! This knowledge base was established in 1997 by Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale), a French research institute. Today, it has evolved into a network involving 42 countries across the world. Information on rare diseases and their unique nomenclature, an inventory of existing drugs, a list of patient associations…these are only some of the many resources available online.

Like many tools in the world of science, Orphanet needs to renew public funding in order to pursue its mission. To make fundraising more efficient, Orphanet decided to work with our scientific communication agency and rely on both our knowledge of the medical community and our English communication skills.

To help Orphanet approach and convince funders, we focused on three aspects: simplifying and updating the message, providing communication media, and training members of the network in their fundraising initiatives.

Simplifying the message

Orphanet is a vital knowledge base for all the actors in the rare disease ecosystem. However, its many features are not easy to explain in a concise manner. To better describe the purpose of this online platform and update its image, we worked on a brand signature and a visual identity. « Know the rare for better care », is now the slogan of Orphanet. It links the three important elements of the message: Orphanet is a knowledge base, dedicated to rare diseases, which makes it possible to improve patient care. Furthermore, this slogan is easy to remember thanks to the rhyme between the words « rare » et « care ».

The visual identity, used in all the communication media, is based on the Orphanet logo and the picture of a lighthouse which brings light in the middle of the storm. Indeed, a better access to knowledge on rare diseases is vital for patients because it helps them to get an early diagnosis and keeps them from feeling lost and isolated.

Creating communication media

Our second mission consisted in creating three different communication media: a brochure, a PowerPoint presentation and a motion design film. The diversity of these media makes it possible to communicate with sponsors at different steps of the fundraising process. The brochure can be attached to an email to request an appointment. Once the meeting is scheduled, the PowerPoint presentation is used to present Orphanet in about 10 minutes. Finally, the film is easily shown during meetings or online. Its content is adapted to sponsors but also a much wider audience. The film can be easily accessed on the Orphanet website or on social networks.

Training in communication

Finally, we ended our mission by training the Orphanet teams. In the 42 member countries, people who need to seek funding benefitted from a 1-day training course entitled « Communicate to convince ». They learned to use the Orphanet PowerPoint presentation and to adapt it to the particularities of their interlocutors and their country. Thus, 30 doctors and researchers were able to develop their communication skills, to build clear arguments and to captivate their audience.

To achieve fundraising success, it is essential to pay attention to each element of the campaign. It is equally important to have clear and impactful media, and to rely on competent spokespersons to convince sponsors. That is why we developed a complete communication kit. New slogan, new media, new skills: thanks to this collaboration, Orphanet has all the right ingredients to successfully complete its fundraising campaign.

06/12/2021