Kathleen Bernstein
Communications
THE RIGHT MESSAGE
TO THE RIGHT AUDIENCE
At the Right Time
My experience spans medical and science categories, technologies, media, channels and audiences. I approach each project by beginning with the end in mind: how will you define success 60, 90, 365 days from now? I am happy to share further details on the clients and assignments I’ve led.
Projects
Waters Corporation:
Analytical Detection and Separations Technologies
Challenge:
Differentiate products and services with an application-focused strategy to stand out and attract customers.
Solution:
Partnered with marketing, product management, and scientific teams—alongside demand generation, content, and design—to launch products and develop global campaigns that clarified system technology distinctions, promoted a holistic solutions model, and showcased the impact of Waters application scientists on lab results.
Results:
Improved differentiation and new service campaigns drove increased product and solution adoption across pharmaceutical, food, and environmental market segments.
Veristat:
Clinical Research
Organization (CRO)
Challenge:
Veristat’s dated value proposition failed to resonate with small to mid-size biotech companies seeking a trusted partner to accelerate complex clinical trials. They needed to focus on a clear, compelling narrative and consider new channels that addressed these clients' specific challenges.
Solution:
Working with Marketing, revamped Veristat’s messaging and content strategy to target the biotech market, deploying a mix of blogs, podcasts, social posts, case studies, and leadership videos that gave new voice to Veristat’s differentiating scientific expertise. This multi-channel approach showed their expertise and commitment to helping biotechs navigate clinical trials quickly and successfully, positioning them as a true partner in the process.
Results:
Improved engagement from biotech clients, and a strengthened reputation as a reliable clinical trial partner—ultimately driving more successful trial collaborations and expanding their market share.
ZEUS Scientific:
Autoimmune and Infectious Testing Solutions
Challenge:
Zeus was gearing up for FDA clearance of a new Lyme disease testing algorithm that delivered significantly higher sensitivity in early disease. However, they needed to disrupt a 25-year-old, CDC-endorsed Lyme detection pathway entrenched in the market.
Solution:
Working with Marketing and Product Management, developed a digitally focused, evidence-based awareness and education campaign to infectious disease and immunology labs, promoting the all-ELISA Borrelia MTTT. The campaign highlighted that the new test could detect up to 30% more acute Lyme cases—without requiring immunoblots—positioning it as a groundbreaking alternative to traditional methods.
Results:
Within one month of launch, the campaign generated strong market interest and sales, and the CDC made an unprecedented move by recommending MTTT as an alternative to the entrenched Lyme testing protocol.
Lionbridge Life Sciences:
Globalization Services
Provider
Challenge:
A positioning and communications strategy and execution that fell short on communicating the value of this leader in language and globalization services for life science organizations.
Solution:
Following voice of customer and competitive audits, I led a refreshed brand message and creative platform project to align with individual market segment (CROs, med device, pharma) needs. I rolled out digital communications including a refreshed web site, multi-channel social, webinars, trade shows, demand-generation and sales enablement.
Results:
Grew life sciences market position to #2 from #4 over 3 year period.
Athena Diagnostics:
Neurologic Diagnostics Testing
Challenge:
The Company wanted to integrate advocacy groups as a patient and consumer education channel within its overall marketing strategy.
Solution:
Working with sales and marketing, I created a comprehensive plan based on a scorecard matrix of key evaluation criteria mapped by:
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Target disease conditions and markets served
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Funding focus
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Physician input
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Educational channels for commercial entities
Results:
An actionable outreach plan that facilitated productive relationships with top advocacy groups, supporting test awareness and demand.
PerkinElmer:
Detection, Imaging and Informatics Solutions
Challenge:
ChemDraw software sales were in decline due to not giving the market meaningful reasons to upgrade.
Solution:
Working with the Product Manager, I completed a detailed audit of the customer database to personalize a new integrated communications campaign using seeing is believing social, a sales promotion, and trade show gamification.
Results:
Increase in software upgrades across customer segments, achieving sales targets.
