GHP Aug 2017

8 GHP / August 2017 , Since it began in 1984, kdm has demonstrated a commitment to producing relevant and clear content to engage its clients’ customers, and remains convinced that scientific communication does not have to choose between being accurate and being readable – it can be both. On the far wall of the kdm office, two old-school whiteboards – covered in hundreds of coloured magnetic badges – offer an instant overview of all the projects on the go. Annabel Sedgwick, managing director at kdm, explained: “Our whole way of working as a business informs our approach to marketing. We could easily digitise our whiteboards, but we like the fact that they are visual and make us move away from our desks during the day. We discovered that we work faster, and more collaboratively and productively this way. It’s best to find what works, and that’s our advice to companies. It is easy in marketing to simply mimic what other companies are doing, and 1707GH04 Who Says Scientists Can’t Communicate Clearly? The teamof writers andmarketers at kdm communications live and breathe science; even the office walls depict bright green and blue images of magnified cells. This is just as well, since kdm is a full-service business-to-business marketing agency specialising in the life science, technical andmedical sectors. The firmwas a winner in the Top 25 Life Science Awards 2017 for the Innovators in Life Science 2017 category, after whichwe took the opportunity to speak tomanaging director, Annabel Sedgwick. follow the latest trends without asking the essential questions; will it improve your message? Will it reach a greater audience? Is this necessary? We want to help companies make the right decisions for them, rather than imitating competitors.” kdm was recently named as a winner in the Top 25 Life Science Awards 2017 for the Innovators in Life Science 2017 category. Annabel said: “We were delighted to win the award. It’s confirmation that the work we do is having an impact and is helping companies communicate effectively with their audiences. It helps establish our reputation as an agency capable of bringing together scientific and marketing expertise to raise the profile of some of the most exciting developments taking place all over the world. From silicon photonics to microfluidics, the companies we work with are developing the technology that will be at the heart of future computing, automation and medical progress.” The small company of 16 employees is clearly punching above its weight. The account directors, supported by account executives, liaise with clients, while the team of four dedicated technical writers works on projects ranging from white papers on salmonella detection to newsletter content encouraging energy efficiency. Draft articles lie across the writers’ desks with red and green ink scrawled over them – it’s a little like being back at school. Tearing apart one another’s prose is all part of the process of finding the flawless sentence. No writer is above reproach and every article passes before two pairs of eyes before being allowed near a client for approval. kdm believes that testimonials lie at the heart of good marketing content, and this is reflected in their content creation. Nearly every story or article starts life as a telephone interview with a client’s customer. Jane Wallet, head of copywriting, said: “If you get the interview right, the article writes itself. Customers speaking truthfully about their experience of a product or service is