Brand Narrative and the Word 'Change'

I’ve yet to come across a brand that doesn’t want to change something.

But — and it’s a big but — change is a word that can mean absolutely nothing.

A quick scan of many brand narratives shows how often it's used.
But from a storytelling strategy perspective, the real questions are:

👉 What do we want to change?
👉 Who do we want to change?

Take Pfizer.
Their goal? To change patients’ lives.

Now look at Johnson & Johnson.
Their ambition? To change the trajectory of health for humanity.

Two big pharma brands.
Two very different storytelling strategies around “change.”

🔍 Opportunity for Pfizer:
This is a brand owning the clinical space — a biotech giant delivering next-gen therapeutics that change the course of disease.

But here’s the challenge:
Pfizer’s focus on “patients” can feel cold, objectifying, even reductionist.
So we must ask: Who is a patient?

🔍 Opportunity for J&J:
J&J is playing at the system level — not changing individuals, but reshaping the systems that shape our health.

But here’s a question:
Is trajectory the right word?
Or does journey feel more human?

In systems-thinking brand narratives, big words can backfire.
They may impress in journals, but miss in public imagination.

💡 Healthcare branding is 15% science and 75% emotion.
The best stories don’t just say “change.” They approach the narrative intentionally.