Bristol Myers Squibb
Bold science made human
Building a brand where scientific ambition meets the people it serves
Challenge
Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) had become a different company overnight. Following its acquisition of Celgene, one of the largest deals in biopharma history, the business gained a deeper pipeline, stronger oncology leadership, and a more diversified engine for innovation. But the brand still reflected the company BMS had been, not the one it had become. Leadership needed a new identity that could signal bold change and support a bigger vision: transforming patients’ lives through science.
Insight
While major acquisitions create scale, they don’t automatically create belief. This was more than a bigger company. It was a company with greater potential and, with that, greater responsibility. To stand apart in a crowded pharma landscape, the brand needed to express both how BMS works and why it works so hard. Bold science taking on some of the toughest unmet medical needs. Relentless dedication to the patients counting on progress. We needed to unite those truths in an identity that felt authentic, credible, and deeply human.
Answer
An energized BMS brand built to match the scale of its transformation and the ambition of its future. Rooted in the idea of bold science in service of patients, we created a cohesive brand experience people could feel. Visionary in ambition. Committed in action. Resilient under pressure. The result was a brand built to stand apart from legacy pharma and flex confidently for whatever comes next.
The new BMS identity was built to express both how the company leads and why it exists. It pairs the power of bold science with an unwavering focus on patients. More than a visual refresh, it became a strategic brand system rooted in the idea of “We are BMS,” translating purpose into every touchpoint with greater clarity, confidence, and humanity.
At the center of the system are distinctive assets like the hand symbol and BMS Purple, reimagined through a cleaner, more modern design language. Together, they express the warmth, confidence, and ambition that define BMS.
Results
We needed something that was fresh, more representative of who we are and who we will be in the future. So, we started from scratch. We didn’t try to put new wheels on to fix something that wasn’t working, we started from ground up.
Former Executive Vice President, Bristol Myers Squibb