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As HO.A prepared to expand beyond its clinic channel, it needed clearer reasons for new consumers to consider its skincare products. VOCAL MIDDLE Communications combined more than 300 survey responses with competitor analysis and search and AI diagnostics. The report proposed a positioning around traditional Chinese medicine and advanced technology, with priorities for products, content, evidence and channels.
HO.A develops skincare products combining a traditional Chinese medicine research background with nanotechnology. Its existing customers were primarily consumers aged 40 and over and aesthetic clinic channels. To expand into the B2C market, the brand needed to explain which consumer needs its products addressed and why new customers should consider them. This strategic brand report aimed to clarify positioning, target audiences and sources of trust. It also sought to give the team a practical basis for prioritising product decisions, content, supporting evidence and distribution channels.
In the project survey of more than 300 respondents, 62.5% expressed purchase intent towards the traditional Chinese medicine and nanotechnology concept. However, only 3.6% identified endorsement by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner involved in development as their main source of trust. Real users’ before-and-after accounts were trusted by 71.7%, while 66.2% said third-party evidence could increase purchase intent. Reported belief in nano botanical extracts and Chinese herbal extracts was approximately 24% for each. These responses suggested that a distinctive development story needed support from consumer experience and evidence. The proposed communication sequence therefore started with familiar needs, such as noticeable effects and gentleness, before explaining ingredients and technology.
Use brand and competitor analysis to establish a shared positioning
HO.A’s existing messages covered botanical ingredients, sensitive skin and everyday care. Each described part of the offer, but the team needed a clearer organising idea. VOCAL MIDDLE reviewed the brand alongside competitors and proposed a positioning connecting traditional Chinese medicine with advanced technology. The development background would explain the brand’s origins, while technology and evidence would support product communication. The project prioritised this clarification before broader exposure so that product categories, content and channel communication could work from a shared direction.
Separate the brand story from the evidence consumers use to decide
The survey distinguished interest in the concept from the information respondents trusted. VOCAL MIDDLE therefore recommended leading with consumer needs before explaining herbal formulations and nanotechnology. Real user accounts and third-party evidence were identified as materials for future development. This approach assigned different roles to the development story, technical explanation and consumer evidence. The report also identified product classification, pricing and market acceptance as decisions to address.
Map pre-purchase verification to prioritise public information
Among respondents, 64.5% used Google to check reviews and approximately 22% consulted AI before buying. VOCAL MIDDLE treated these as pre-purchase verification routes and combined the findings with SEO and AI diagnostics. The report recommended prioritising website content, search information, media coverage and user reviews so consumers researching HO.A could compare the brand’s account with experience and evidence. These content priorities were organised alongside recommendations for products and channels.
The strategic brand report brought together the brand review, competitor analysis, SEO and AI diagnostics, and more than 300 consumer survey responses. It proposed positioning HO.A around traditional Chinese medicine and advanced technology, while clarifying target audiences, sources of trust and pre-purchase information needs. The analysis translated an initial exposure question into specific decisions about product classification, the articulation of brand differences, supporting user experience and evidence, and the relationship between pricing and market acceptance. The final recommendations covered products, content, evidence and channels, giving the team a documented basis for discussing priorities and allocating resources.
1.Why did HO.A commission a strategic brand report?
HO.A was preparing to reach B2C customers beyond its existing clinic channel and established audience. The report aimed to clarify the needs its products addressed, the reasons new consumers might consider them, and the information those consumers would trust before the brand committed to further communication and market investment.
2.What strategies and services did VOCAL MIDDLE provide?
VOCAL MIDDLE combined brand and competitor analysis, more than 300 consumer survey responses, and SEO and AI diagnostics. The work clarified positioning, distinguished the brand story from consumer evidence, and translated pre-purchase information needs into recommendations for products, content, evidence and channels.
3.Why did this project prioritise research before broader exposure?
HO.A had several existing messages about its products and brand. The project first established which ideas should lead and what evidence consumers valued. This gave subsequent exposure planning a clearer positioning and information brief, rather than extending messages before their priorities had been resolved.
4.What verifiable outputs did the report deliver?
The deliverable combined the brand review, competitor analysis, SEO and AI diagnostics, and more than 300 survey responses. It proposed positioning around traditional Chinese medicine and advanced technology and recommendations across four areas. The figures 62.5%, 3.6%, 71.7% and 66.2% describe respondents’ concept acceptance and sources of trust, informing the recommendations.
5.How does this case relate to AI PR?
HO.A’s survey identified Google and AI as verification routes used by some respondents before purchase. The report incorporated those routes into positioning and content recommendations, linking consistent brand information, real user experience and third-party evidence to how people understand the products. That information quality is relevant to AI PR. The project’s delivered work was research, diagnosis and strategic recommendations.
