Pivot Design
Pivot Design is a Chicago-based healthcare and life sciences branding agency that delivers brand strategy, creative development, digital engagement, and patient support programs for enterprise pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturers across rare disease and specialty therapeutic areas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pivot Design does
Pivot Design is a Chicago-based, Illinois-registered LLC branding and marketing agency specializing exclusively in healthcare and life sciences. Founded in the early 1990s and led by President Liz Kanter, the firm serves enterprise pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device manufacturers with brand strategy, creative development, digital engagement, and patient support program work across therapeutic categories including rare disease, immunology, oncology, and central nervous system conditions. Named clients include Takeda, Lantheus, Acadia, Astellas, Arcutis, Sobi, BioXcellerator, and MannKind. The firm employs 51-100 people and applies a proprietary 'Soul Drivers' strategic framework to its engagements.
The company's service portfolio spans brand identity development, HCP-facing materials, patient education resources, branded websites, and digital tools — including specific programs such as IBDIQ, Living with IBD, and Igi for Takeda. Outputs are designed for a regulated healthcare environment requiring MLR-compliant content and adherence to pharma promotional standards.
Pivot Design operates a B2B services model, earning revenue through project-based and retainer engagements with pharmaceutical manufacturers at healthcare-specialist agency rate cards. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales, industry conference presence (including WordCamp), and category-specific award positioning (MM+M Rare Disease Agency of the Year Silver). In August 2025, the firm was acquired by Supreme Group, a Trinity Hunt Partners-backed healthcare marketing consortium, becoming its ninth acquisition in 18 months and gaining access to broader data, technology, and AI capabilities.
Pivot Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pivot Design
- Legal name
- Pivot Design LLC
- Website
- https://pivotdesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Pivot Design is a Chicago-based healthcare and life sciences branding agency that delivers brand strategy, creative development, digital engagement, and patient support programs for enterprise pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device manufacturers across rare disease and specialty therapeutic areas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pivot Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare and Life Sciences Branding Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (541430)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Healthcare & Life Sciences PR (BPAFADAJ), Employer Brand Strategy & Talent Branding (BPAFAEAH)
Keywords
Where Pivot Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pivot Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Brand Strategy and Creative Services: Project-based professional services revenue from healthcare and life sciences branding, positioning, identity development, and campaign activation. Engagements typically span corporate branding, franchise branding, commercial activation, and patient support programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based engagements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Pivot Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pivot Design is a strategically creative agency specializing in healthcare and life sciences marketing, delivering integrated brand strategy, branding, and omnichannel activation services. The agency serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and rare disease companies through corporate brand development, franchise branding, patient support programs, disease education platforms, and commercial campaign activation.
Product overview
Pivot Design is a strategically creative agency specializing in healthcare and life sciences marketing, operating as a full-service branding and activation firm rather than a software product company. The agency offers integrated service categories including Strategy, Branding, and Activation under three broad solution areas: Above Brand (market shaping, disease education, community engagement, peer-to-peer education, advocacy), Commercial Activation (omnichannel campaigns, patient support programs, sales enablement, congresses/events), and Corporate & Culture (corporate brand, messaging, employer brand, DEI). Their portfolio includes named patient education platforms (The IBD Project, IBDIQ, Living with IBD), patient support programs (Lantheus Link, Acadia Connect, Vyepti Connect), corporate rebrands (Lantheus), and franchise/branding campaigns (Astellas Oncology, Zoryve). The agency was acquired by Supreme Group in August 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategy Services Market assessments, competitive analysis, referral and retention optimization, customer experience design, tactical planning, analytics, digital strategy, and launch planning services for healthcare and life sciences clients.
- Branding Services
- Activation Services
- The IBD Project
- IBDIQ
- Living with IBD
- Lantheus Link
- Acadia Connect
- Vyepti Connect
- Lantheus Corporate Brand
- Astellas Oncology Franchise Campaign
- Zoryve Docuseries Campaign
- BioXcellerator Digital Campaign
Quantifiable outcome
- Colon cancer screening campaign delivered 782% ROI; Prostate cancer screening campaign delivered 283% ROI
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pivot Design
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pivot Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Pivot Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Supreme GroupcoreSupreme Group acquired Pivot Design as their ninth acquisition in 18 months, significantly expanding Supreme Group's presence in pharma and rare disease marketing. Pivot maintains its brand identity and leadership while gaining access to Supreme Group's AI, technology, and data capabilities. The acquisition allows Pivot to integrate with Supreme Group's connected platform while continuing to operate independently.
- Supreme GroupcorePivot Design operates as part of Supreme Group, a tech-driven marketing collective focused on healthcare and life sciences. Supreme Group is backed by Trinity Hunt Partners and comprises multiple specialized agencies including Supreme Optimization, Clarity Quest, Health+Commerce, BioStrata, Amendola, Curator24, Kadiko, and Nimble Works.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Pivot Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- PRECISIONeffect: Healthcare marketing agency within PRECISIONscientia focused on pharma brand development and rare disease communications. Direct peer in the same therapeutic verticals and client roster tier.
- AbelsonTaylor: Independent healthcare creative agency based in Chicago, focused on DTC and HCP brand building for pharmaceutical clients. Direct peer given its parallel healthcare-only positioning, mid-market scale, and Chicago roots.
- closerlook: Healthcare marketing agency specializing in pharma brand strategy, HCP engagement, and data-driven creative. Comparable as a similarly sized, healthcare-only competitor targeting the same enterprise pharma buyer.
- Intouch Group: Healthcare-focused agency serving pharma, biotech, and rare disease clients across branding, digital, and patient engagement. Highly comparable offering set to Pivot, including patient support programs and omnichannel activation.
- Concentric Health Experience: Independent healthcare creative agency serving pharma and biotech with brand strategy, patient engagement, and HCP campaigns. Comparable scale and offering mix to Pivot within the same competitive set.
Broad incumbents
- Publicis Health: Global health-focused network within Publicis Groupe spanning creative, media, and data. Competitor for enterprise pharma brand stewardship mandates that Pivot's smaller scale cannot serve alone.
- Ogilvy Health: Global health-focused network within WPP offering creative, PR, and patient solutions. Competes with Pivot on enterprise pharma brand strategy assignments and global rollout work.
- Fishawack Health: Global health communications and commercialization group with capabilities in brand, medical, and consulting. Broader incumbent targeting the same enterprise pharma client base with cross-service bundles.
- McCann Health: Global healthcare marketing network within IPG, offering branding, medical communications, and patient engagement. Broader incumbent competing with Pivot on enterprise pharma accounts but with significantly greater scale.
Emerging players
- PAN Communications: Health and life sciences PR and communications firm with growing brand strategy practice. Partially overlaps Pivot's healthcare communications work, particularly in biotech and rare disease.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pivot Design social profiles
Digital presencePivot Design compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Pivot Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pivot Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Pivot Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pivot Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pivot Design
What does Pivot Design do?
Pivot Design is a strategically creative agency specializing in healthcare and life sciences marketing, delivering integrated brand strategy, branding, and omnichannel activation services. The agency serves pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and rare disease companies through corporate brand development, franchise branding, patient support programs, disease education platforms, and commercial campaign activation.
Is Pivot Design a public or private company?
Pivot Design is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently acquired.
When was Pivot Design founded?
Pivot Design was founded in 1990. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Pivot Design based?
Pivot Design is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pivot Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: brand Strategy and Creative Services.
Who are Pivot Design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are PRECISIONeffect, AbelsonTaylor, closerlook, Intouch Group and Concentric Health Experience. Broad incumbents are Publicis Health, Ogilvy Health, Fishawack Health and McCann Health. PAN Communications is listed as an emerging player.
Does Pivot Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pivot Design.
What industry is Pivot Design in?
Pivot Design's product category is Healthcare and Life Sciences Branding Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAEAD, Creative Concepting & Campaign Development, with a secondary code of BPAFADAJ, Healthcare & Life Sciences PR. Its NAICS code is 541430 and its SIC code is 7311.