Rebrand aims to better express medical firm's reach

After more than 40 years, a rebrand was in order.

What was known as Sarasota Orthopedic Associates has gone through an identity change and is now known as 360 Orthopedics.

Behind the name change is a desire to be recognized for the multiple areas it serves. With offices in Lakewood Ranch and Venice, it’s not just a Sarasota-focused group anymore — and officials wanted a name to reflect that.

360 Orthopedics Chief Marketing Officer Sandi Wall tells Coffee Talk there was confusion about the group’s locations. “We’d be at an expo or something, and people would say, ‘Sarasota is too far away — I don’t want to go there,’” she says. “No matter how many times you explain it, perception is reality.”

Sarasota Orthopedic Associates decided to do something to change the perception. “People think we’re just in Sarasota, particularly the people down in Venice and the people in Manatee, understandably so since name was Sarasota Orthopedic Associates,” Wall says. “We had been talking about how we need to rebrand ourselves, we need a new name, and we need to avoid the confusion.”

Last year, the group made an internal attempt to change its name but wasn’t able to agree on anything. “We knew we needed some guidance from the outside, from someone who was unbiased,” Wall says. After that, it started working with an agency on the rebrand process.

Through two focus groups that included people of different ages, occupations and income levels, Sarasota Orthopedic Associates learned what people thought about different name possibilities. The focus groups were intentionally kept small, with about 10 to 12 people in each. “We kept them within a number where we could really listen to conversations people were having,” Wall says.

When they presented “360 Orthopedics” to the groups, Wall says people got it right away. Not only did it reflect the group better geographically, but it also spoke to treating the whole person and being patient-centered.

The rebrand was about a two-year process from the time the group started discussions to unveiling the new identity July 28. In total, about 75 items had to be rebranded, such as stationery, lab coats, brochures, signage, staff name badges, entry rugs.

The rebrand, which included a new name, logo and website, has already led to a digital bump for 360 Orthopedics, Wall says.

By Nov. 1, 360 Orthopedics expects to open its new Lakewood Ranch office. At 10,000 square feet, it more than doubles the size of its previous location and will allow it to handle growth in the area.

“We have a 40-year history of excellent care," Wall says. "And we’ve breathed some new life into the group.”