Novartis going on 30: Inside the Swiss pharma giant's corporate brand evolution

Jul 22, 2026

31:20

Episode Description

Thirtieth birthdays are among the most reflective celebrations that we have.

Born out of one of the largest corporate mergers in history, Novartis was founded in 1996 and celebrated its 30th anniversary this year.

As such, the Swiss pharma giant is reflecting on its corporate branding down to the color palette as it eyes a future where its R&D operations lead to new drugs on the market targeting a host of disease states and medical conditions.

In order to articulate its mission and underscore how it has evolved from a marketing perspective, Novartis is taking a look back before it sets its eyes on the future.

This week’s episode features reporter Bella Czajkowski in conversation with Novartis’ chief corporate affairs officer Michelle Weese. The pair discuss the history of Novartis, how it is recognizing its 30 years in business and what we can expect from the drugmaker as it relates to marketing in the months and years ahead.

And for our Trends segment, executive editor Jack O’Brien is joined by editor-at-large Steve Madden and pharma editor Lecia Bushak to talk through the FDA’s proposed de facto pharma ad ban now that the dust has settled — at least a little bit.