How ‘The Eyebrow’ Sparked a Global Messaging Lesson

When I worked for a global med tech company, we had one distributor who insisted on calling an acetabular liner for hip implants ‘the eyebrow.’

Apparently, in their language, the shape made sense. In ours—it sounded like a bad translation or a worse rebrand.

This was one of many moments that taught me the importance of version control and a clear messaging matrix.

In healthcare, local nuance matters—but consistency matters more.

When you let each region, partner, or sales team create their own version of the story, you risk losing clarity, credibility, and even compliance.

One misplaced claim can set your approvals back by months.

Here’s what helps us avoid version chaos:

1. Create a core messaging matrix with room for local variation, without altering the value story.

2. Build your claims matrix with regulatory and legal from the start, so local teams know what they can and can’t say.

3. Set up a clear versioning system: every update, every market, every language gets tracked.

4. Empower your local teams with editable templates and training, not carte blanche.

5. Keep your global brand guidelines strict but flexible enough to accommodate necessary nuance.

Your product story should adapt to local markets, but it shouldn’t mutate.

Because when messaging goes rogue, your brand equity, compliance status, and even sales performance suffer.