Challenges
​The hearing aid industry is rapidly evolving with digital innovation, rising patient expectations, and fierce competition. For a Swiss manufacturer planning a major acquisition, financial due diligence alone was insufficient. The key risk lay in unclear brand equity and digital presence, which directly shape trust, adoption, and market success. The challenge was to gain a clear, data-driven view of brand strength to guide a high-stakes investment.
Approach
SILREAL supported Sonova, leading Swiss hearing aid manufacturer in evaluating the digital brand equity of a potential acquisition target. By combining benchmark research, digital performance analysis, and market intelligence, the project delivered a clear, data-driven assessment of brand strength and competitive positioning to inform due diligence.
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​Brand Benchmarking & Analysis: Conducted structured evaluations of the target’s reputation within the hearing aid industry. Used customer surveys, stakeholder interviews, and social listening to measure perceptions of brand trust, innovation, and credibility against competitors.
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​Digital Performance Assessment: Analyzed the target’s search engine visibility, SEO effectiveness, paid media activity, online marketing campaigns, and performance on digital marketplaces. Benchmarked results against industry peers to assess competitiveness in digital channels.
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Market Intelligence & Positioning: Investigated sector dynamics, including shifts in patient expectations, adoption of digital health and tele-audiology tools, and the role of audiologist recommendations. Compared competitor strategies to identify differentiation and growth potential.
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Due Diligence Integration: Synthesized qualitative and quantitative findings into a comprehensive brand equity and digital readiness report. Provided actionable insights to the client’s executive and investment teams, ensuring acquisition decisions were grounded in evidence-based brand and digital metrics.
Result
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Stronger Acquisition Due Diligence: Delivered a comprehensive digital brand equity report that enabled the client to evaluate the acquisition target beyond financial metrics, reducing risk and strengthening negotiation power.
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Stronger Acquisition Due Diligence: Delivered a comprehensive digital brand equity report that enabled the client to evaluate the acquisition target beyond financial metrics, reducing risk and strengthening negotiation power.
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Data-Driven Investment Decision: Equipped the client’s leadership and investment teams with quantitative benchmarks and qualitative insights, ensuring acquisition decisions were informed by robust market intelligence.
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Competitive Advantage in MedTech: Highlighted opportunities for digital growth, patient engagement, and audiologist-driven adoption, positioning the client to capture long-term value from the acquisition.
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Enhanced Strategic Confidence: By turning fragmented perceptions into measurable metrics, SILREAL empowered the client to proceed with confidence, ensuring the acquisition supported sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving medtech market.