MRM, a top global digital agency, redeveloped the platform, user experience, and content for the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center Website (www.nbdiabetes.org/) —and gave it a completely new look. The pro bono project helps bring the powerful story of the Berrie Center to life — reflecting the warm, dynamic, approachable nature of the actual center in the digital space.

The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, located at Columbia University Medical Center, combines an unequaled model for family-oriented patient care and education with world-class diabetes research programs. The new site design, enhanced user experience and improved platform emphasize the Berrie Center’s excellence and close collaboration between patient care and research so that patients benefit from research advances as rapidly as possible. The Berrie Center worked with the digital, creative and technology teams at MRM to help reflect its distinctive connection between care and research throughout its online destination.

“MRM brought our vision to life,” said Robin Goland, MD, J. Merrill Eastman Professor of Clinical Diabetes at Columbia University, Co-Founder & Co-Director, Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center. “We wanted the Website to capture the essence of the Berrie Center, which has been a challenge because what we offer is so unique. MRM “got it”, right at the start. And then they put their heart into developing an online destination that is patient-friendly, warm, and easy to navigate. It was a pleasure and privilege to work with them.”

MRM provided key developments with this new Website that have positioned the Berrie Center for greater success. Major highlights of the site include:

• Research: The important, groundbreaking research done at the Center was brought to the forefront of the web experience. The Berrie Center is known for its unique, hands-on approach to care – and the site now demonstrates the benefit of that patient care so closely aligned to the research.
• Fundraising & Volunteering: More opportunities to donate and register to volunteer have been incorporated throughout the site, along with further explanation about what goes into the 360° care provided by the Berrie Center, and what is needed to keep that going.
• News & Events: Ongoing news and events have a more significant presence: the sections are more user friendly, and built on a new content management system (CMS) platform, enabling the center to keep the content fresh.

"Once our team set foot inside the Berrie Center, we acquired our own passion for this remarkable place,” said Marcy Q. Samet, EVP, Managing Director, MRM Princeton. "It was a true privilege to bring to life, through our digital expertise, the holistic approach of the Berrie Center and the dedication of its people. We were both inspired and empowered working with the Berrie Center Advocacy Committee, led by Dr. Robin Goland; Troy Finn, Development Director of the Berrie Center; Nancy Rabstejnek Nichols of Weber Shandwick; Debra Gaynor of Marina Maher Communications, Inc; and Ray Roel of McCann Worldgroup.”

About MRM

MRM is a top global digital agency made up of a diverse collection of craftspeople focused on creativity, performance and technology. MRM offers a suite of capabilities including branding, strategy, relationship marketing, design, measurement & analytics, mobile, search, social, loyalty programs, platform & application development, system integration, engagement planning, asset production, & asset distribution. The agency has 31 offices in 22 countries and counts Bristol-Myers Squibb, General Mills, General Motors, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Nestlé, U.S. ARMY, Verizon and Wells Fargo among its clients. MRM is a part of McCann Worldgroup, an Interpublic company. For more information, please visit www.mrmworldwide.com.

About the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center

The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center, named after Russ Berrie’s mother who, like her son, had diabetes, opened in the Russ Berrie Medical Science Pavilion at Columbia University Medical Center in October 1998. The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center combines unprecedented family-oriented patient care and education with world-class diabetes research programs.