Having crossed over from the world of product marketing to the agency side, I’ve had the opportunity to see medical device and diagnostic product launches from a different perspective.  I now have the luxury of focusing on the planning and execution of the communication plan, without the responsibility of getting the product through the product development process.  From this vantage point, I have gained a greater appreciation of the value of having a creative theme. I knew it was helpful to have one – but I never had time to consider why.  Recently I was asked “Why do we need to spend time developing a creative theme?”  To answer, I drew on my experience as a product manager.