SITUATION

Pfizer faced several challenges:

Societal:

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, public opinion about the role of science in society declined significantly. Due to the spread of misinformation, trust in scientists dropped 14 percentage points compared to early stages of the pandemic.

Brand:

Like most of the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer had experienced a significant decline in consumer trust by 2023. The sentiment of mentions of Pfizer in social media was overwhelmingly negative.

Business:

People either credit or criticize Pfizer for developing the COVID-19 vaccine, but they don’t associate Pfizer with much else in science and medicine.

BRIEF

Re-launch the Pfizer brand and its new brand platform, “Outdo Yesterday.”

OBJECTIVES

- Rebuild public trust in science and medical research.

- Improve Pfizer’s brand reputation and consumer trust.

- Increase awareness of Pfizer Oncology and its mission to deliver cancer breakthroughs that change lives.

LetsOutdoCancer.com leads the charge against cancer, embodying Pfizer's urgent mission to outpace, outsmart, and outmaneuver cancer at every turn. The site, born from Pfizer's 175-year legacy, rallies humanity against cancer, signaling a steadfast commitment to future oncology breakthroughs. It draws on the lessons of the past and the hopes of today to forge tomorrow's cancer cures.

Crafted with a “human first" approach, LetsOutdoCancer.com emphasizes patient stories, clear language, and content centered on the patient experience. This design aims to rebuild trust in the brand by providing accessible and empathetic resources for patients and caregivers.

The site also encourages clinical trial participation through a dedicated landing page showcasing ongoing studies, crucial for advancing cancer research. Demonstrating Pfizer's efficiency and commitment, the project moved from concept to launch in less than a month, coinciding with Super Bowl weekend beginning on February 8.

There are millions of Americans who already trust science, and millions more who never will. We’re focused on the “Movable Middle” who can be convinced to trust Pfizer. But we had secondary audiences that included people impacted by cancer, Pfizer employees, healthcare providers, key opinion leaders, investors, and the trade press.

Our strategy was to build an omnichannel immersive campaign experience unlike any ever launched by a pharmaceutical brand. We would ignite the media engine with a :60 spot in the most-watched cultural event of the year, the Super Bowl.

We surrounded the game with connected TV, dynamic digital out-of-home, sponsored radio chatter, paid social and search, targeted cinema, programmatic display, and OLV. Our immersive media ecosystem brought people into the brand in an entirely unexpected, new, and effective way.

In times of a health crisis, the internet is often the first place people turn to for information, support, and resources. LetsOutdoCancer.com does two things: it meets people where they are, and it boldly telegraphs Pfizer's unwavering commitment to help them fight cancer.

Crafted with empathy at its core, our site is meant to be the first and fiercest ally for patients and their loved ones who are together battling cancer—offering a wealth of resources, support, and guidance. We hoped to create the go-to destination for those seeking information and solace in a time of difficulty. 

Launching at Super Bowl 2024, we developed a site to serve as Pfizer Oncology's digital front door, designed and written for a national audience, called LetsOutdoCancer.com. The site highlighted Pfizer’s expanded scientific advancements and Oncology product pipeline, announced Pfizer’s partnership with the American Cancer Society, provided valuable patient resources, and promoted participation in Pfizer Clinical Trials.

The site achieves all this while showcasing a spirit of transformation, unending development, and the raw human emotion driving Pfizer’s pursuit. We greeted visitors with visuals of cancer itself, animated in never-before-seen ways--more like modern art than a dreaded disease--at the same time serving up a pathway to learning and to action, as the digital platform experience that brought a Super Bowl campaign off the screen and into the nation’s hands.

Pfizer saw significant lift in key perceptions among those exposed to ads who recognized the brand vs. unexposed audiences:

- 71% agree “Pfizer is a company I trust” (+22 points)

- 81% agree “Pfizer is an industry leader” (+26 points)

- 67% agree “Pfizer offers a wide range of treatments and medications” (+16 points)

- 46% agree “Pfizer is known for cancer” (+15 points)

64% of those who recognized the brand said they would be “Somewhat” or “Very likely” to sign up for Pfizer clinical trials (+29 points vs. unexposed).

Among physicians, Pfizer improved perceptions as “inspiring” (+14 points), and “known for cancer” (+18 points).

2MM+ people spent an average of 2:30 on LetsOutdoCancer.com (2.5x goal and Pfizer record), and Pfizer saw a 14x increase in searches for Pfizer Oncology keywords.

YouGov Brand Index study found that Pfizer ranked #1 among 2,000+ brands for positive brand metric movement, Jan-Feb 2024.