In a world where one in two people receive a cancer diagnosis, and often live with it for decades, experts have argued that the perceptions of cancer need to become more honest – beyond the extremes of deaths and cures.

Yet, many Pharma companies continue to speak about cancer as a disease to be beaten or cured. In 2020 late Dame Deborah James told us she hoped to see a change in the narrative, moving away from these binary interpretations.

It was time for a new story - one that stood out by showing the complexities of living with cancer.

We departed from traditional corporate content by giving the platform entirely to Leanne Pero and let her use her own words to describe her breast cancer experience.

We wanted to provide people a with real, human account of what they can expect after receiving a similar diagnosis.

Three creative territories from themes identified during research from patients and HCPs:

• Words Matter. For some, there is stigma, blame or shame attached to a cancer diagnosis. How the world talks about cancer can be as difficult for those with a diagnosis as treating the disease.

• Radical Honesty. Cancer treatment isn’t just about cures or longer life – it’s about how you want to live. There’s more to the science than breakthrough drugs and miracle cures.

• Embracing Complexity. Cancer is messy, complex and individual. There is no easy one-size-fits-all solution to the treatment of cancer.

By channeling all three territories into our overall creative theme – “Let’s Talk About the C Word” – we aimed to subvert the usual expectations of a Pharma cancer film, by replacing bombastic talk of “cures” and “conquering” with a new, empathetic narrative that would truly resonate with our audiences.

In a world where one in two people will receive a cancer diagnosis, and often live with it for decades, experts have argued perceptions of cancer need to become more honest – beyond the extremes of deaths and cures.

Yet, when we investigated how Pharma talked about cancer, we discovered many companies still overwhelmingly spoke about it in terms of “conquering cancer”. And our audiences hated it.

“[Pharma] dumbs down the conversation too much when they talk about cures,” one patient told us during research interviews.

“You need to embrace the dirtiness that is cancer and educate about complexity,” said another.

A cancer nurse told us: “When I hear talk about cures, I can’t bear it…it’s too simple and not honest really.”

So in 2022 it was time for a new story - one that would stand out from the pack by exploring the under-recognised complexities of living with cancer.

Leanne shares an authentic story, through a long-form hero film that aims to help normalise cancer and educate others that a cancer diagnosis isn’t the end. At one point she even tells us cancer made her life “better”.

The film balances Leanne’s past with her present, and the important moments before her diagnosis, through photographs, illustration, film, and interviews. All as her niece performs a dance, symbolising the young Leanne.

Designed so different pieces of the film could live independently without feeling disjointed – allowing us to extend the life and reach of the content:

• The hero film was rolled out across Novartis channels

• We also created a series of shorter “moving portraits” to help drive viewers to the hero film through enticing snippets

• Additional bitesize assets were also created to go deeper into the key themes of embracing complexity, radical honesty, and the importance of language

Across all platforms, “Let’s Talk About the C Word” video assets reached nearly 12 million people.

Organic: 575k impressions of social content, 102k video views from Youtube and social channels, 8k engagements, 4.5k link clicks

Paid: 11.2 million impressions, 5.5m video views, 61.5k engagements, 44k link clicks

Included campaigns targeting HCPs and oncology policy influencers which generated 2.1 million impressions, 700k video views, 3.3k link clicks, 12.4k engagements

Reception from viewers and cancer influencers was overwhelmingly positive:

“It’s great – very powerful” Lucie Kon, Commissioning Editor at BBC Storyville diagnosed with BC

“I think what you have created is both powerful and moving…There is no escaping that people die, but some people go on to live many years and others whole lifetimes. It is important we see the breadth of stories around the disease both living and dying with cancer in all its complexities." Cara Hoofe, Campaigner diagnosed with BC.