In 2023, Moderna was ready to introduce its newly branded vaccine, Spikevax, to HCPs. But HCPs were struggling. Post-pandemic commercialization had left them with the responsibility of purchasing and administering vaccines to a populace that didn’t want anything to do with vaccines anymore.

How could we launch Spikevax and inspire HCPs to keep vaccinating their patients?

We needed a new conversation. A way to combat cultural dismissiveness, gain brand reputability, and result in shots-in-arms. We needed to make Spikevax something worth celebrating. And we needed to do it in a quick, authentic, and memorable way.

For HCPs to care about Spikevax, it had to become a source of pride. Its campaign needed to feel heroic; more lifestyle and action-based than standard pharma. So, we made Spikevax a verb. Then we hired one of the biggest names in sports photography to capture a diverse range of people and the unique actions they take to better their bodies.

By elevating Spikevax from name to verb, it became more than just a vaccine. By showcasing an authentic patient demographic, it became inclusive and commanding. And by juxtaposing these two ideas together, we were able to layer our messaging in a meaningful way—ultimately presenting the onus of vaccination to HCPs in a positive, compelling light.

Our audience is HCPs who administer and influence COVID-19 vaccinations, including general practitioners, geriatricians, and pharmacists. These HCPs are overworked and burned out, and while they understand the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, they don’t actively prioritize them anymore.

Our strategy revolved around simplifying the role of the HCP and positioning COVID vaccination (with Spikevax) as a big part of what healthy people do to stay healthy. We needed to show HCPs that a COVID prevention routine with Spikevax gives them an easy way to integrate COVID-19 protection alongside their patient’s other health rituals.

The campaign launched in the summer of 2023 starting with a robust website providing resources to HCP’s including ordering information. The campaign soared into multiple channels – social media, digital display, print and custom content. A global and national presence included:

• Social: Meta (Facebook/Instagram, Doximity and Sermo)

• Digital Display: Medscape, Haymarket, RNXT, Drug Topics, Conferences and AdTheorant

• Print: Drug Topics NACDS TSD, NCPA, ID Week

• Custom Content: Doximity and Medscape

• HCP brand awareness grew 55% (+18pp)

• HCP brand preference grew 93% (+14pp)

• Moderna COVID-19 market share increased 30% (+11pp) from December 2022

• HCPs had Spikevax’d 22 million people by the 2nd half of 2023