Because this initiative is unbranded, we had to refrain from making any mention of product names that would necessitate contextual safety information. We were also instructed to consistently refer patients to their healthcare professional team for questions/guidance regarding their health, medications, and diet.

The Through Thick and Thin blog speaks to teens about a range of health issues in a high-density, high-interaction community (Tumblr) where CF patients actively share and consume information with their peers & check on what’s new.

In this visually focused community, content is easily consumed and users can operate on a sliding scale of anonymity – two main points of consideration for the CF teen audience.

Through Thick and Thin launched with 12 original content posts that were quickly followed by 45 more. Blog posts were created in a variety of rich communication mediums to help teens with medication adherence/storage, symptom identification, nutrition, motivation, inspiration, and working with their care team.

Execution of Through Thick and Thin took approximately 9 months from conception to blog launch. Critical to implementation was the development of a review and launch process that ensured regular post deployments. Each post is uploaded to Tumblr per a strategic editorial calendar that mimics the community engagement to amplify our presence. Additional posts will be created; 6 additional months of content are approved for 2016. This will be followed by another 12 months of content. It is anticipated that posts will be rediscovered long after their initial deployment via strategically chosen hast tags. Through Thick and Thin will also be promoted via print materials at CF support centers.

Based on initial analytics, patients are engaging with the content in record numbers. Within the first 8 days of launch, one post had the 2nd highest engagement rate ever for a post tagged with #cystic fibrosis. Of the top 5 Tumblr blog posts with the cystic fibrosis hash tag, 4 reside on Through Thick and Thin. Within the first 30 days, the blog had 1000 followers. Tumblr’s benchmark for content reblog rate is 25%. Through Thick and Thin is at 32%. Content engagement is also growing organically. CF patients are actively engaging with content. One post was reblogged by 5 different influential CF accounts prior to any paid promotion being applied to the post.

The strategy began in an immersive behavioral design session where, working from social listening and primary and secondary data, key behaviors were identified as change agents for adherence. The social listening also provided insight into where the initiative would live; research unearthed a thriving community within the cystic fibrosis hashtags on Tumblr. After analyzing the content teens liked to share, content buckets were created to align with their goal of disease awareness as well as the behaviors key to adherence. As an overarching filter for all work produced, a social purpose was formed – decoding daily food intake. To ensure our approach matched the community's needs, several influencers were invited to an online ‘mood board review’ where they gave feedback in how to best serve the cystic fibrosis population. Influencers were also built into the editorial schedule so their personal experiences could juxtapose the adherence content on the blog.

Cystic fibrosis (CF), an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that occurs in approximately one of every 2,500 live births in the United States, is characterized by multi-organ system involvement, primarily affecting the lungs and the digestive tract.

CF teens face unique challenges as they take on more responsibility in their treatment management. Some teens rise to the challenge, but more often CF teens prioritize other areas of their lives over their health. This is a time when habits are formed which they will carry on into their adult life.

Unfortunately, very little audience-specific content is available for these transitioning teens, which is exactly why the Through Thick and Thin Tumblr blog was created. The blog speaks to teens about a range of health issues in a high-density, high-interaction community (Tumblr) where CF patients actively share and consume information with their peers & check on what’s new.