Boring Never Looked So Good
Client
Client
Client
oHCM Tx
Category
Industry
Healthcare
DTC
About
The IPG Bold Beginners program was comprised of 108 interns across various roles. For the Pitch Project, we were paired off into 8 teams: half for Cologuard and half for a launch drug indicated for Obstructive Hypertrophic Myopathy (oHCM).
My team, TYI or Transforming Your Ideas (we also respond to Tired Young Interns), was given an RFP for a launch drug for oHCM. In under two months, we created a brief that guided our strategy and campaign.
The Disease
OHCM is a rare disease that impacts 1 in every 500 people, with thousands more undiagnosed. It is a genetically dominant condition where the left ventricle walls are thickened, impairing blood flow from the heart. Symptoms include:
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Arrhythmia
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Chest pain (especially during activity)
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Fatigue and brain fog
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Fluttering sensation in the chest
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Shortness of breath
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Swelling in the lower extremities
Further magnifying the disease, 70% of all diagnosed HCM cases are obstructive, increasing the risk of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and sudden cardiac death. OHCM is a debilitating and individualized disease due to the lack of awareness and gradual or non-apparent symptoms, often leading to misdiagnosis or no diagnosis at all. Even if correctly diagnosed, PLWoHCM endure a challenging journey marked by inconsistent care and suboptimal treatments – resulting in persistent fear, anxiety and restrictive lifestyles.
The Client Ask
Our team was tasked to partner with a non-pharma corporation and create a DTC campaign and initiative that elevates the urgency for PLWoHCM and their loved ones to advocate for this new treatment. A key component of this ask was to challenge the idea of “good enough” as seen by the current treatment options and inspire PLWoHCM to not settle and choose us.
Our Audience: Gen-X and Baby Boomers with oHCM in the U.S.
PLWoHCM experience a range of symptoms from minor inconveniences to complete disability. 78% of those surveyed feel physically limited in some way due to oHCM. According to the HCMA, 80% are unable to do any vigorous exercise. Emotionally, they feel fear, uncertainty, anxiety, and depression due to their condition, long and costly diagnostic journey, and limited social participation.
The Brief
Our brief was built on an understanding and empathy that PLWoHCM have put their hearts on the line for restrictive treatments, making the ordinary a constant struggle. Because of factors like inflexible dosing that delay optimal efficacy, PLWoHCM are forced to face high stakes consequences that trap them in uncertainty. We recognized that our job as TYI was to inspire PLWoHCM to choose us for our flexibility, safety and efficacy and to create a campaign that encourages PLWoHCM to feel free to reclaim the regular.
The Strategy
By Q2 of 2025, our campaign would roll out into everday spaces, digitally and physically to get the most out of our limited budget. For OOH, we would display static and interactive ads in major cities. Online, we would run banner ads that link to our microsite, where PLWoHCM can subscribe to a monthly newsletter. Our last component is our non-pharma partnership with a beautifully boring brand: Crocs.
The Campaign
We began our ideation process with the understanding and insight that PLWoHCM includes an array of diverse individuals who share the collective desire to feel like themselves again. The ability to do boring tasks feels like a luxury to PLWoHCM, but with our drug, it feels exactly how it should: boring. This ultimately gave way to our tagline Boring Never Felt So Good.
The Partnership
To find the ideal partner, we asked ourselves, “What brand can best tell the story of providing PLWoHCM the freedom to reclaim the regular?” Without a doubt, we couldn’t think of a brand better than Crocs, who has the most iconic resurgence from boring to cool.
Our treatment and Crocs share some of the same characteristics such as: flexible, effective, comfortable, and customizable. With our beautifully boring non-pharma partnership, PLWoHCM can now Croc Their Boring with our treatment. With heart shaped Jibbitz, each pair is unique and acts as an awareness symbol for the oHCM and people living with it.
OOH Static
We took boring situations and glamorized them. With clean background visuals and “bored” participants in their Crocs, we wanted to show PLWoHCM that their “boring” is no longer a luxury. By strategically placing our OOH ads in places such as supermarkets, subways, and bus shelters – we are reaching our target market in everyday settings they frequently visit.
To inspire PLWoHCM to choose us as their first-line treatment, we demonstrated the agency we can provide. With their new gained confidence and control, PLWoHCM will be able to perform everyday tasks they thought were impossible because of their oHCM. Taking a lighthearted yet empathic approach, we created copy and concepts that encompasses how boring can turn into something exciting and rewarding.
OOH Digital
Our OOH interactive billboard will boost awareness and get audiences to participate in our “Boring Never Felt So Good” campaign. We prompt people passing by to “Strike a Pose,” and have their image taken with our campaign visuals, allowing everyone to be the model for our campaign. By adding QR codes across all OOH ads, we provide direct access to our microsite and save their images while learning about oHCM.
Digital Banner Ads
Our digital banner ads show them how our drug will bring back their boring. We focused on highlighting the drug’s strongest differentiators from competitors (not shown), while building on the concept of “life doesn’t wait...” to drive PLWoHCM back to their boring.
In Closing....
Our overall campaign aims to start overdue conversations about living with a restrictive disease and create a meaningful link between unspoken boring and PLWoHCM's unspoken barriers. We believe everyone deserves the freedom to reclaim their regular and our hope is to offer people exactly that.
As TYI, each of us brought something consequential and unique to our campaign, ultimately allowing for a strong and effective agency that can gather sharp insights and create meaningful ads that reach all audiences. We believe in each other and this campaign and are confident that our hard work and creative problem-solving skills give way to a distinct, powerful, and exciting answer to effective oHCM symptom management.
Lastly, a BIG heartfelt thank you to TYI, our mentors, coaches and campus recruitment leaders.
Art: Georgia Chen, Red Moser, and Shu Chen
Supporting copy: Lindy Truitt and Kelly Troop
Strategy: Sarah Evans and Chloe Dill
Project Management: Michelle Chen
Account Management: Grace Novak, Navya Sirohi, and Adithya Santhosh
Regulatory operations: Stephanie Wu