Best of August 2024
August Roars with Pharma’s Boldest Work
As the rest of the world spent their August trying to soak in the last days of summer, a few Pharma stalwarts decided to take the Pharma space in bold new directions. Two campaigns caught my eye, or perhaps more appropriately my ears, as they adopted a voice that represents a daring departure from the traditional tone we've come to expect in healthcare advertising. Lilly's "Fight Like Hell" and Pfizer's "I Got My Sh*t Together" are not just campaigns—they're powerful statements that signal a new era in Pharma marketing.
Lilly’s “One Body” (aka “Fight Like Hell”)
Lilly's "Fight Like Hell" campaign is a raw and unfiltered call to action. It resonates deeply with anyone who has faced a significant health challenge. The phrase itself is aggressive, unapologetic, and charged with emotion. It acknowledges the brutal reality of battling severe illnesses and doesn't shy away from the struggle involved. Having worked closely with Lilly earlier in my career, it is not a tone that I would have expected from the often cordial and inviting Indianapolis native, it’s brasher, challenging and more in your face. But it is a brilliant build on their U.S. Olympic team partnership (covered here) and even stronger supplemented with their support of the U.S. Paralympic Team.
What makes this campaign stand out is its authenticity and its brilliantly simple storytelling. Instead of presenting a sanitized (or worse yet, sun-washed) version of illness, it embraces the gritty fight that patients endure daily. It equates the struggles and the triumphs of the athlete to those of the patient. By doing so, Lilly positions itself not just as a pharmaceutical company but as a partner standing shoulder-to-shoulder with athletes and patients through their toughest battles. It announces that they’ll fight their hardest to help them achieve their greatest victories, one body and one patient at a time. It's a courageous statement that breaks through the noise and connects on a profoundly human level. It’s inspirational, reflective, sad and profoundly personal, all in 60 seconds. Bravo Lilly, please pass the Kleenex.
Pfizer’s “I Got My Sh*t Together”
Let me set the scene for you on this one. I’m slaving away in the kitchen on a Sunday night trying to produce a dinner line-up that will suit the extremely divergent palettes of my family while my kids watch TV and make a mess (that they wouldn’t consider cleaning up unless prompted several times). There’s pots boiling on the stove, the air fryer is whirring on the counter, and the grill lets out a pleasant but persistent stream of smoke from the patio. That’s when a commercial comes on and I hear the refrain, “I got my sh*t together,” with the word “sh*t” bleeped out. I stop, inquisitively, and hear it again, “I got my sh*t together.” And then a third time, for good measure, “the whole class knows I got my sh*t together.” I look up from the cutting board just long enough to almost slice my finger, thinking, that’s not a tagline you hear every day. So you can imagine my surprise to learn it was a commercial from Pfizer, showing people who got their shots together - COVID-19 and Flu Vaccine.
This play on words injects humor and shock-value into the often serious and somber discourse around vaccinations and preventive care - a discourse we are all tired of hearing about despite COVID making a huge comeback this summer (another family story I won’t dare bore with you in this forum). It's a refreshing albeit brash tact that aims to capture attention, reduce apprehension and encourage proactive health management. It made me stand at attention and take note (despite the Michellen-starred culinary battleground that raged on in the background).
The brilliance of this campaign lies in its relatability. By using colloquial language and a saucy twist, Pfizer makes the subject of getting vaccinated more approachable, especially to younger demographics who appreciate a good pun, and encourage getting one’s sh*t together on the reg in real life and in social media. It's a strategic move to foster a positive attitude toward healthcare responsibilities without resorting to fear-based tactics or taking oneself that seriously (always a good play with the youth).
Why These Campaigns Matter
Both campaigns signify a shift in how pharmaceutical companies communicate with the public. Traditionally, Pharma marketing has been conservative, heavily regulated, and oftentimes as dry as overcooked chicken breasts left on the grill too long. The emphasis has always tilted towards compliance and caution, often at the expense of engagement and relatability.
"Fight Like Hell" and "I Got My Shot Together" challenge this norm by adopting tones that are anything but reserved. They're emotive, bold, and, most importantly, they speak directly to the audience's experiences and feelings. This approach not only captures attention but also builds a stronger connection between the brand and the consumer, a connection that can be shockingly missing from healthcare marketing.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Will these campaigns be the harbingers of a new trend in healthcare marketing—one where authenticity trumps polish, and emotional resonance takes precedence over generic messaging? They certainly demonstrate that it's possible to remain within regulatory boundaries while still pushing creative limits. But will they continue to be the exception or start to be the norm? Will we, as healthcare marketers, fight like hell to move the needle on campaign tone and creativity, or will we be content to let the regulations wash over us like so many stock photos of smiling Seniors walking on a beach?
These campaigns should serve as case studies in balancing compliance with innovation. And because they are from two of the biggest and most powerful players in our space, they can open the door for more dynamic and impactful communication strategies that lead to better patient engagement and, ultimately, better health outcomes.
In a field like healthcare where the safe route has long been the default, Lilly and Pfizer's latest campaigns are daring departures that can and should reshape the landscape of Pharma marketing. By choosing to "Fight Like Hell" and help people "Get Their Sh*t Together,” we’re moving beyond promoting products, advocating for a more engaged, relatable and entertaining approach to health.
