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Discipline: Campaign | Role: Design Lead | Year: 2021 | Location: Boston/New York
Born out of the Broad Institute at MIT, Foundation Medicine began genomic testing in cancer treatment. While the company's scientific authority was clear, its communications still spoke like a startup lab, leaving patients feeling overwhelmed rather than empowered. When the company committed to bolder, more declarative language across its comms, our team was asked to bring that same boldness to the visuals.
The Solution
In a competitive landscape where stock photography and a detached clinical tone were the norm, I decided to tell a human story that showed where our impact was felt. The concept was built on the premise that clarity and authenticity were how the company could speak most boldly about its mission.
It was critical to feature real patients in place of models—seeing their lives outside of cancer carried real impact. I designed the system to layer color, copy, and photography in a flexible way so it could work across channels, and hold up when photography wasn't an option. This concept was chosen over an internally pitched alternative, and from there I led the campaign's execution.
Making It Stand Out
Rather than models, I worked with real patients and caregivers, focusing on their passions, instead of their diagnosis. I refined the campaign around that cast: location, wardrobe, shot list, all shaped by their real lives. One patient told us he loved working on vintage cars, and we sourced a similar one specifically for the shoot.
The campaign had to work at scale, including production of environmental graphics at six buildings across two countries, bus wraps, trade show booths, a homepage takeover, paid and organic social, and print. I directed a team of designers to help translate the concept across every one of those touch points.
Adjusting wardrobe on set. That's me, on the left.
Outcomes
The campaign ran as Foundation Medicine's brand platform for two years, even as the company's story evolved. Several of the patients we featured stayed on as speakers and became advocates for the brand, choosing to keep representing it long after their part was done.
Select Collaborators:
Creative Direction: Katie Noyes
Art Direction: Kate Saliba
Photography: Meredith Jenks
Production: First\Light