"What happens next?"
"Am I alone in this?"
"Will they listen to me?"
Empathize
To genuinely understand the experiences of newly diagnosed patients, we needed to engage with them openly and compassionately. We conducted interviews with patients, observed them throughout their cancer journey, and spoke with outpatients, staff, and families. This comprehensive research allowed us to grasp the full spectrum of emotions and needs these patients faced during this challenging time.
Personas:
Based on the data gathered, we developed personas that served as our guiding posts throughout the campaign’s development. These personas helped us focus our communications and ensure that our messaging resonated with the patients’ needs and concerns.
At Compass Oncology, you’ll find a culture of listening, collaboration and respect.
Define
The traditional approach in the oncology industry has been methodical and clinical, often overlooking the unique emotional journeys and needs of each individual patient at a vulnerable point in their lives. There is a need for care that is not only medically sound but also deeply compassionate and personalized.
Key Insights:
Our research revealed that patients primarily sought to feel heard and respected. They valued care that was a collaborative process, where their unique journey was acknowledged, and their voices were integral to their treatment plan.
Ideate
Creative Brief:
We initiated the process with a creative brief to align the team on the project’s goals and challenges.
Kickoff Meeting:
During the kickoff meeting, we discussed the problem statement, brainstormed big-picture concepts, and reached a consensus on the most promising ideas to pursue.
Concept Sketches:
I created initial sketches of rough concepts, which I will recreate for illustrative purposes. These sketches explored different ways to visually represent the campaign’s central themes.
Team Discussion:
We reconvened to review and discuss the low-fidelity concepts. The most promising concept centered around our personas, leading to a campaign that highlighted the unwavering support and personalized care Compass Oncology provides to its patients.
Prototype and Test
I crafted mock-ups of the personalized care concept, paying close attention to capturing the right emotional tone. We iterated on the designs until they conveyed the perfect balance of seriousness and hope.
We presented the designs to a small focus group to gather feedback. Based on their input, we refined the copy to be more concise and impactful, ensuring the message was clear and easy to digest.
Final Execution
After receiving client approval, I developed the final version of the print ads, which ran in select publications. The campaign’s success led to its expansion into digital, web, environmental, and direct mail formats.
Campaign Details:
The campaign featured a portrait of a patient with a balanced expression of seriousness and hope. Words like “compassion,” “guidance,” “supportive,” and “collaborative” were wrapped around the image, with “Caring” prominently featured. The headline variations included “Cancer care built around you.” We consistently used a footer we had crafted in a previous campaign to maintain brand consistency.
