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Pain that
tells a story
Novartis – Disease Awareness Campaign
SpArrow
Request
Industry: Pharma
Creating awareness around a rare back condition
Novartis wanted to raise awareness of axial spondyloarthritis among people with back pain and general practitioners, with the aim of encouraging earlier referrals of patients with suspected symptoms to a rheumatologist. The challenge was to create an emotional, relatable story around a condition that often goes undetected for too long.
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Tom Ceck the artist in the process of creating artworks that can express the pain symptoms.
True north
It probably isn't...
Many people with back pain wait too long before taking action. They downplay the warning signs, postpone visiting their doctor and hope the pain will go away on its own. This was exactly the moment we wanted to reach them, before it was too late. The challenge was to connect with people when they first experienced symptoms and encourage them to take action before their condition worsened.
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Ideation
Bringing authentic stories to life through art
We introduced a concept in which patients shared their experiences of back pain with a visual artist, who then transformed their stories into works of art. This artistic interpretation of pain made the message more human, intriguing and relatable. The aim was to show that something seemingly minor can become a major issue. By visualising and sharing authentic stories of back pain, we highlighted the importance of early recognition.
Creation
From words to art
In collaboration with Novartis, we carefully selected an artist and four patients, each with their own personal story of back pain. We began with in-depth interviews in which the patients shared their experiences, inspiring the artist's creative process. Weeks later, we invited the patients to the artist's studio for further conversations and the unveiling of their stories in visual form. These moments made us even more aware of the importance of this campaign.
Deliverables
Concept
Storytelling
Copywriting
Art direction
Short documentary production
Social media content
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Activation
A two-track social media campaign
The campaign primarily targeted potential patients through social media. In addition, general practitioners were reached through a poster and leaflet that linked directly to a dedicated campaign landing page.
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How our creativity makes a difference
For patients with axSpA, the journey towards a diagnosis is often long and challenging, filled with numerous treatments, searches for answers and uncertainty. This campaign demonstrates that authentic storytelling remains the most powerful foundation: finding the right stories and presenting them to the right audience in a visually distinctive way.
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“The client was deeply moved by the result. The campaign is seen as an example of how a small campaign can be both different and highly effective. The paintings are now displayed in the Novartis office.”