Hidden Depths: Transforming Survival into Meaningful Moments

How one pharmaceutical company moved beyond the typical approach of emphasizing survival, and found success by delving deeper into patients' emotional needs.

Metastatic stage IV colon cancer is often viewed as a terminal condition. Pharmaceutical and healthcare communications have typically focused on offering these patients ‘more time.’ But for many in this late stage, the concept of simply extending time feels inadequate.

Through a series of case studies based on our Hidden Depths methodology, we aim to move beyond surface-level customer insights, sparking transformation by truly understanding people at a deeper, human level.

In this case study we’re exploring the time when one multinational life-sciences company launched a promising new treatment for patients with metastatic stage IV colon cancer. They knew they had to connect with them on a deeper level.

Hidden Depths: finding meaning in a different phase of life

Through our Hidden Depths methodology, we explored the unconscious emotional landscape of patients living with metastatic stage IV colon cancer. This psychoanalytic approach was crucial in understanding how these patients perceive their condition, and what they truly value.

Through in-depth interviews and analysis, the HD methodology revealed a key insight: patients do not view themselves as ‘terminal’, but as transitioning into a different phase of life – one where the significance of events and relationships is heightened. The patients expressed a desire not for additional time, but for time filled with meaning. They wanted to experience and be part of meaningful moments– moments such as weddings, births, or other special occasions with their loved ones. These moments, rather than the abstract idea of surviving a few more months, were what made life worth living.

Shifting the narrative

Based on these insights, our client was able to reframe their communication strategy. Instead of focusing on delaying deterioration or preserving quality of life for as long as possible, the campaign centered around “Meaningful Moments of Joy”. The new messaging highlighted how the treatment could enable patients to remain present and engaged in these precious life events – positioning the treatment not to prolong life, but as a way to add meaning to the time that remains.

Building a more compassionate connection

To convey this message, we developed an educational video to reframe how the oncology division thought and spoke about terminal patients. By changing the internal narrative, the team became more aligned with the emotional realities of their patients, helping them to achieve meaningful life experiences.

The new messaging deeply resonated with patients, who felt understood on a more profound level. Rather than seeing the treatment as merely an attempt to extend the inevitable, they began to perceive it as a way to enhance the time they had.

This approach helped build a more authentic, compassionate connection with patients facing the most difficult phase of their illness.