Targeting the Toughest Diseases (Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Bloomberg Media Studios, and Weber Shandwick)
Eleven years ago, Vertex Pharmaceuticals received FDA approval for the first drug to treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF). With a mission to create transformative medicines for people with other serious diseases, Vertex was one of the first biotechs to use a rational drug design strategy: determine the problems that need to be solved and find tools to potentially fix them.
However, the business and science community continued to perceive Vertex as just a CF company. They questioned what, at first glance, appeared to be a disparate therapeutic pipeline. Finding that familiarity drives favorability, Vertex needed to tell a story that would increase awareness of its unique R&D strategy. Additionally, research revealed that Vertex’s priority audiences were heavy podcast listeners. The team set out to captivate audiences with storytelling showcasing Vertex’s brand advantage.
Vertex engaged Weber Shandwick and Bloomberg Media Studios to create a podcast. Pulling together disease experts, inside and outside of Vertex, and people living with serious diseases, the team produced “Targeting the Toughest Diseases.” Host and investigative journalist Jordan Gass-Pooré talks with experts to sift through the fascinating clues around unsolved diseases. Each episode also brings in patient perspectives, such as basketball Hall-of-Famer Alonzo Mourning.
The podcast was published on Vertex, Bloomberg websites, and all other major streaming platforms. It reached influential audiences through social, ads, and feed drops on Bloomberg properties. And 95% of audiences reported that the podcast helped them understand Vertex’s R&D strategy clearly.
With more than 81,000 downloads of the series, “Targeting the Toughest Diseases” remains one of the most listened to custom-content podcasts Bloomberg Media Studios has ever produced.
