Pfizer’s Science Will Win podcast takes listeners under the microscope on some of the most promising medical innovations, exploring therapies which have the potential to shape the future of healthcare and offer new hope to patients around the world. Through conversations with a diverse line-up of guests, including scientists and experts, patient advocates and, most importantly, patients themselves, each mini-series focuses on a unique healthcare challenge, diving into the fascinating science, policy challenges and potential to transform patients’ lives for the better.
Season 4 tackles the question: What challenges did science have to overcome to bring us where we are today, in the midst of an AI revolution in medicine? Artificial intelligence has the potential to help save millions of lives by accelerating the discovery and development of treatments for humanity’s toughest diseases. Those AI innovations come down to three key factors: data, hardware, software. This season takes listeners on a journey back in time to learn how each of these three elements got where it is today.
Science Will Win is hosted by tech investor and AI thought leader Jeremiah Owyang. Each episode features interviews with historians and cutting-edge researchers, framing these deep historical dives within modern advancements in medical technology. They dive into the rise of "omics" and single-cell sequencing, the critical role of computational resources, and the evolution of AI-powered software. This season reveals how these innovations are revolutionizing drug development and offers a glimpse into the exciting possibilities ahead in the quest for new medicines.
The challenge was clear: by 2024, AI dominated headlines and conversations, creating a crowded and saturated landscape. To stand out, we needed to translate a complex, technical topic into something human, memorable, and accessible. At the same time, the public still strongly associated Pfizer with COVID-19, we hoped to expand the narrative, positioning Pfizer as a forward-thinking leader at the intersection of science, medicine, and technology.
Our answer was to focus on craft. Rather than adding another generic AI story to the mix, we designed a listening experience that felt distinctive—built on narrative storytelling, immersive sound design, and a range of expert voices. Podcasting became the natural medium: intimate, flexible, and increasingly popular, with audiences dedicating more time to podcasts than ever before. It offered the perfect way to combine compelling storytelling with credible expertise, making technical ideas like AI in medicine engaging for both science enthusiasts and the general public.
Execution began with developing a season that blended immersive narrative with expert voices. We opened each episode with a cold open designed like a time capsule, using rich sound design and storytelling to place the listener in a specific moment before moving into conversations with historians, researchers, and technologists. This format not only captured attention but also created a rhythm that made the content engaging and digestible.
Promotion was equally important. We designed a multichannel strategy to maximize reach and impact: teaser content on social media, paid amplification throughout the season, placements across digital and print, and internal advocacy to turn colleagues into champions of the series. We leveraged research and analytics to choose the right channels, ensuring we weren’t just producing great content but also connecting with the right audiences.
Key features of the project went beyond the digital space. To extend the conversation, we brought the series to live audiences with SXSW Podcast Lounge takeovers in 2024 and 2025. These interactive panels on healthcare innovation created opportunities for listeners to engage directly with the themes of the series, expanding reach and adding a dynamic, in-person element to the storytelling.
What makes the work unique is the marriage of strategy and creativity. We didn’t just deliver information; we built an experience that let people feel part of the story. The combination of immersive audio design, credible voices, and smart promotion elevated the project into something greater than a podcast—it became a platform for engagement, curiosity, and dialogue about the future of science and medicine.
Tactics:
Pfizer.com
Podcast Platforms
Social Promotion
Digital Banners
In-Podcast App Advertisements
Newsletters
Live-events
Science Will Win hit over 2 million downloads with this latest season, marking a huge milestone for the podcast. And promotion of the podcast’s fourth season resulted in a 25% increase in average downloads per episode from the previous season. These strong results were a combination of paid media, activating a multi-channel amplification approach and leveraged research and insights to guide our strategy and channel usage.
Season 4 of Science Will Win debuted in the top 1% of podcasts globally. As of March 2025, SWW had broken into the top 10 on the Apple Podcasts: United States of America: Life Sciences chart. It also topped the science charts around the world, including Great Britain, Spain, India, Ireland, Greece, and many more.
The results indicate that podcasting was an ideal way to reach the public globally on a high-science topic, which paves the way for future/upcoming Science Will Win episodes.
Results:
Increase in average downloads (Season 3 to Season 4): 25%
Impressions: 86+ million
Currently in the top 1% of podcasts globally
