Objectives

Not all breast cancer patients feel a sense of community every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when pink ribbons adorn everything from cancer clinics to lipsticks. That includes Black women with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a fast-growing cancer that disproportionately impacts the Black community and is often more difficult to treat than other types of breast cancer. Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, more likely to be diagnosed with later-stage disease and 28% more likely to die than white women with the same diagnosis.

Black women battling TNBC can face significant health care disparities, including inadequate breast cancer screening, lack of access to treatment, lower quality care and less access to educational information. As a result, these patients often feel isolated, inadequately informed and lacking a support system dedicated to their specific needs.

Merck made a multi-year commitment to reducing disparities in preventable cancer deaths. In 2021, it launched Uncovering TNBC with the breast cancer advocacy community and Emmy-nominated actress Yvonne Orji to shed light on the unique challenges Black women with TNBC face and empower them to advocate for themselves with their health care team.

Campaign Objectives 

1. Empower Black women diagnosed with TNBC to access resources that give them the tools and confidence they need to navigate their cancer journey. 
2. Establish Merck as a trusted biopharmaceutical company in reducing disparities in preventable cancer deaths within the Black community.

Strategy and Execution

Research

Real Chemistry conducted audience and affinity targeting research (ComScore media and Helixa data) to understand TNBC’s most at-risk audience – Black women. It reviewed secondary and third-party research for additional context.

Real-world data identified key markets where TNBC is most prevalent and Black women are least likely to have received care (as measured by mammograms): urban areas in Southern states:

• Black women in North and South Carolina and Mississippi had relatively lower rates of mammograms
• Black TNBC patients were most prevalent in Mississippi, South Carolina, Maryland, Illinois and Georgia.

Most relevant partners: Real Chemistry analyzed the patient advocacy community to determine the most impactful partners, and a media analysis to identify publications and media partners that best resonate with the demographic.

Insights

TNBC presents unique challenges for Black women:

• They face more health care disparities and therefore need to advocate for themselves to ensure optimal treatment.
• They often feel isolated and stigmatized and struggle to open up to family, friends and health providers.
• They desire a community that specifically addresses their needs. 

Strategy

• Build a coalition of culturally relevant TNBC experts to address the barriers Black TNBC patients often face.
• Create authentic, culturally relevant and educational content and resources to bridge the gap to care and support patients through their TNBC journey.
• Focus on younger Black women (25-44) because of their greater interest in health/well-being and popular culture. Engage where they already seek news and information online.

Execution

Real Chemistry recruited Yvonne Orji, an Emmy-nominated Nigerian-American actor best known for her role on HBO’s Insecure as spokesperson/campaign advocate. With an MS in public health and a personal scare with breast cancer, Yvonne has a passion for closing the health care equity gap.

We also partnered with four advocacy groups known for fighting for heath equity.

The cornerstone of Uncovering TNBC is a three-episode web docuseries that highlights challenges Black women with TNBC can face. Hosted by Yvonne, it spotlights three brave women from the target geographic markets, who discuss their triumphs and as well as their experiences with health disparities.

An online hub provided resources to help women newly diagnosed or with a higher chance of developing TNBC understand their risks and advocate for themselves. It houses the docuseries and culturally relevant, solution-oriented resources, including a discussion guide to help patients talk with their doctor about treatment and where to find support.  

Uncovering TNBC launched October 2021 during Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

• Media day with high-impact, online/print/broadcast, consumer, health/ wellness, lifestyle and trade media targeted to Black women 
• Multi-media news release 
• Organic social content amplified with paid to drive traffic to the docuseries and UncoverTNBC.com on:
  • Merck channels
  • Yvonne Orji’s channels
  • Partner channels
• SEM for UncoverTNBC.com
• Feature on Merck.com

Results

• Our target audience sought more information!
  • 375,000+ video views and 47,000 engagements across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
  • Nearly 150 comments from survivors and caregivers across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
  • 28,250+ visitors to the website
  • 500+ discussion guide downloads
     
• We elevated Merck’s profile within the TNBC community
  • Merck’s TNBC SOV grew 8X post launch (Twitter: 23 mentions 8/23-10/3 vs. 200 mentions 10/4 – 11/15)
  • TNBC unbranded conversation rose >10X six weeks post-launch (Twitter: 5 mentions 8/23 to 10/3 vs. 55 mentions 10/4 – 11/15)
  • Merck mentioned in 52% of all campaign tweets
  • Uncovering TNBC contributed to 83% of Merck TNBC conversation (Twitter: 46 out of 55 mentions)
     
• …And we effectively reached our target though earned media
  • 750+ million impressions across social/traditional and search
     
• Positive social media responses:
  • “I lost a good friend this way. Thank you for using your platform to amplify” - Twitter user in response to Yvonne
  • “I am a 7 year Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor diagnosed at 26. Back in 2014, there was little knowledge or research on this cancer. I am thankful for you bringing light on TNBC” – survivor on Twitter
     
• Media commentary:
  • Healthline: Orji said it’s so crucial an awareness campaign exists to direct attention to the fact that “TNBC disproportionately affects women who look like me.”
  • Ebony: “I appreciate their desire to make sure that Black women are informed,” Yvonne goes on about Merck’s endeavor to showcase TBNC’s disproportionate impact on Black women.

Media