Scope
Experiential Campaign, Installation, Digital Extension
Industries
Healthcare, Biotech, Oncology
Year
2017
In cancer research, not every breakthrough happens under a microscope. Some happen in the quiet moments of care, collaboration, or courage. Genentech wanted to celebrate them all.
We built an experience that invited people to see themselves in the science: a participatory campaign that grew from a single convention into a traveling exhibit, a digital experience, and a lasting installation at Genentech’s headquarters.
Metrics
35K
Social Media
Impressions
Impressions
8.5K
On-Site Interactions at ASCO
1.2K
Story Submissions
The Challenge
Celebrating Progress at Every Scale
ASCO is one of the most important events in oncology. The audience is highly informed, deeply motivated, and often emotionally invested in the work. Genentech needed more than a booth or presentation. They needed an experience that could stop people mid-conference and get them thinking—not just about science, but about the real stories behind it.
The brief asked us to bring humanity into a setting known for clinical precision. The concept had to resonate with doctors, researchers, patients, and advocates alike.
The installation gave attendees a moment of pause amid the pace of ASCO, a physical space for reflection and community.
The Idea
Cancer Breakthroughs Come in All Shapes & Sizes
We invited artists personally affected by cancer to help shape the experience. At ASCO, we commissioned a large-scale artwork that evolved throughout the event. Attendees were encouraged to contribute their own breakthroughs—moments of insight, hope, or discovery—which were integrated into the piece in real time.
Beyond the convention, we expanded the concept to additional events, including an intimate experience in New York that featured a tattoo artist, an illustrator, and a musician, each sharing their own cancer story through their work. The format stayed flexible but always centered on personal perspective.
Each wall in the space featured projections of real-time submissions from attendees, connecting individual stories into a collective voice.
The Approach
A Space for Reflection
The ASCO activation was designed to feel both interactive and contemplative. The artwork grew each day with new submissions, creating a shared piece that reflected the diversity of experience within the cancer community. Every addition was handwritten, drawn, or visually interpreted—transforming a wall of art into a collective memory space.
Following the events, the installation was recreated at Genentech’s South San Francisco campus. Employees and visitors could contribute their own stories, view archived submissions, and engage with digital displays that mapped breakthroughs from across the country. What started as an event experience became a permanent fixture that continued the conversation long after the conference ended.
Results
35K
Social Media
Impressions
Impressions
8.5K
On-Site Interactions at ASCO
1.2K
Story Submissions
The “Be the Breakthrough” campaign gave Genentech a way to speak with empathy, not just expertise. It moved beyond information and invited participation, creating an emotional thread that connected scientists, patients, and families.
The work is still on display at Genentech headquarters, serving as a daily reminder that the smallest insights can lead to the biggest change—and that the most meaningful breakthroughs often begin with someone simply deciding to share.
Takeaways
Making Science Human
Genentech showed that empathy can be just as powerful as innovation. When scientific storytelling invites participation instead of observation, it transforms clinical information into collective meaning. “Be the Breakthrough” became proof that data may drive research, but people drive discovery.
Humanizing healthcare through experiential design
In environments defined by data and precision, emotional connection can be the differentiator. The Genentech experience transformed a medical conference into a space where scientists, patients, and advocates could pause, contribute, and see themselves in the story of progress. By designing for feeling as much as function, the brand made science personal.
In environments defined by data and precision, emotional connection can be the differentiator. The Genentech experience transformed a medical conference into a space where scientists, patients, and advocates could pause, contribute, and see themselves in the story of progress. By designing for feeling as much as function, the brand made science personal.
Using narrative design to communicate complex ideas
Every breakthrough begins with a story worth sharing. By framing oncology progress through real human experiences, Genentech made scientific advancement accessible and memorable. Narrative design turned abstract research into shared purpose: helping audiences understand not just what was achieved, but why it matters.
Every breakthrough begins with a story worth sharing. By framing oncology progress through real human experiences, Genentech made scientific advancement accessible and memorable. Narrative design turned abstract research into shared purpose: helping audiences understand not just what was achieved, but why it matters.
Fostering empathy in biotech through art and participation
Art gave the science a heartbeat. The campaign invited people to create, not just consume, which built a sense of ownership and emotional continuity. Each story, sketch, or reflection became part of a collective artwork and proved that empathy isn’t a soft skill in healthcare marketing; it’s the key to lasting engagement and trust.
Art gave the science a heartbeat. The campaign invited people to create, not just consume, which built a sense of ownership and emotional continuity. Each story, sketch, or reflection became part of a collective artwork and proved that empathy isn’t a soft skill in healthcare marketing; it’s the key to lasting engagement and trust.
