For our final thesis project to wrap up the Master’s in Strategic Marketing and Communications at IE Business School, my team and I were assigned to work on a marketing strategy for Roche Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest premier pharmaceutical companies in the world and a leader in Oncology research and treatment.
The task was twofold. One objective was to develop a comprehensive engagement plan to drive professional engagement to Roche Plus (Roche’s registered and closed digital channel to communicate with medical professionals), specifically among oncologists in Spain specializing in lung cancer. The other objective was to execute a public awareness campaign aimed at raising awareness about lung cancer and its connection to tobacco use, targeting 15-to 30-year-olds across all Spanish-speaking countries. The goal being to reinforce Roche’s positioning as a leader in oncology.
As the leader of our team, made up of seven individuals, I led brainstorms and meetings while organizing and delegating the work that would make up our final strategy and communications plan. Through qualitative and quantitative market research, surveys, and interviews that we as a team conducted, we gained valuable insights into the behaviors and motives behind smoking among the younger generation. This helped us craft a multi-channel and widespread communication plan and awareness campaign through the lens of our audience. One that talked about the reality of lung cancer by challenging the viewer to ask, “Is this me?”
Along the way, we overcame various challenges, such as how to market in an industry with strict regulatory compliance, how to tailor our message to best suit specific digital channels, and most importantly, how to work and collaborate as a team.
After two months of hard work, our result was a comprehensive dual-focus communication approach, which we presented to Roche on the final day of our program at the beginning of July 2025. Through extensive research, hours of meetings, and many brains put together, we landed on the big idea that guided our campaign and inspired us to carry out this project: smoking spreads more than smoke.
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