MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
DIRECT-TO-PATIENT RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
This project was a Direct-to-Patient (DTP) recruitment campaign developed for a virtual clinical trial sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical focused on individuals living with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
I wanted to engage potential participants in a way that felt respectful, emotionally authentic, and accessible while meeting strict regulatory (IRB) and ethical requirements. Because this was a decentralized clinical trial conducted through Science 37, the campaign needed to build trust quickly, resonate across diverse communities, and encourage sustained participation in a fully remote study environment.
Rather than relying on traditional clinical trial advertising, this campaign focused on emotional recognition and relatability to help people feel understood before asking them to take action.
60%
increased diversity
27×
Faster patient enrollment
90%
retention rates
Strategy
Depression can exist in subtle ways. Sometimes life appears bright and functional on the surface, yet something feels slightly off for long periods of time. That quiet disconnection became the emotional center of the campaign.
Instead of depicting depression directly, I intentionally chose to represent the experience through simple, everyday items that quietly reflected emotional states. This approach allowed people to see themselves in the imagery without feeling exposed, judged, or overwhelmed.
This deliberate decision not to use images of people was so prospective participants could relate to the visuals regardless of age, race, gender, or background. The goal was to create space for personal interpretation and emotional recognition.
Equally important, I wanted to avoid the dark, heavy, and hopeless imagery that is often associated associated with depression. People living with depression already understand what it feels like and do not need to be reminded of the worst moments.
CREATIVE DIRECTION
As the Creative Director on this project, I was responsible for developing the campaign from the initial brief through execution. I worked closely with clinical operations, regulatory teams, and marketing stakeholders, I translated complex study requirements into a patient-centered creative strategy designed to drive engagement, enrollment, and retention. This project combined storytelling, behavioral insight, and regulatory navigation.
Leading the concept development and creative direction
Collaborating with clinical and regulatory teams to ensure compliance with IRB and sponsor guidelines
Developing visual systems and messaging aligned with Direct-to-Patient engagement best practices
Guiding the creative team through production and rollout across digital, print and patient-facing channels
Ensuring the campaign balanced emotional sensitivity with clarity and accessibility
OUTCOME
Participants frequently shared that the imagery made them feel understood and respected. Many described feeling “seen” for the first time in a clinical trial context. The study also achieved record-breaking recruitment speed and filled enrollment significantly faster than typical clinical trials at the time. It also demonstrated exceptional participant engagement and retention, two of the most critical success indicators in decentralized clinical research.
From a performance perspective, this work contributed to broader organizational outcomes during my tenure at Science 37, including:
60% increase in patient diversity across trials
27× faster patient enrollment timelines
90%+ participant retention rates