Obesity is one of the most pressing health challenges in the Middle East, yet conversations around it are often avoided or stigmatized. In response, Stellar Consulting MEA partnered with Novo Nordisk to design and execute "Is It Broken?", a 360° Through-The-Line (TTL) campaign in Doha, Qatar, combining strategic consulting, creative storytelling, omnichannel media, and immersive on-ground activations to raise awareness and drive action.
1. Strategic Consulting & Insights
We approached the campaign with a behavioral science lens and a focus on moving audiences through meaningful stages of awareness.
Our approach included:
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Medical Narrative Reframing: Transforming perceptions of obesity from a personal failing to a manageable medical condition, reducing stigma and encouraging discussion.
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Targeted Segmentation: Identifying key audiences — adolescents, working adults, and family caregivers — to deliver tailored, relevant messaging.
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Behavioral Strategy & Phased Approach: We divided the campaign into two distinct phases:
- Teaser Phase: Engaged audiences through curiosity-driven content to prompt self-reflection.
- Launch Phase: Delivered clinical messaging, practical advice, and clear calls-to-action encouraging audiences to seek professional guidance or lifestyle support.
This phased strategy allowed us to move audiences gradually along the Stages of Change, from Pre-contemplation to Action.
2. Creative Concept & Visual Identity
Our creative strategy was dual-track, blending emotional engagement with clinical credibility:
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Mystery Messaging: The campaign's central question, "Is It Broken?", sparked curiosity and personal reflection.
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Clinical Urgency Messaging: Complementary content emphasized obesity-related health risks and the importance of professional consultation.
The visual identity was designed to be approachable yet authoritative, striking a balance between empathy and credibility.
3. 360° Omnichannel Execution (TTL)
A. Digital & Social Media Strategy
Owned Channels: The campaign leveraged high-quality, cinematic content across all owned social channels to create maximum engagement and curiosity. This included premium reels, visually rich social posts, and targeted "dark posts" designed to reach specific audience segments without overwhelming the main feed. The content strategy was focused on storytelling that resonated emotionally while maintaining scientific credibility, ensuring that the messages were both compelling and trustworthy.
Influencer Marketing: A tiered influencer strategy was deployed across the GCC, collaborating with micro and macro influencers in family wellness, medical, and lifestyle domains. These influencers were carefully selected to normalize conversations around sensitive medical topics, making the subject matter approachable and relatable. Their authentic engagement helped drive awareness, spark discussion, and reinforce the credibility of the campaign messages.
Lead Generation: The digital ecosystem was optimized to convert curiosity into measurable action. Dedicated landing pages featured clear and compelling CTAs, guiding users directly to HCP locators, resource links, and other relevant tools.
B. ATL / TTL Campaigns — OOH and Digital Billboard (DOOH)
Strategic Placement: The campaign adopted a comprehensive ATL and TTL approach, leveraging Out-of-Home (OOH) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) channels to establish a strong and consistent physical presence across Doha. High-visibility billboards were strategically placed along major highways, key city routes, and high-traffic urban zones to maximize daily impressions and ensure broad audience reach.
C. Media Buying
Sponsored Ads: The media buying strategy focused on delivering precision targeting, high reach, and optimized frequency across key digital platforms. Sponsored campaigns were executed across Meta (Instagram and Facebook), YouTube, and TikTok to ensure a strong omnichannel digital presence aligned with audience behavior and platform usage patterns.
D. On-Ground Activations
Mall Installations: The campaign featured premium, soundproof interactive installations at Doha Festival City Mall, designed to create fully immersive experiences that captured audience attention and encouraged meaningful engagement. The installations leveraged a combination of visual, auditory, and tactile elements to communicate key campaign messages in a memorable and impactful way. Strategic placement within high-traffic zones ensured maximum footfall and visibility, attracting families, young adults, and professionals alike.
Interactive UX: A carefully crafted multi-sensory experience was developed, allowing visitors to engage directly with key medical messages through a series of interactive activations. The journey was designed to guide users from emotional reflection — prompting awareness and empathy — toward actionable steps, culminating in a digital QR-based medical referral.
4. Measurement & KPIs
The campaign was built with data-driven accountability, tracking:
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Intent to Act: Unique clicks and conversion rates on the HCP Locators and links provided by the pharmaceuticals.
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Narrative Shift: Organic search uplift for clinical terms (CVD/Adolescent safety).
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Engagement: Community sentiment analysis regarding the medicalization of the pain points we tackle.
5. Stellar Consulting MEA Impact
The "Is It Broken?" TTL obesity campaign in Doha demonstrates how strategic planning, phased execution, and omnichannel engagement can reframe conversations and drive measurable action.
By structuring the campaign into two clear phases — Teaser and Launch — Stellar Consulting MEA was able to gradually guide audiences through a behavioral journey. The Teaser Phase focused on sparking curiosity and prompting self-reflection through thought-provoking messaging, while the Launch Phase introduced educational and clinically grounded content that encouraged audiences to explore reliable information and consider professional medical guidance.
Stellar Consulting demonstrated how healthcare campaigns can move beyond traditional awareness messaging to create meaningful behavioral impact, setting a strong benchmark for patient-centered pharmaceutical awareness initiatives across the GCC region.
Conclusion
The "Is It Broken?" campaign in Doha, Qatar shows how a well-planned 360° TTL strategy can reshape conversations around sensitive health topics like obesity. By combining behavioral insights, strategic storytelling, and integrated media, the campaign moved beyond traditional awareness to create meaningful public engagement.
Through a two-phase approach — Teaser and Launch — Stellar Consulting MEA first sparked curiosity and self-reflection, then introduced educational messaging that guided audiences toward reliable information and professional medical support.
With a mix of digital channels, strategic OOH placements across Doha, and immersive activations at Doha Festival City Mall, the campaign created multiple touchpoints that encouraged awareness and action.
Overall, the collaboration between Stellar Consulting MEA and Novo Nordisk helped reframe obesity as a medical condition rather than a stigma, setting a strong example for patient-centered healthcare awareness campaigns across the GCC.
