• by Les Luchter , Staff Writer, Yesterday

To support children with high-risk neuroblastoma cancer, pharma firm United Therapeutics Oncology has launched “Skivolo’s World,” a 14-episode YouTube series starring a young animated red panda living -- and coping -- with the disease.

The series marks the culmination (at least so far) of a 10-year unbranded educational awareness campaign, with characters jointly developed by United Therapeutics and its creative agency, IPG Health’s Neon. (Separately, United Therapeutics launched Unituxin, a treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma, also in 2015.)

Over the decade, Skivolo and other series characters have appeared in storybooks, coloring pages, their own Facebook channel, and even in stuffed animal form.

“Skivolo means ‘curious’ in Esperanto,” Karren Jackson, associate vice president, oncology program, United Therapeutics, reveals to Pharma & Marketing Insider.

“Most of our children are pretty young [under five years old] when they’re diagnosed,” she explains. “Characters they could see themselves in, through storytelling, could not only help them -- but also their families and siblings -- understand what’s going to happen throughout the neuroblastoma journey.”

The new series, is designed to reach children “spending a lot of time in hospitals” by not only entertaining them but making them “feel seen,” says Neon’s group creative director Kevin Williams.

With only some 800 to 900 new cases of neuroblastoma in the U.S. annually, and only half of those considered high-risk, Jackson and Williams notes that the series should also appeal to a wider audience.

 “We were very careful in creating this series that, while the character does have neuroblastoma, it would [still] resonate with all childhood cancer diagnoses, and even beyond that, medical complexities in general,” Jackson says.

Four episodes of “Skivolo’s World” are already up on YouTube, with new ones being posted every Friday.  The first three were introduced last month by former NFL player Devon Still and his neuroblastoma survivor daughter Leah during the annual CureFest for Childhood Cancer conference. The two Stills have been United Therapeutics partners in a “Braving Neuroblastoma” awareness initiative for the past four years.   

The latest episode features an optimistic song from Zara, another series character  whom Jackson notes “showcases what kids go through after they’re finished with treatment, once you’ve been in the hospital so long.”

To reach as many screens as possible, United Therapeutics is doing outreach to childhood cancer advocacy groups, child life specialists and social workers within children’s hospitals, Jackson relates. There are also targeted  Facebook and Instagram ads, via IPG Health.

Based on success metrics like reach for the first season, Jackson says a second season is definitely a possibility, ”to continue to develop these characters and the storylines, to continue to bring hope and joy to families as they’re going through this.” Williams notes that’s there’s also a possibility of “latching on with different streamers.”

Williams also seems especially proud that no product is involved in this long-term relationship as United Therapeutics’ first and only agency.

“We work in an industry where marketing is important and you’re going to drive product choice at times,” he says. “Standard of care is very important, but the situations these families are in is very different than making a product choice. They’re making potentially life and death decisions for their children. ‘Skivolo’s World’ is very focused on creating a positive experience by meeting these kids where they are at the most difficult times in their lives.

“This is career-defining work. It’s not every day in the pharma ad world where you get to make a children’s series. That alone is amazing…If we impact one kid’s life or their social circle, that’s great. But having as much reach and amplification in this series as possible means more positive interactions and positive outcomes around an already very difficult situation.”