Pfizer sets out to show in an emotive way that when science wins, disease, confusion and unhappiness are the "losers" in a new branding push that breaks today.

The new spot by Grey New York, featuring a diverse cast and some stylish cinematography as well as a script that takes an unexpected turn. It starts out seemingly bleak, with the voiceover stating that "there are so many losers," as we see people looking anxious, alone, in pain or sad, in scenes that are dimly lit to reflect the underlying tone. 

However it goes on to reveal that these "losers" include: doubt, fear, sorrow, melancholy, confusion, uncertainty, hopelessness and illness," and that are just "so many losers, when science wins." We see the same characters in happier, brighter scenes, embracing their loved ones and living their lives happily as their health problems improve or melt away. 

The brief from Pfizer, according to Grey New York's executive creative director Brent Singer, was "to demonstrate the role of science in our everyday lives."

"Covid put science in the foreground and it was part of the global narrative, and even though Covid isn't over there is a feeling that Pfizer is so much more than a vaccine," said Singer. "They  have a belief that they can cure the world's most heinous diseases. For us, it was how do we show the role of science in people's everyday lives. Science can do more than just heal us, it gives us a part of our lives back. That's where the real value of science comes in."

The ad was directed by Danish director Rune Milton via Anonymous Content. Its creative approach aimed to reflect the "nature of illness," said Singer. "You start off and you don't know where it's going to go. You don't know what your future holds and there are all these negative emotions. An illness is something that affects your entire world, it's not just your body, it's your outlook on life. And all of these negative feelings that permeate, science has the ability to defeat. So this approach created more intrigue and makes it more meaningful."

The spot is part of Pfizer's ongoing "Science Will Win" campaign that first began in 2020. While the commercial features actors, the focus is very much on science and the scientists that feature at the end of the film are real Pfizer scientists in real labs. 

The campaign is running as 90 and 60 second versions on digital and social media in the U.S., and the brand is also looking at broadcast platforms as well as rollouts to other markets.