Moderna looks to the future with latest campaign and a flashy new ad

Moderna’s new TV spot, “Welcome to the mRNAge," is here to let people know that messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are not just a one-trick (COVID-19) pony.

The newest offering in the ongoing global mRNAge campaign is the 90-second TV spot created with agency of record TBWA\Chiat\Day that artfully showcases some the possibilities mRNA has to offer. The spot is definitely going for a vibe, and that vibe is not "corporate video." Throughout the very visual and music-forward video, there is only one superfast white coat in a lab shot.

“Our mRNAge TV spot intentionally does not feel like a pharmaceutical ad," Kate Cronin, Moderna’s chief brand officer, said in an interview. 

“Our intent is to show up differently and explain what else mRNA could do—shifting the focus to a broader picture of mRNA, while building familiarity, preference and trust with Moderna.”

The overall mRNAge campaign launched in May of last year, and, in August, Moderna debuted  “Here’s to the #Changemakers” during the US Open featuring tennis legend and equality advocate Billie Jean King.

There’s also a fairly new 30-second ad, “We're here to change medicine,” which highlights Moderna’s business ambitions; this one features much more lab shots.

Spots are airing globally on broadcast TV as well as on Moderna’s Twitter and LinkedIn channels.

“The last two years have brought tremendous change for the world and for Moderna. We knew that as we scaled, we needed to prioritize taking our brand to the next level, while underscoring that Moderna has been one of the only companies studying mRNA for nearly 13 years,” said Cronin.

Moderna, once a superfunded clinical-stage biotech, burst onto the commercial scene in 2020 when it supplied one of the big three COVID-19 vaccines and was one of the first to ever use mRNA tech for an approved vaccine.

It's also looking to go beyond vaccines with a pipeline that also includes work on HIV and various cancers and has the cash to do, making $19.3 billion last year predominately from its COVID shots.