Arousing curiosity

Working together with with Fork Unstable Media, the digital agency and member of the fischerAppelt-group, Merck, the leading science and technology company, has undergone rebrand. It has created an innovative campaign surrounding itself around the topic of ‘curiosity’, which aims to initiate change by urging people to break routine and allow more ‘free thinking’.

‘How curious are you?’ is the question this new campaign asks the public, with their new interactive platform allowing users to test their own curiosity online by taking the ‘curiosity test’. This test is designed to motivate people to reflect upon their own curiosity and make appropriate changes, depending on the test outcome, to become more productive. Experts of Merck’s healthcare, life science and performance materials sectors have contributed to Merck’s global hub to look into the topic in more detail. This hub motivates users to share and discuss the possibilities of what can be accomplished with curiosity.

A commercial which follows the primary theme of ‘curiosity’ is included in this campaign. It features professionals trapped in a never-ending routine, where they are literally walking in circles, surrounded by shadows. This highlights the dullness, and absence of initiative, of a workplace without curiosity. The campaign focuses on empowering employees and encouraging them to be curious, to boost productivity and urge them to express their thoughts; a lack of question asking and spontaneity hinders progress. Dr. Stefan Oschmann, CEO of Merck, says, “Curiosity is our driving force.”

Axel Löber, head of branding & strategic projects at Merck,says, "With Fork, we found the ideal partner to run our campaign. We were particularly impressed by the combination of digital content with the feel for an interactive user experience."