Case Study

The GoPro Surgical Challenge

Introduction

When launching a revolutionary medical device, visibility and engagement are critical—especially when entering a new market. As Head of Marketing for Somahlution, I was responsible for introducing DuraGraft, a first-in-class medical device for cardiovascular surgery, to the European market. With a last-minute decision to debut at the World Congress for Cardiothoracic Surgeons in Milan, Italy, we faced significant challenges: an unknown brand, a low-traffic booth location, and minimal time to generate awareness. To overcome these hurdles, I developed the GoPro Surgical Challenge—a creative, high-impact campaign that leveraged cutting-edge video technology, strategic partnerships, and social media engagement to drive visibility and adoption.

Challenge

  • Late Registration: With only months before the event, our team secured a booth in the back corner of a large exhibit hall, limiting foot traffic.

  • Brand Recognition: As a start-up in the medical device space, Somahlution and DuraGraft were virtually unknown to attendees.

  • Audience Engagement: Competing against well-established brands, we needed an innovative way to attract surgeons to our booth, educate them on our product, and drive engagement.

  • Market Adoption: With recent EU approval, we needed to fast-track awareness and credibility to ensure immediate product adoption post-launch.

Solution

To break through the noise, I conceptualized and launched the GoPro Surgical Challenge, an interactive experience designed to generate buzz, drive booth traffic, and create user-generated content for future marketing.

Key Elements of the Strategy:

  • Strategic Partnerships: I secured a collaboration with GoPro, who was looking to enter the medical market. They approved our use of their brand name, adding credibility to the challenge.

  • Cost-Effective Packaging: Partnered with a packaging company, securing discounted materials in exchange for prominent logo placement, reducing marketing costs.

  • Engaging Campaign Format:

    • Surgeons wore a GoPro during bypass surgery using DuraGraft and filmed the procedure.

    • Videos were submitted to our team and shared on social media.

    • The video with the most engagement was selected for future marketing campaigns.

    • The winning surgeon and their institution received industry-wide recognition.

  • Multichannel Promotion:

    • Pre-event email campaign targeting thought leaders and attendees.

    • Room drop cards the night before the event to create pre-show awareness.

    • Social media amplification to boost challenge engagement.

Results

  • 250+ surgeons registered for the challenge, leading to high booth engagement.

  • Long lines at our booth throughout the conference, creating buzz among attendees and competitors.

  • Immediate EU adoption of DuraGraft post-event, proving the campaign’s effectiveness in driving awareness and credibility.

  • Industry-wide recognition as competitors and exhibitors inquired about our success strategy.

Conclusion

The GoPro Surgical Challenge successfully transformed a low-visibility launch into a high-engagement event, proving that creative marketing and strategic partnerships can overcome significant market-entry barriers. By leveraging video technology, surgeon participation, and social media, we generated brand awareness, product adoption, and industry credibility—setting a strong foundation for DuraGraft’s success in the European market.