B-One Medicines has tapped former professional soccer goalkeeper Tim Howard as the face of its first major corporate campaign to highlight how the company is gearing up to ‘save’ lives.
Howard, 47, is considered one of the greatest American players of all time and was nicknamed “Secretary of Defense” for his exploits in front of goal.
BeOne is currently partnering with Howard on the “One Save Changes Everything” project, which the company told Fierce Pharma Marketing “draws parallels between the savings in the field and the everyday savings in cancer research, clinical care, and surrounding communities.”
“We were looking for a prominent goalkeeper with a connection to cancer because a lot of other soccer-oriented campaigns focused on strikers, the players who score and (often) take the glory,” Eleanor Duff, executive vice president and executive director of B-One Medicine, said in an interview.
“We wanted a lifesaver who is the last line of defense and whose job is often done with much fanfare. This has a direct parallel to how advances in cancer treatment work. Most ‘lifesavers’ don’t make headlines, but every moment counts.” ”
Duff added that the company also likes the symbolic connection between the BeOne name and the traditional No. 1 jersey for goalies, seeing both as a sign of a united team effort against cancer.
But this campaign also comes with a personal connection. Howard watched his grandfather battle cancer when he was 11 years old. He saw his family showing up normally for dinner, walks, evening routines, and only as an adult did he understand that those small acts were their own savings.
“His connection to the campaign runs deeper than sports because of his personal connection to cancer,” Duff explained. “His grandfather’s cancer diagnosis shaped the way he thought about preparing, being, and showing up in front of people. When we first spoke to Tim, it was very clear how we were on the same page. He had lived through the same situation, so he didn’t need to be sure of the same things.”
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup also scheduled to be held this summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada, Duff said soccer “was the obvious choice for us.” The company added: “We also love the universality and approachability of the game. Football transcends geography, age and socio-economics.”
She added that the campaign is “less about reaching celebrities and more about authenticity and authenticity.” Because when faced with a serious problem like cancer, people “look for trusted voices to help them make sense of it.”
Howard is one of several high-profile goalkeepers involved at this stage of the campaign. B-One Medicine will also announce goalkeepers from Europe and Asia. Duff said, “As a global company, we felt it was important to amplify trusted voices in each region, in each region, in each language, with their own authentic stories.”
As part of the project, BeOne will roll out global digital and social channels alongside Howard’s platform. The company also launched a new digital hub, BeOneSave.com, with “new voices expected to be added throughout the year,” Duff said.
“We are also present in the physical spaces where the oncology community gathers, with a dedicated presence at the ASCO and EHA booths through print advertising, and an upcoming outdoor presence at ESMO-GI,” she explained.
BeOne will also donate $300,000 through the U.S. Soccer Foundation to support the construction of a mini-soccer field near a cancer treatment center, along with charitable contributions throughout Europe and Asia.
