Metodo MaRe - Honboard

By your side at every stage of the journey

To address the specific needs of rare diseases, HonBoard brings together strategic thinking, creative product communications and disease awareness, which has always been part of our DNA.

Through strong partnerships with patient organisations and clinicians, we gather meaningful insights throughout the product lifecycle and turn them into effective communications initiatives and awareness programmes.

A sailing project with young participants

Interactive experience about visual impairment

Whatwe do

We help our clients navigate the rare disease ecosystem by integrating patient listening into their launch strategy.

In the Italian landscape, we are a unique agency: we guide you through the world of rare diseases with a practical, hands-on and deeply human approach, turning patient-centricity into marketing decisions that are thoughtful, precise and measurable.

We call it Metodo MaRe™ because it embodies a promise: to chart a course even when there are no maps.

HonBoard specialises in rare disease therapies throughout their entire lifecycle

In rare diseases, no one understands the condition better than those living with it. They see needs and challenges that often remain hidden, and can describe what only a few specialists know.

With Metodo MaRe™, we bring the patient voice into strategic decision-making, helping to accelerate access to therapies in a targeted and informed way.

MaRe method: patient listening, stakeholder activation, understanding the ecosystem, strategy and team alignment, introduction of new therapies.

When toengage us

Bringing us on board from the earliest stages gives you access to valuable insights that help you avoid missteps and accelerate the learning curve, thanks to:

Specialisation in rare diseases
Experience in connecting with patient communities
An operational extension of your team, with a dedicated point of contact
Medical and scientific expertise, with a shared language across the multidisciplinary team
Creativity and innovation

Case study

For the launch of a new therapy for a rare autoimmune haematological condition, we transformed its differentiating benefit – greater freedom, improved quality of life and a life “without barriers”– into an adventure with powerful symbolic value: casting off and sailing into the open sea.

Together with the patient organisation, we formed a crew led by a high-profile ambassador, with the goal of taking part in a historic national regatta.

Sailing became the heart of the disease-awareness campaign. During the pre-launch phase, the same concept was adapted with messaging tailored to a clinical audience: a single creative platform with two distinct tones of voice, one for the public and one for healthcare professionals.

Under a unified strategic direction, we integrated patient advocacy, media and social relations, clinician engagement and product knowledge, delivering a launch in which every element reinforced the others.

Results: 200+ pieces of media coverage, 6 TV reports, 50+ million impressions in five months, and a patient community that remained active beyond the event and closely connected with the company that made this extraordinary experience possible.

This case study demonstrates HonBoard’s ability to orchestrate outstanding rare disease launches by bringing PR and marketing together, with the patient voice at the heart of the strategy.