How do you mix medicine and photography? That’s what Novartis AG (ADR) (NYSE:NVS) is doing and it feels nothing strange about it.

Through its Canadian unit, Novartis is using images to bring out stories about advanced melanoma. The company says that the idea behind its photo campaign is to spark a conversation around advanced melanoma and to highlight the journey of patients afflicted by the disease. The other reason Novartis is doing the photo campaign is that it hopes to raise more awareness about the causes of melanoma.

Canadians living with advanced melanoma

Novartis has teamed up with a nonprofit called Save Your Skin Foundation in its melanoma-themed photo campaign called Melanoma Through My Lens.

The campaign will highlight the personal experiences of six Canadians living with advanced melanoma through a photo series. Those personal experiences captured through camera lenses will be compiled into a photo eBook.

Novartis feels that much is still not known about melanoma, especially the gene mutation that causes the disease. As such, the company has taken the initiative to use photographs to show the world something more about the disease and how it can be dealt with.

Novartis has two drugs designed for treating melanoma. They are Tafinlar and Mekinist and they specifically target gene mutations known as BRAF V600E or V600K. Though there are a number of rival treatments for melanoma, Novartis’ two drugs are distinct in the way they target the disease.

Novartis added Tafinlar and Mekinist to its portfolio of drugs following the asset swap deal between itself and GlaxoSmithKline.

Appetite for photo campaigns

It is not only with melanoma that Novartis is using photo as a marketing tool. The company previously teamed up with renowned photographer Anne Geddes to create images of children who had overcome meningococcal disease. That campaign aimed to promote Novartis’ meningitis B vaccine called Bexsero.

Geddes moved on to work with GSK after the multibillion-dollar asset swap transaction.