Genentech’s Erica Taylor on how healthcare brands became mainstream post-Covid

At SXSW, The Current Podcast partnered with The Female Quotient to spotlight trailblazing women in media and marketing, featuring conversations with industry leaders in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month.

In our latest episode, Erica Taylor, VP and CMO at Genentech — a company that has been pioneering biotech innovation for over 40 years — shares her unique journey from immunology to biotech marketing.

Drawing on her background in scientific research, product development and sales, Taylor brings a data-driven yet human approach to marketing. She explains how Genentech campaigns strive to balance data-driven precision with emotionally compelling storytelling.

And in a world forever changed by COVID-19, biotech and health care companies are no longer behind the scenes — they’re now household names. Taylor discusses how biotech companies are adapting to a post-COVID world where brand recognition in the pharmaceutical space is at an all-time high.

“We’ve had to go from being a house of brands — the branded medication — to really thinking about, well, what is the worth in branding the house, the Genentechs of the world?”

Taylor also reflects on her experience as a woman in STEM, the importance of mentorship and how leaders can create more inclusive spaces for the next generation of marketers and scientists.

“I think there’s still more gains to be had in fields like engineering and computer science — the things that are very critical if we want to truly unlock things like artificial intelligence.”