PARKINSON’S CHALLENGE

TitlePARKINSON’S CHALLENGE
BrandPARKINSON'S NSW
Product / ServicePARKINSON'S DISEASE
CategoryB02. Pro Bono led Education & Awareness
EntrantJ. WALTER THOMPSON Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Idea Creation J. WALTER THOMPSON Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Production J. WALTER THOMPSON Sydney, AUSTRALIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Simon Langley J.Walter Thompson Sydney Executive Creative Director
Angela Morris J.Walter Thompson Sydney Executive Planning Director
John Lam J.Walter Thompson Sydney Creative Director
Dylan Soopramania J.Walter Thompson Sydney Art Director
Steven Hey J.Walter Thompson Sydney Copywriter
Angela Morris J.Walter Thompson Sydney Executive Planning Director
Heather Morrison J.Walter Thompson Sydney Senior Planner
Heather Morrison J.Walter Thompson Sydney Senior Planner
Ana Lynch J.Walter Thompson Sydney Group Account Director
Paul Friedmann J.Walter Thompson Sydney Senior Producer
Kel Gronow J.Walter Thompson Sydney Editor

The Campaign

We brought a group of real Parkinson’s sufferers together to recreate their own version of one of the biggest viral craze of 2016 – the mannequin challenge. The video featured real Parkinson’s sufferers attempting to pose in common everyday situations, with their symptoms making even something as simple as standing still impossible, with the end message: ‘Until there’s a cure, life is our challenge’.

Creative Execution

The Parkinson’s Challenge Parkinson’s NSW filmed its own version of the Mannequin Challenge, starring people living with Parkinson’s and illustrating some of the many every day activities they struggle with, before delivering the end message “until there is a cure, life is our challenge”. We also interviewed sufferers featured in the video as they talked about their daily experiences with Parkinson’s. Seeding on Owned Channels We needed to execute quickly, before this trend fizzled and was replaced by another. Within 24 hours of filming we posted to Parkinson’s NSW Facebook page using small $400 budget, targeting their followers, friends of followers and people who had a link to Parkinson’s. Attracting Earned Media We approached Australian media outlets, bloggers and other link to Parkinson’s.

• Tier 1 Media Outputs: o The Parkinson’s Challenge video received 97.7 million news impressions and 136.6 million total reach. It was picked up and shared by some of Australia’s top media outlets (including TV and online) as well as global media outlets, bloggers and influencers. • Tier 2: Audience Outcomes o We received over 8.96 million social views worldwide. Most of these came from organic shares as supporters, including celebrities like George Takei, shared our video, far surpassing our expectations and delivering on our objectives of awareness and earned media.

We brought a group of real Parkinson’s sufferers together to recreate their own version of one of the biggest viral craze of 2016 – the mannequin challenge. The video featured real Parkinson’s sufferers attempting to pose in common everyday situations, with their symptoms making even something as simple as standing still impossible, with the end message: ‘Until there’s a cure, life is our challenge’.

Hi-Jacking Awareness Hi-jacking the social currency, virility and broad appeal of the Mannequin Challenge presented an opportunity to drive awareness and understanding for Parkinson’s among people who had never witnessed it firsthand in a way that got to the very heart of the disease. Not Just Another Mannequin Challenge We couldn’t just add another Mannequin Challenge to the millions in existence, many created by top celebrities. We needed a unique twist. Tremors are one Parkinson’s main symptoms, making something as simple as standing still impossible. Featuring Parkinson’s sufferers as they attempted (but failed) the to create a frozen action Mannequin Challenge demonstrated the daily challenge sufferers face and cut through with a unique twist. Speed We aimed to be the first charity in Australia to leverage the Mannequin Challenge for a cause – thus giving us a stronger PR story and appearing in feeds before charity fatigue set in.

Links

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