Organon
Client: Organon
Product: Raising Awareness of Less Known Symptoms of Female Heart Attacks
Title: Mis[s]diagnosed
Media: 'Awareness Aid Kit' (DM Pack) Through influencer posts, and on-ground HCP events, seminars at teaching hospitals.
Country: United Arab Emirates
Date Of Campaign: 29/09/2023
Background: Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women (causing 1 in 3 deaths each year), and it kills five times more women than breast cancer. Plus, the early warning signs of heart attacks are being missed in 78% of women. When we think of heart attacks, we think of the traditional symptoms: chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating. However, women can experience heart attacks through a variety of other symptoms that can be misdiagnosed, such as Jaw pain, Lightheadedness, Heartburn, Indigestion, Upper back pain and Shoulder Pain. Why are women's symptoms being overlooked? In the 1960s, the use of thalidomide by pregnant women resulted in more than 10,000 children born with severe deformities. As a result, women were excluded from clinical studies for more than 20 years. During that time, medical research and clinical studies focused on white, middle-aged males; the resulting data and research still inform clinical guidelines today. This gender inequality has created a disturbing lack of awareness about women's cardiovascular health across the world. And because of this, there is a massive lack of data on female bodies and behaviours, resulting in millions of women's lives being cut unnecessarily short. To get to the heart of the matter and uncover the extent and severity of this problem, we set out to expose and help close the medical gender data gap by spreading mass awareness of the issue and the lesser-known signs of women's heart attacks. Then, additionally, to encourage women in the Middle East region to share their data for clinical trials to help with cardiovascular research and save lives in future.
Idea: Gender inequality has created a worrying lack of awareness about women's cardiovascular health in the Gulf region - so we sent one Arabic woman, AKA 'Mis[s]diagnosed', to fix it and raise awareness of the lesser known signs of women's heart attacks and expose the medical gender data gap. She met pharmacists, home call-out nurses, medical professionals, doctors, ER emergency professionals and cardiovascular specialists across the region exhibiting the lesser-known signs of women's heart attacks. 83% failed to spot the signs. So, to deliver a life-saving jolt to women and medical professionals across the region, we packaged Mis[s]diagnosed's research inside specially designed medical Awareness Aid Kits. These kits were sent to key Arabic women of influence and health care professionals throughout the region to unbox and spread the Mis[s]diagnosed story to millions more. Helping to gain mass awareness of the lesser known signs of women's heart attacks to expose and help close the medical gender data gap.Phase 1 - We asked 4000 Arabic women via an online poll if they knew the signs of a woman's heart attack – 97.4% didn't know the signs.Phase 2 - We sent one woman, AKA 'Mis[s]diagnosed' under-cover, to meet medical professionals across the region, exhibiting the lesser known signs of female heart attacks - 83% missed her signs.Phase 3 - We packaged the data and her story inside specially designed Direct Mail 'Awareness Aid kits' to expose the medical gender data gap.Phase 4 - We sent the kits to Arabic women of influence, doctors and 100's of HCPs across the region for unboxing, and urged them to share the signs.Phase 5 - A fully integrated awareness campaign through social media influencers sharing our message to #KnowTheSigns, in addition to social media placements, on-ground HCP events and seminars at teaching hospitals.Phase 6 - Working with 1000's companies to encourage women to give us the data via clinical trails to protect their futures (via IPG Health's 'Trial for the #ClinicalEqualityInitiative’) Execution details:We sent 'Mis[s]diagnosed' under-cover to meet medical professionals across the region, exhibiting the lesser-known signs of female heart attacks, and documented her journey of misdiagnosis using hidden audio and pinhole cameras. We then packaged this story inside specially designed Awareness Aid kits - a modernized twist on traditional medical First Aid kits. The kits served to raise awareness of the medical gender data gap & tell Mis[s]diagnosed story through an in-built audio device & brochure - the pack was handcrafted from the lightest wood & featured a beautifully illustrated inner pack. To help drive home the message, we used a stethoscope as a listening device that when placed on a touch sensitive audio pad immersed the listener in our research findings, data and powerful stories of real female heart attack victims. Influencers & doctors shared the message through their networks, in teaching hospitals and beyond. The campaign aired on World Heart Day through influencers sharing our message, along with social media placements, on-ground HCP events, and seminars at teaching hospitals. The campaign spread across Egypt, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi, Lebanon and Bahrain, where we sent 100's of kits to influencers, doctors, and HCPs.
Results: Campaigned for free: 3 Teaching hospitals / 12 International Heart Foundations & charities / 37 Women of influence / 100’s of doctors, medical professionals & cardiologistsCampaign reach: 28.7 million Campaign earned: $2.2 million dollarsCampaign impact: 28 million women - Now aware of the early warning signs. 23% uplift in women who showed interest in clinical trials and sharing their medical data. 1 woman's life saved (that we know of), Millions more to go #KnowTheSignsCampaign extension: To further combat the gender data gap and address the misrepresentation of women in clinical trials, Mis[s]diagnosed's story is helping Pharma and healthcare companies diversify their clinical trials and ensure more inclusive treatment innovations via IPG Health's 'Trial for the #ClinicalEqualityInitiative'Campaign cost: $60,000