Title	PORTRAITS OF ISOLATION
Brand	SANOFI
Product/Service	SANOFI
Category	E02. Public Affairs & Lobbying
Entrant	WEBER SHANDWICK Munich, GERMANY
Idea Creation	WEBER SHANDWICK Munich, GERMANY
PR	GCI HEALTH Hamburg, GERMANY
Production	TAPE THAT – Tape Art collective Berlin, GERMANY

Name	Company	Position
James Nester	Weber Shandwick	Creative Director & Concept
Tayo Gross	Weber Shandwick	Creative / Design
Caroline Mattias	Weber Shandwick	Copywriter
Jens Rutsch-Dacke	Weber Shandwick	Video editor
Mona Brings	Weber Shandwick	Design
Vincent Trautner	Weber Shandwick	Project Management & Content Development
Susanne Buder	Weber Shandwick	Strategic Council
Imke Schneemann	GCI Health	Public Relations
Moritz Hansen	GCI Health	Public Relations
Marius Voigt	Weberf Shandwick	Strategic PA counsel

Why is this work relevant for PR?

By tapping into the social restrictions we have all faced during the Corona pandemic, "Portraits of Isolation" gave a hidden issue the critical attention it needs. The idea engaged the key audience of policy makers, as well as healthcare professionals and the broader public. This resulted in a 28.5 million reach within Germany, coverage in top German publishers - both consumer and medical - and engagement and face-to-face meetings with policy makers and medical experts. Such attention with these different audiences will be key for patients with "Type 2 Inflammation" getting the diagnoses and specialist treatment they need.

Background

Have you heard of type 2 inflammation? Neither have most policy makers, who play a critical role in making sure patients are treated properly by the healthcare system. The general public is also mostly unaware, even though millions in Germany are affected. Type 2 inflammation presents as inflammatory diseases including asthma or neurodermatitis. These physical symptoms are accompanied by psychological ones, leading to patients withdrawing socially – a situation heighted during the Corona pandemic. The brief was to conceive and implement a creative campaign to raise awareness of the full impact of the condition. Policy makers were a key. As were other stakeholders, including the medical community, and the broader public to drive greater understanding.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

People affected by type 2 Inflammation experience “social distancing” as part of normal life. So we turned social distancing tape – the strips you see on the floor in supermarkets and train stations – into an iconic statement about social isolation. In collaboration with Berlin-based street artist Slava “Ostap” Osinski and his team "SelfMadeCrew", we created giant portraits (up to 6m x 4m) of patients with type 2 inflammation made entirely with social distancing tape. We also coined a sticky phrase that brings to life the emotional burden of type 2 inflammation: “type 2 isolation”. Because for patients, social isolation is a permanent state – they are always "type 2 isolated". Making it topical to the Covid-19 restrictions we have all faced during recent months made the condition relatable for everyone and gave us our earned media topicality.

Describe the PR strategy (30% of vote)

During the Corona-pandemic, we all experienced how it feels to socially isolate and the emotional distance this brings between loved ones, friends and families. For our campaign, we tapped into this awareness to build empathy for those with chronic illnesses caused by type 2 inflammation. For those affected, lockdowns and social restrictions are always extended. A key audience was policy makers involved in the development of future health policy guidelines to ensure that information about treatments and care reached the right audience. But the campaign also needed to address other stakeholders, including the medical community, patient advocacy groups, the media and the broader public to drive greater understanding. The Government District in Berlin would be a key place to launch assets due to proximity to policy makers.

Describe the PR execution (20% of vote)

The portraits were revealed on 7th June 2021 in locations where policy makers, but also the general public, passed by on their way to work. For example, the floor of Berlin Central Station near the government district. Information displays and handouts on type 2 inflammation were available alongside. One portrait was also created on a truck hoarding that toured the very buildings where policy makers work. It came to its resting place at the Sanofi branch office in Berlin for a hybrid press conference. A deep dive session into the topic for political decision-makers was held too. The portraits also engaged the medical community. Following a trade press release, the artwork was displayed at the “German Allergy Congress” in Dresden in October. All communications drove to more patient portraits and their stories, on the campaign webpage – where visitors could explore a virtual 360° gallery.

List the results (30% of vote)

With 28.5 million total reach, a hidden issue had gone mainstream. ‘Portraits of Isolation’ engaged all key audiences. The campaign has so far been covered by 89 publishers, on and offline, including some of Germany’s biggest publishers, Focus, NRZ and Tagesspiegel. A total of 31 policy makers, multipliers and journalists attended the press conference and deep dive event. More than 5,000 information sheets were taken and 707 people explored the virtual gallery to learn more about the condition. The message of the campaign was strongly supported by medical opinion leaders and experts who attended the events and shared the campaign on their social media accounts. Sustained term attention on Type 2 Inflammation will be crucial – so another significant success: The term "type 2 isolation" and the campaign's visuals are now being used by other organisations to raise awareness. This includes "mein-allergie-portal.com - an independent platform for patients and relatives.