2014 Winners & Shortlists

The Brief

Psoriasis is a disease that makes your immune system attack your body. More than a million sufferers have it covering over 75% of their body. Over 60% of these sufferers also live with serious depression and think seriously about killing themselves. Humira is a drug that can dramatically reduce the symptoms and help people live normal lives again, but dermatologists don’t prescribe it, because they often don’t realise the depth of the psychological trauma caused by Psoriasis. We needed to find a way to speak directly to these dermatologists.

Creative Execution

Dermatologists don’t prescribe Humira, because they mainly treat physical symptoms and often don’t realise the depth of the psychological trauma their patients are suffering from. And pharmaceutical advertising restrictions meant we couldn’t openly advertise Humira so we found an innovative, highly targeted and direct way to speak to them that got their undivided attention and got them to understand that the power to change, and very often save their patient’s lives was truly in their hands.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

We targeted dermatologists in their own offices. We personally interviewed Psoriasis sufferers, then hand wrote over 400 letters based on their true stories, and sent them to dermatologists across the region so they could hear the stories of suffering straight from patients themselves. The letters helped the dermatologists realise the power to change, and very often save, their patient’s lives was in their hands. At the end of the letter the dermatologist was directed to our website, where they could watch how Humira has changed lives and how it could dramatically improve the physical and emotional wellbeing of their patients.

Results

Even though this hard-hitting personal campaign has just launched it’s had a big impact. We have seen a 75% response rate so far and dermatologist’s attitudes around the region are starting to change.