SITUATION:

Hemophilia is a bleeding disorder. Advancements in treatment have made strides on the physical side - but emotional and social issues continue on, unaddressed. For caregivers, it can lead to divorce. For patients, it can lead to unemployment, isolation, and broken relationships.

BRIEF:

As a new entrant in the hemophilia category, our client would have to provide a brand experience bigger than medicine. Our task: Address the very real, very serious challenges our medicine can't treat.

The challenges this project should cover:

-Taking care of the caregiver

-Aging with hemophilia A (40% all US hemophiliacs died in the AIDS epidemic.

So there has been little precedence for getting older)

-Sibling rivalry (strained relationships from the "sick" kid getting all the attention)

-Dealing with anxiety and sadness

-Finding a career

-Trying new things

OBJECTIVE:

Break the ice on these unspoken, unaddressed issues in the hemophilia community.

By understanding our audience, and the value they place on entertainment - we proposed that the best way to take these issues on would be in the form of a show. Not just any show. One that would be entertaining enough to compete for their attention against YouTube, Netflix, and Fortnite.

Challenge Accepted is a reality/comedy series that takes on the unspoken issues of hemophilia. Each episode features a host (Justin Willman from Netflix's Magic For Humans), a guest (someone with hemophilia facing a specific challenge), and a coach (an expert who can help).

For this episode, “Indulge”, coach Graham Elliot - a famous American chef from shows such as "Top Chef" and "Master Chef" - helps Mark and Jessica (caregivers) learn to make time for themselves, for the health of their relationship. By cooking, eating, and indulging together.

Challenge Accepted is based on the insight that even when people with hemophilia have their bleeds controlled, the social and emotional issues don't go away. Why? Sometimes they legitimately don't realize the connection between their disease and these challenges. Other times, they suppress or handle alone (self conscious that people already see them as weak, they don't want to appear even weaker).

The strategy for "Buy Green Bananas" is to get people with hemophilia to not fear (but embrace) the realities of getting older with the disease. After AIDS decimated the hemophilia community in the 80s (from contaminated blood transfusions), there isn't much precedent for getting older. But what people with hemophilia plan for today can have a big impact 30 years from now.

Comedy/reality was a strategic choice. Comedy and entertainment have an innate ability to break the ice and start a conversation. A real patient makes it relatable.

Creatives in pharmaceutical advertising can empathize with how difficult (and unlikely) this was to pull off. The format and tone were unique. The budget (under 100K to shoot each episode) was challenging. Finding guests with the right stories (in rare disease) is incredibly tough. Securing public figures, from Emmy winner Alex Borstein (from Marvelous Ms. Maisel) to leaders in hemophilia advocacy (like Mark Skinner), to be in a pharma piece requires great content.

Timeline: Concept - October 2018. Script, approvals, securing talent - November/December 2018. Six episodes in nine shoot days were spread out between January and early March 2019. Post production in parallel. Limited release, with live/virtual screenings in April.

Placement: Bryant Park Hotel Theater in New York City, Hemophilia Federation of America conference in California, and hemophilia advocacy organizations/chapters.

Scale: Future wide release on Challenge Accepted YouTube channel. Starting with three episodes, and releasing three weekly, thereafter.

In rare disease, reach isn't measured in impressions. Reach is a very personal thing. The purpose of a limited release was to gain endorsement, and spread word of mouth interest/anticipation - starting with those engaged in the community, advocacy, etc. There is currently interest in including Challenge Accepted in hemophilia camps - which are important social and learning milestones in hemophilia culture. These are environments pharmaceutical companies don't typically reach.

Engagement and excitement by those who have seen it, has been high. The most common response are the words "Thank you" or "Finally". It did especially well with families dealing with hemophilia, realizing that there was a lot to talk about. Saying now, they would.

Concrete impact can't be measured overnight. These are deep seated social/emotional issues that will take time to overcome. "Brand love" measurement will be better understood at the ATU readout following wide release.