PROBLEM

Thousands of Australians are living with multiple sclerosis. But only half of them know it. The early diagnosis of MS is critical for effective treatment and can save years of suffering. However, the early signs of MS are easy to miss. We needed to increase early detection by drawing attention to these invisible symptoms.

SOLUTION

We made the invisible symptoms famous and beautiful.

Create a new language for MS

Nine photographers were partnered MS sufferers, producing images that offer a personal account of their symptom.

These pieces then formed Exhibition MS, and were toured around the country.

Give doctors the power to use this new language.

Exhibition packs were sent out to hospitals and doctors with the key photography and accompanying symptom descriptions to aid discussion and diagnosis of MS.

RESULTS

• Campaign is now used by 12 hospitals in the country to help early diagnosis

• 325% increase in call to the MS Connect helpline

• Importantly, exhibition MS gained national news coverage, delivering in access of $4 million in earned media.

Create a new language for MS.

Nine photographers were partnered with someone who has MS, producing images that offer a personal account of how the chronic disease affects them.

Make the symptoms famous and beautiful.

These pieces then formed Exhibition MS, and were toured around the country reaching health professionals around the country.

In order to gain traction, a PR and social media seeding campaign leveraged the exhibit; inviting other MS suffers to engage with the exhibit.

Give doctors the power to use this new language.

Lastly, to ensure that the campaign had a direct impact on how health professionals engaged and diagnosed MS, packs were sent out to hospitals and doctors with the key photography and accompanying symptom descriptions.

With a total reach of over 13.4 million, the global coverage of the exhibition inspired MS sufferers from more than 70 countries to contribute to the conversation via photographic interpretations of their symptoms.

Over $4 million of earned media.

The campaign has been adopted by medical education facilities and is now being used by 12 hospitals in the country to help early diagnosis of MS.

And there’s been a 325% increase in calls to the MS Helpline.