Meningococcal disease is sudden, aggressive, and can lead to death within 24 hours of onset. Infants, toddlers and adolescents are at the greatest risk. Prevention through vaccination is the best defence against this devastating disease.

We in partnership with world-renowned photographer Anne Geddes and the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO), launched the global campaign, “Protecting Our Tomorrows: Portraits of Meningococcal Disease,” to help educate parents on the importance of vaccination.

The project utilizes powerful images of young people impacted by meningococcal disease captured by Anne, illustrating its impact through inspiring stories of survival. As global campaign ambassador, Anne has travelled the world capturing these images and worked to foster awareness and encourage education through local media, advocacy and policy-maker/stakeholder engagements. Media outreach and select image releases in Australia and the EU and outreach in Canada have succeeded in depicting the disease in a way that has never been done before: celebrating beauty and strength.

With support from local charity group partners, the images have garnered significant coverage in traditional/social media, helping to raise awareness of the disease.

A global campaign Tumblr page acts as an online hub for behind-the-scenes photo shoot images, survivors’ portraits/family photos, videos and disease information.

The campaign culminates on April 24, 2014, World Meningitis Day: the complete image collection, featuring 15 survivors and their families will be published as a free eBook on iBooks®. The book, which will also contain the survivors’ personal stories, will be translated into several languages.

- Sydney, Australia photo shoot/media kick-off was leveraged through PR locally in parallel with release of the Australian images (Sep 2013)

--Created an eye-catching, 3,400 bear-strong “Teddy Bear Picnic” installation in London’s Potters Field to illustrate UK disease burden; kicked off the campaign in the EU with a closed-door media briefing with Anne, physicians and parent speakers (Oct 2013)

- A strategically integrated social media approach was coordinated across partner channels with content streaming regularly via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; approach will continue until eBook launch (Nov 2013-present)

- Created the online hub via Tumblr, as a touch point between photo launches and eBook publication; provides behind-the-scenes photos, feature videos from the shoots and drives visitors to learn more information about the disease via CoMO’s website (Nov 2013-present)

- Final photo shoot of the series in Canada corresponded with local media efforts in Toronto with Anne (Feb 2014)

- Utilizing various media channels for media efforts has already garnered 30+ million impressions in traditional/social media

- 100% of online/print/broadcast coverage includes one or more key campaign messages

- Secured coverage in several top tier print publications, including Daily Mail, The London Evening Standard

Generated active communication in social media space from parents and survivors, starting a lasting initiative as more parents join in the global discussion

- 1,400+ posts on social media platforms surrounding campaign

- Conversations continue on partner Facebook pages

- Anne’s online community embraces and supports campaign by sharing, liking and commenting on campaign-related posts

- 2,500+ Tumblr page visits per month; has helped drum up excitement for eBook

- More than 60% of audience are returning visitors

Since launch, secured 7,600+ views of 5 campaign videos on Novartis YouTube and Anne’s YouTube channels and gathered strong online support from worldwide charity group community.