Pharma > Pharma Communications to Non-Healthcare Professionals
DENTSU Y&R, Tokyo / CHUGAI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. / 2017
Overview
Credits
Audience
Osteoporosis patients, family, doctors. For Japan’s 12 million osteoporosis patients, only 4 million receive regular treatment, and nearly half stop taking treatment after a year. The film addresses low motivation levels of patients to undertake treatment and to provide doctors clear hints on how to keep patients on regular treatment.
BriefExplanation
The son visits his mother, who has osteoporosis but lives alone in her hometown, to ask her to move in with his family. She does not directly answer him, but rather, takes him shopping. Seeing his mother enjoying lively interaction with the people at the market, the son realises how deeply her life is connected with her hometown and being independent. Later at home, the son again raises the issue with his mother of living together. By asking her son to taste her miso soup, she communicates her true feelings, that she wishes to stay in a familiar environment and continue to live independently, rather than being cared for by her son or his family. The son decides to respect her wish to stay in her hometown and live on her own. And to make it possible, he vows to help her stay on regular treatment for osteoporosis.
BriefWithProjectedOutcomes
Japan’s Pharmaceutical Affairs Act prohibits advertising of ethical drugs showing drug names or encouraging their use. It is also prohibited to communicate the efficacy of drugs or doctor’s recommendations. Patients cannot choose ethical drugs on their own discretion. Showing the risk of diseases and appealing using fear are also prohibited.
EntrySummary
As Japan’s entire population ages rapidly, many elderly people today live with their children or by themselves. This has become a serious social challenge, as many aged people in Japan need nursing care due to illness, including 25% of them who break bones due to osteoporosis. On the other hand, 70% of the elderly people prefer not to live with their children. In this film we made a point that continued osteoporosis treatment is necessary if the elderly are to keep living a healthy, independent life without being cared for by their family. We also aimed to invite target’s empathy by depicting a mother who, despite her son’s proposal to live together, chooses to live life her own way in the environment she has known for many years. “Miso soup” is Japan’s typical home cooking, and it symbolizes the normalcy of the daily life and the mother’s attachment to it.
ScriptInEnglish
MISO SOUP script
1.Mother’s house (in a country-side town)
Kenji’s mother (age 75) appears in the gently sun-lit outside corridor of a traditional Japanese house, showing her slightly bent back. Full of life, she cleans the house, offers her daily prayer to the family altar, climbs up the stairs in unsteady steps to hang the laundry on the veranda. She also cleans the bath tub for her son who will soon visit her.
Kenji monologue :
“It’s been five years since my mother fell down and broke her wrist.”
“At that time she was diagnosed with osteoporosis.”
“If she falls again, the outcome will be serious.”
2. Mother’s house, indoor corridor
The mother walks with short, unsteady steps along the dark corridor.
3.Hospital, consultation room (Kenji’s memory )?
(The doctor speaks, facing straight to the camera)
Doctor : Any further fractures, and she may become confined to her bed.
4.In the car
Kenji (age 41) drives a car to his mother’s house
Kenji monologue : “I keep thinking about what the doctor said.”
5.Outside of mother’s house
Kenji’s car arrives.
---Title --- ?MISO SOUP
6.Mother’s house, entrance hall
Kenji opens the front door and enters the house, saying “I’m home”.
Mother runs unsteadily to the door to greet him. So happy to meet her son, she beams with a broad smile.
Kenji : I’m home.
Mother : Good to see you home, my dear.
Kenji : Don’ t run like that.
Mother : I’m fine.
Kenji : No, you’re not.
Mother : Where are Yoko and Tsuyoshi?
Kenji : Oh, well. I wanted to talk about something important today, so I thought it would be better if I came by myself.
Mother : Well then, why don’t we go for a little walk?
7.On the street near the house
Mother and Kenji are walking (Kenji following his mother)
Kenji : Mum, did you think about my plan? If you keep living alone like this...
Mother : I’m fine. I’m still living like I always have, even now.
Kenji: That might be true now, but if you don’t think about the future...
Are you going to the hospital like you’re supposed to?
Mother : Kenji, what would you like for dinner tonight?
8.Market
The mother is doing shopping in the busy local market. Kenji follows her.
She happily exchanges words with staff at a grocery store, a fresh produce store, and many other stores.
Kenji keeps looking at her.
He keeps looking at her face that is so full of life…
Kenji monologue :
“No matter how much my life changes, things are still the same here and mother’s life goes on normally.”
9.Kitchen
Mother prepares dinner.
10.Bathroom
Kenji is in the bath tub filled with hot water.
He looks around the bathroom that is meticulously cleaned.
Something flashes across his mind.
11.Hospital, Consultation room (Kenji’s memory )?
(The doctor speaks, facing straight to the camera)
Doctor : Any further fractures, and she may become confined to her bed.
12.Bathroom?
Kenji splashes water onto his face as if to dismiss his thought.
13.Family photos??
Many family photos of Kenji, wife Yoko and son Takeshi are placed in the corner of the living room
14.Kitchen
Finishing the bath, Kenji comes to the kitchen and talks to his mother who is preparing dinner.
Kenji : Mum, uh…about living together...
At his words, Mother stops her hands moving.
Mother : Here, taste this and tell me what you think.
She pours miso soup in a small bowl and hands it to Kenji.
He tastes it.
Kenji : Mmmm, yes, it’s good.
Mother : Of course it is! This is the same miso soup recipe that I’ve used in this house for the last fifty years,and I am proud of it.
Kenji smiles.
Mother : There are things in life that are hard to change, my dear.
She resumes cooking, with a smile on her face.
Kenji cannot take his eyes away from her back.
Kenji monologue :
“Until that time I thought my mother would be happy about the idea of living together...”
15. A bowl of hot miso soup placed on the table
Kenji monologue :
“I never realized that she wants to keep living here while she undergoes treatment.”
16.Hospital, consultation room
The doctor sees the mother. Kenji sits next to her, watching.
Doctor : I'll give you a prescription for another month's medicine.
Mother : Doctor, is there really any real benefit to continuing to take this medicine?
Doctor : Mrs. Kimura, if you keep taking this medicine and stay healthy, you won’t have to rely on your son and his wife for help. And you’ll get to see your grandchildren’s faces, too.
She begins to understand. The doctor gently touches her knee.
Doctor: Mrs. Kimura, let's try to keep it so that you can keep coming to the hospital by yourself.
Mother : Yes, you’re right. Thank you, doctor. I always appreciate your advice.
Doctor : Take care of yourself.
Mother : You too.
She bows and replies to the doctor with a smile. Kenji looks at her and also smiles.
17.The blue sky
18.Mother’s house, outside
Kenji and mother come out of the front door.
(Kenji walks in front of his mother for the first time)
Kenji walks to his car.
Kenji : Miso soup.
Mother : What?
Kenji : Next time I’ll bring Yoko and Tsuyoshi, so let us enjoy your miso soup.
Mother : Make sure you bring them.
Kenji : Okay. And you’ll promise me...
Mother : Then I guess you'll all get angry if I don't try to be capable by myself.
Kenji : That’s right. You’re not alone.
Mother : Thank you.
They smile at each other. It is hard to tell if the mother is smiling or crying.
Kenji gets in the car and starts the engine.
Mother keeps vigorously waving to him.
Until Kenji’s car is gone from the view, she keeps waving, waving…
The Mother shows her beaming smile, under the big blue sky.
Narrator :
To help you stay independent in your daily life.
Osteoporosis needs regular treatment.
19. Corporate Identity
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
20.Credit for the supporting hospital
TSUKAHARA CLINIC.
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