Usually expectant parents are eager to share their good news across social media. But when things don't work out, there's no way to spread the bad news. So PAIL wanted to help #UnsilenceTheConversation. We developed a campaign microsite, which housed a short film, intended to provide a voice to those that could not find their own and ask for support. The website also contained a digital plug in that would help grieving parents unsubscribe from all potentially triggering ads across Facebook, Instagram and email.

For many expectant parents the thought of pregnancy loss is not something openly discussed... even when it happens to them. However, an estimated 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss and society tells us not to announce a pregnancy for 3 months “just in case” something happens, leaving many navigating their grief and pain alone in silence.

Sunnybrook Hospital’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network (PAIL), an organization dedicated to improving bereavement care and providing support to families who have suffered the loss of a pregnancy or baby, aimed to change this to by breaking the taboo to ensure those suffering had somewhere to turn to.

Knowing PAIL’s purpose to provide aid to grieving families, we needed to do more than just raise awareness but make a change in the societal norms surrounding pregnancy loss for all. Through our work, we aimed to unsilence the conversation around pregnancy loss, not just for women, but for all.

To create movement we needed to inspire those who have not been personally affected, invite them to rally and support while also providing resources and coping mechanisms for grieving families. To spark a change created a call to action, encouraging all Canadians to #UnsilenceTheConversation.

According to PAIL data, 41% of those who experienced a pregnancy loss experience feelings of guilt and shame. 1 in 3 women feel like they can’t even tell their best friend. Despite often being referred to as a ‘woman’s issue’ the study found that an overwhelming 78 percent of partners noted that the lack of acknowledgment affected them, and more than half (54 per cent) noted they experienced a lack of recognition that they would benefit from support. For these parents, recovery is hindered by the fact that society does not acknowledge their experience.

Our strategy was to minimize their pain of infant loss by addressing the stigma that forces women, their partners and families to suffer in silence and while providing tools of utility to remove the barrage of painful online reminders of their loss. Unsilencing the conversation for all.

We built the #UnsilenceTheConversation toolkit, which had two key resources for families who have experienced a pregnancy loss. First, the Baby Ad Opt Out Plugin; a way to get around parenting ads, with a user-friendly interface designed to walk parents through the simple steps involved on every social platform: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and email. Second, the Unbirth Announcement. Designed to provide a voice for those that were having trouble finding their own, the digital video was created to capture the complex emotions that come with pregnancy loss in a way that families could relate to and share on social media channels, calling for support from their community. Both elements were available for all Canadians at UnsilenceTheConversation.com.

We then connected with influencers who have gone through a pregnancy loss themselves to lead by example and share their stories, driving their followers to the PAIL website, where they could learn more.

With our true human insight and powerful CTA the message struck a chord, spreading through social and earned media with grieving parents and supporters starting to #UnsilenceTheConversation. The conversation has garnered over 78 million impressions to date showcased on top outlets like CTV National, Toronto Star, Global News, CityNews, MSN, Postmedia, to name a few. Prominent media personalities even joined in the conversation, sharing their own experiences in interviews with our PAIL spokesperson. Families and influencers across the nation immediately related to our message, with a 7200% increase in conversation from before the campaign launched. Awareness for the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network has also hit an all-time high, with site traffic up 19% and 25% of visitors sharing the Unbirth Announcement video. All without a single dollar in paid media. With all our efforts to break down a taboo and spark change, the conversation has begun to become unsilenced.