Standing tall

Just:: was tasked by F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Roche) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to partner with them in designing a global media campaign to raise awareness of the avoidable consequences of osteoporosis, and to urge women with post-menopausal osteoporosis (PMO) to take charge to best manage their condition.

Informed by the key insight that avoiding looking and feeling old is a strong motivator for women, the Stop the Stoop campaign brought to life the danger of osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures (experienced
by up to one in three women over the age of 50), by creating a visual representation of the height loss and stoop women are at risk of developing.

Objectives
• Demonstrate the avoidable consequences of vertebral and non-vertebral fractures (stoops and height loss) to women with PMO and relevant healthcare professionals
• Use largely unexplored scientific evidence to raise the issues of stoop and height loss and link to the need for optimal treatment
• Deliver an integrated media campaign with a global launch and the ability for roll out across local markets.

A visual guide demonstrated the potential consequences of poorly managed vertebral fractures

Campaign Elements
Bringing the Dangers to Life
Just:: teamed with leading KOL, Professor Dieter Felsenberg, from the Center for Muscle and Bone Research in Berlin, Germany, to develop a visual guide to demonstrate the potential consequences of poorly managed vertebral fractures as a result of PMO. Supported by scientific data, the guide featured a 60-year-old female model, and charted the effects of her condition over a four-year period if appropriate treatment was not taken. The guide was delivered to local markets as a hard copy visual representation and an animation.

Creating the News Story
In conjunction with a market research agency, Just:: conducted a survey across six European markets to identify women's attitudes towards PMO and measure current awareness about height loss and spine curvature issues. Over 600 women diagnosed with PMO completed the survey; 70 per cent were unaware that height loss and spine curvature is often caused by fractures due to PMO, and almost three-quarters said a stoop would cause them to be self-conscious.

Global Launch
Working with Roche and GSK, Just:: launched the campaign at a press briefing at EULAR – a key European medical congress for healthcare professionals treating osteoporosis. In collaboration with Professor Dieter Felsenberg (Germany), Professor Diez Perez (Spain) and a PMO patient who has suffered severe stoop and height loss due to poorly treated osteoporosis, the visual guide and animation were unveiled. Journalists were invited via Roche and GSK contacts in local markets.

Local Roll-Out Partnership
Just:: developed campaign materials for Roche and GSK markets to adapt, translate and use locally to drive media interest and coverage. A draft pack was made available prior to the launch to ease translation of materials. The final versions were posted on an internal portal, followed by a 'post-launch market survey' to establish feedback and usage of the Stop the Stoop materials across the markets.

Results
• Thirty-two journalists attended the EULAR press event (more than doubling the metric of fifteen), with representation from 10 local markets
• Collaboration with IOF and leading medical experts was secured
• Nine Roche and GSK markets rolled out the Stop the Stoop campaign
• Six markets specifically used the visual representation and animation
• Sixty-two pieces of coverage were generated by Roche and GSK local markets.

Evaluation
• Metrics around roll-out of campaign by local markets, quality of coverage generated and journalist attendance at EULAR were agreed upfront
• Nine local markets rolled out the campaign (exceeding the campaign uptake metric of five markets); a further five local markets confirmed plans to use Stop the Stoop campaign materials in 2009 (evaluated via the post-launch market survey)
• Content of the briefing was judged useful or very useful by 90 per cent of journalist attendees (evaluated via a feedback form distributed at the EULAR event)
• Quality of coverage generated was evaluated for key message pick up – 100 per cent of coverage generated contained at least two key messages (with 88.5 per cent containing three or more).

Case study details

Client: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Roche)
Agency: Just:: Health PR
Campaign: Stop the Stoop
Timescale: Q2 2008