Studies show that obesity is officially an epidemic. Lately, bariatric surgery has been the ‘go-to’ procedure that doctors now recommend. This procedure, also known as stomach-reduction, can be more invasive and painful (the open method), or less invasive (done by video). The private health plans in Brazil covered the surgery but this was obligated, under federal law, only if done by the open method. This had to change in order for patients to be treated in a better manner with less risk of infections.The PR firm partnered with SBCBM to contribute towards the revision of procedures covered by law, recommending bariatric surgery by video to the government regulatory body handling private health plans. The firm also organized an online petition and encouraged a public consultation, promoted by the government, by involving parliamentarians in the cause.

Opinion makers were engaged in the “Obesity Without Marks: Less Invasive Surgery is a Right” campaign. Hotsites, printed materials, and social medias helped start a big movement. The cause’s press-coverage was also fundamental.After 6 months of hard work, the goal was achieved: the law was changed so that bariatric surgery by video was included on the list of procedures obligated to be covered by private health-plans.

The campaign hotsite hosted the online petition in favour of bariatric surgery by video, swinging visitors' opinions to the side of public consultation. Apart from scientific research, statistics, graphs, illustrations, releases, videocasts, flyers and news coverage, strategic interaction with the public was also done through e-mail marketing, electronic flyers, press releases, social medias, visits to parliamentarians, and updating the SBCBM website and the printed bulletin.Along with the SBCBM spokespeople, public authorities, members of the health-committees in Parliament, private medical doctors, consumer defense-lawyers, and patients backed the campaign. All opinion-makers received a kit to better understand bariatric surgery, its indications, its benefits, and the cost-effectiveness of the less-invasive method. In order to draw even more attention and endorsement to the campaign, the PR firm sought partnerships for SBCBM with respectable entities in the health division.

- Partnerships formed with 10 entities, including IFSO (International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders), Parliamentary Sector of Health, and Consumer Rights Department;- Petition with over 2.000 signatures;- Hotsite with 13,541 hits and 34,000 page views;- Facebook responsible for 10% of website visitors;- Over 80 interviews given (1/3 in tier 1 outlets);- Over 500 articles in different media outlets;- Over 200m media impressions;- 235 Orkut communities and 181,000 users reached;- 536,000 users on Twitter reached;- 55 blog posts;- 15 meetings with parliamentarians, consumer rights personnel, and top medical-representatives;- A report sent by parliamentarian to the president of the Health Plan Regulations Agency mentioned the campaign and stated bariatric surgery less invasive;- On August 2nd, 2011, the federal government approved bariatric surgery by video as a procedure required to be covered by health plans, effective as of January 1st, 2012. A historical victory for the Brazilian society.