From under-reporting symptoms to misdiagnosing, an accurate Bipolar I diagnosis can take up to 10 years. Early treatment is imperative for higher treatment response rates, reduced episode duration, and slowing the progression of bipolar I—but the signs are often missed by physicians. Our goal was to help raise awareness of this problem among physicians and empower them to change the diagnostic journey with tools that can help them spot the signs Bipolar I disorder sooner.

10 years is far too long for a diagnosis. In fact, that’s how long it will take for Mankind to set foot on Mars. We put these timelines side-by-side to reveal the absurdity and urge doctors to act. Enter Emily vs. Mars: we created a fictional character, Emily, inspired by real stories of patients living with Bipolar I Depression—and compared her diagnostic journey to the intergalactic one. The campaign took shape in different media, including journal Ads, film, printed leave behinds, posters—all driving to a website in which doctors could learn more about a simple tool that can accelerate diagnosis: a mood disorder questionnaire. Because patients should land on an effective treatment long before we land on another planet.

The signs of Bipolar I disorder aren't easy to spot. In fact, they're often mistaken for stress, anxiety or other kinds of temporary conditions. As a result, it can go untreated for years, while patients degrades and suffer without a proper approach to treatment. We leveraged different media to tell a simple, yet compelling story: a diagnostic journey for Bipolar I disorder can take up to 10 years, the same amount of time it will take Men to land on Mars. A true eye-opened for doctors who treat this condition. Starting with a film and a journal ad, doctors were presented with the fact, and driven to a website in which they could learn more about & download a simple, yet effective tool to help identify the spots of the condition sooner.

Space exploration is a rich theme to explore. So we went all in on the simple, but shocking comparison we made: a parallel between the Bipolar I disorder diagnosis timeline and NASA's actual Mission to Mars. The campaign kicked off with a film and a print ad, along with the website that provided a real & proven diagnostic tool that can help doctors spot the signs of the condition sooner. The journal ads ran on Neurology journals and the film was used as a direct mailer for KOLs, and also used in congress and conferences. The website launched along with them, providing the much-needed tool that can change that story.

"Emily vs Mars" has empowered doctors to do more for their patients with Bipolar I disorder, by helping shorten the diagnosis journey and get to an effective treatment sooner. It also contributed to make Vraylar, Abbvie's FDA-approved treatment for Bipolar I disorder, a market leader in its category. The campaign has been praised by neurologists and psychologists and became a benchmark for how to truly change behavior and drive earlier diagnosis.