In 2020 Novartis launched MAYZENT in Australia as the ‘first and only’ treatment indicated for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). Being the first to market is normally a launch utopia. But for us, it would prove to be our biggest challenge.

SPMS was the condition no one wanted to talk about and most patients’ greatest fear. It is seen as the end of the road and therefore many dismiss or close their minds to the possibility that day-to-day changes in their physical and cognitive function are, in reality, the onset of SPMS.

Our task became clear. The first step in addressing SPMS is recognising it, and the second is to start more conversations about the associated changes in cognitive and physical function. We needed to connect with our audience, give them the freedom to face these changes and provide a platform to share their experiences

By working with nurses and people with MS, we uncovered stories from those who weren’t afraid to own up to the awkward but liberating truths about the changes in their condition and helped connect these experiences with information about how MS changes over time.

Whether it was feeling ready for bed by the time you were dressed, forgetting day-to-day things, being unable to ‘perform’ sexually or your body failing to pick up when nature calls. These were moments in MS that others would recognise as their own.

Once we sparked those moments of recognition, we prompted people to reassess their MS via an online tool. The results were designed to be shared with neurologists and made it easier to start important conversations around MS progression.

All it takes is one person with the courage to talk honestly about their experiences. Because when someone opens up about their fears, others follow.

Every day with MS is a challenge, but the toughest test is what lies ahead. No one wants to talk about progression, much less look for tell-tale signs. So how do you get people with MS to recognise the changes and ask for help, when they’re scared of what the future holds?

Our strategic imperatives were to:

1. Raise awareness that MS is a progressive disease

2. Educate people living with MS about the changes that may signal progression

3. Take time out to reassess their MS

4. Drive conversations with their neurologist about changes in their symptoms

Our approach was to create a disease awareness campaign that shares eye-catching visual assets of familiar stories of faked orgasms, wobbly walking, brain fog and the relentless fatigue. This would trigger people to recognise these experiences as their own and as a signal to talk to their neurologist and reassess their MS.

Reassess’ was a digitally led campaign running throughout 2021, consisting of Facebook posts, YouTube video ads, Google display and search, allowing people to share their own experiences and be honest with themselves about changes that could signal progression in their MS.

A 90 second animated film was supported by digital display ads to drive traffic to the ‘Reassess’ website, housing information about progression and an online assessment tool.

We engaged three Australian MS influencers to share content about changes in their condition and show themselves using the platform, encouraging others to do the same. We supported this with In-feed and IG Stories Branded Content Ads, targeted to MS-based interest groups, overlaid with demographic data to amplify the message and reach. We also leveraged World MS Day and its theme of ‘connections’ as another chance to engage the MS community and encourage them to reassess their condition.

Reach

176,000+ potential patients and caregivers on Facebook, and 350k+ impressions via influencer social media content

Engagement

Thousands of comments, saves and shares, 50,000+ unique website clicks, almost 80,000 page views, online assessment form completion rate of 42%, call-to-action had a conversion rate of 56%.

Impact

People began talking and responding to each other about changes in their MS:

‘Oh yes, I see people look at me suspiciously when I get the wobbles’

‘This happened to my Mum … People abused her for being drunk when she had a small child with her’

Reassess Your MS connected with the audience and proved its success in raising awareness and educating people about facing their fears and changes that signal SPMS. It sparked a positive change with patients willing to open up and start the conversation with their neurologist about different ways to manage their MS