Situation:

Meningitis affects millions, claims lives, and leaves too many with life-long disabilities. Not everyone is aware of this or how to prevent it. And there was no one symbol people and organisations could rally behind.

Brief:

Co-create a unifying global symbol with, and for the meningitis community, like the Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer.

Harness the power of sport to help change meningitis awareness forever, recognising sport, and the Games in particular, have power to change things far beyond sport itself.

Objectives:

• Increase awareness to help protect people from this potentially deadly disease.

• Support people living with the effects of meningitis and their loved ones.

• Help rally people behind the World Health Organisation goal to defeat meningitis by 2030

• Leverage Sanofi’s Paris 2024 platform to maximise global visibility of the new symbol, increase awareness of meningitis, and attract valuable / influential supporters.

Introducing the Meningitis Flag – the first ever global symbol created by and for the Meningitis Community.

Co-created directly with:

- Meningitis Research Foundation, including the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations and its patient representatives and families - across the world

- World-class para-athletes (Théo Curin, Davide Morana, Ellie Challis)

- Textile designer Laura Spring (with a family connection to Meningitis).

The design recognises that when these para-athletes compete, they don’t just fly the flag for their country. They also fly the flag for meningitis.

Unveiled one year before the Paralympics, creative highlights include:

Emotive films with the co-creators (including three para-athletes) to raise awareness on the key themes of ‘protect, support, defeat’.

On World Meningitis Day, an Instagram filter allowed people to show support worldwide by flying the flag on their face.

Innovative ways to build disease awareness including make-up demonstrations, building murals, and an infinite zoom with artist Vaskange.

Data gathering:

Insight and data were gathered from diverse members of the Meningitis Community across five continents, to co-create their first ever global symbol. Co-creators included: global organisations, patient representatives and families, para-athletes affected by meningitis, Sanofi, and textile designer Laura Spring. The co-creation involved interviews, workshops and surveys spanning Australia, Sweden, UK, US, Pakistan, India, Kenya, Nigeria and Spain.

Target Audience:

We built ownership and ground-up support from the meningitis community. Paid media targeted parents and young adults, reflecting global data on key risk groups.

Approach:

The Meningitis Flag launched one year to the day before the Paralympics. Launch activity showcased the powerful personal stories of the three para-athletes and other flag co-creators. Subsequent activity has brought in a wider sphere of supporters, creators and influencers to extend visibility.

Public call to action:

Speak to a health professional about meningitis and the way to be protected.

Timeline:

The Meningitis Flag was launched one year before the Paralympics. Subsequent activity capitalised on milestones like World Meningitis Day, and 200 days to the Paralympics.

Implementation/Placement:

360°, onmichannel activation, with highlights including:

• Emotive co-creator films, (para-athletes, and CoMO members) rallying audiences to “protect, support, defeat”.

• Snowballing support on World Meningitis Day via an Instagram filter.

• Creative social content including a flag make-up demonstration and an infinite zoom with artist Vaskange.

• 6-story building mural in Milan, featuring a para-skier wearing the flag.

• Flag badges provided to over 2,000 volunteers at Paris 2024, to prompt discussion.

• Flag flown/worn at conferences

• High profile supporters including Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet.

• Flag assets available through MRF and CoMO, to patient organisations and supporters across the world.

Scale:

Seventeen countries simultaneously unveiled the flag. Paid media spanning France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Vietnam, Nigeria.

Impact:

The Meningitis Flag has brought massive attention to this too-often overlooked disease, disease, including:

- Over 182 million impressions

- Over 66 million video views

- Widspread media coverage including Le Parisien and La Tribune.

Response:

There’s been a huge outpouring of support around the world:

- I had severe meningococcal sepsis and struggle for more awareness ❤️

- What a wonderful message, and what a wonderful life lesson....🙏🙏

- Now that’s a flag worth flying

Support & Recognition:

- The campaign has been supported by influential organisations including, GAVI, the Vaccines Alliance, and flown by Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet.

- The Meningitis Flag has been awarded an ‘Impact 2024’ label by Paris 2024, recognising how it’s harnessing the values of sport to create positive social change.

- The ‘infinite zoom’ with French artist Vaskange has earned the ‘Cultural Olympiad’ label for outstanding combination of art and sport.