While more than 31 million Americans suffer from eczema, the chronic skin disease is often misunderstood, with many brushing it off as simply a “rash” or “itchy skin”. In reality, eczema is a chronic inflammatory disease often characterized by a cycle of intense itching and scratching that can lead to cracked, scaly and oozing skin.

Beyond the visible physical symptoms, eczema’s effect runs deep, with 30% of eczema patients being diagnosed with depression or anxiety. Despite the physical and mental toll of having eczema, patients are often hesitant to speak up about the full impact of living with chronic skin disease or don’t recognize that their condition could be better managed.

The objective of this work was to drive awareness of the lesser-known and often undiscussed emotional symptoms of eczema by showing the day-to-day realities of real-life patients and to encourage those with eczema to seek appropriate dermatological

The film highlights three patient stories: Alexis, an influencer who sparked an online community when she revealed her “true” face with eczema without makeup; Lanese, a lifelong sufferer who took action once her daughter exhibited eczema symptoms; and Rob, who thought his only option to manage his condition was to hide. Each of these stories shows the unique journeys of patients from diagnosis to ultimately taking action.

The film also includes perspectives of a caregiver, partner and healthcare professional to show the impact of the disease on the community, not just the patient. Acknowledging the important supportive role these individuals play provides a more comprehensive understanding of the day-to-day struggles of patients living with eczema in hopes of inspiring empathy among the network of people this disease may reach.

Using short film as the medium ensured the experiences of the patients were conveyed in a personal and powerful way. Accordingly, the film exceeded all core KPIs, meeting the objectives of driving awareness of the lesser-known emotional symptoms of eczema and encouraging those with eczema to seek appropriate care to better manage their symptoms.

• 40.83K video views on YouTube, exceeding the goal of 15,000.

• 14 earned media stories including an exclusive with People.

• 100% of earned media included at least one key message for the campaign (above goal of 85%).

• Engagement rate of 5.8% (above 3% goal) for influencer content.

• Over 1.4 million social impressions and over 14,000 link clicks across Instagram, YouTube and Reddit

• Seven film festivals acceptances (goal of three) across the country.

• Won “Best Cinematography” in the Documentary Short Film category at the Silicon Beach Film Festival.