Background
Migraine is the world’s second most disabling disease, affecting over 1.3 billion people around the world. While many see it as just a bad headache, migraine is in fact a complex neurological disease and a major cause of years lived with disability among many people. As a specialist in neuroscience and brain disease, Lundbeck is committed to support people living with migraine.
Task
Lundbeck wanted a campaign to mark and launch on Migraine Awareness Day. Our task was to increase awareness about the debilitating pain experienced by people with migraine and how profoundly it affects their lives.
Solution
Talking with sufferers of migraine, we knew it was impossible to explain with words what it really feels like to have a migraine. But, in studying medical drawings attempting to explain the symptoms, we realised, that it looked like a plasma globe. A physical manifestation, which would allow us to bring the condition out of the textbooks and into real life.
From there, we invited people to discover what a migraine feels like by building and placing a giant head-shaped plasma globe sculpture on Kongens Nytorv inCopenhagen. The head was exploding with powerful electric jolts, making a common symptom visible. Adding to this, we wanted non-sufferers to see the condition in a new light – one that illuminates how serious and invalidating it can be. And from this, we created the campaign message ‘See migraine in a new light’.
To become more specific about the symptoms and how they feel, we added real-life stories from real migraine sufferers as audio testimonials playing from the installation. When passers-by approached the head, they’d first hear the voices of real patients talking about the impact of migraine. Then, when they’d touch it, they’d feel the negative energy drawn to their hand, creating a powerful moment of connection.
On Lundbeck’s social channels, we launched teaser posts about the reveal of the head along with migraine-related facts that communicated the seriousness of the condition. Once, the plasma sculpture was revealed, social channels showed footage of the head intercut with testimonials from migraine patient story films while encouraging others to share their stories under a designated hashtag. All of this to create understanding and compassion between those trapped by migraines and the people around them.
Results
From engagements on Social Media, the campaign proved to resonate strongly with those affected by migraine, both sufferers and relatives – who felt seen and acknowledged in a rare way.
