Out of the Blue
Main category
CROSSOVER
Sub-category
15. CSR/Non-profit Event
Watch the event video
Event Description and Key Objectives
The 'Out of the Blue' project, managed by AIM Communication for the LICE Foundation and the Italian League Against Epilepsy (LICE), is redefining epilepsy awareness with a ground-breaking short film.
Launched with a special press event on International Epilepsy Day 2023, the initiative aims to empower patients, dispel myths and forge strategic partnerships.
The objectives were clear:
• Encourage the expression of patients’ and caregivers’ testimonies and promote their involvement in the Foundation’s activities.
• To spread accurate knowledge about the disease, especially among young people, and to dispel the prejudices associated with it.
• To strengthen the Foundation’s partnerships, both with its members and with external key stakeholders able to amply the audience
Key challenges
Rare diseases such as epilepsy struggle to attract media attention, so the first challenge was to find a way to engage journalists, make them more aware of the issues facing people with epilepsy and create an opportunity to go deeper.
Epilepsy has suffered from social stigma in many cultures and many people with epilepsy are still ashamed of it and keep away from social activities to avoid the risk of being identified: the challenge was to make them feel empowered and safe to tell their stories and present their testimonies.
Young people are generally not interested in diseases, so we have to find a way to make the storytelling appealing and engage their emotions, which is key to communicating with them.
We decided to overcome these limitations with the idea of creating a short film, well made and of high quality, able to attract the attention of journalists, patients and the young audience.
Basic information about the event
Name of the organiser
AIM COMMUNICATION
Location
Rome, Italy
Event duration
23/02/23-30/04/24
Client
LICE (Italian League Against Epilepsy), Fondazione LICE
VOTING LINK
Event results
Creativity
Our campaign demonstrated innovation and creativity by
- Using the medium of short film to communicate a sensitive issue and extend audience engagement beyond traditional healthcare platforms.
- Elevating patients as storytellers, not talking about them but letting them speak for themselves, providing an authentic perspective and fostering empathy.
- Establish strategic partnerships with prestigious film festivals to extend reach and engagement with diverse audiences.
- Organising unique press event formats that stand out from the clutter of healthcare communications and capture the attention of journalists
Innovation
The AIM team rose to the challenge with an innovative strategy, transforming Epilepsy Day into the starting point for an annual campaign focused on the direct involvement of people with epilepsy and their caregivers.
The centrepiece of the project was a short film, Out of the Blue https://youtu.be/EzB3BU2QdUs?si=lRWH3r6-7XZSGkIL , a work of great emotional and artistic importance which gave voice to the personal experiences of people with epilepsy.
The innovative process unfolded in four key phases:
• engagement to gather testimonies,
• storytelling to create compelling narratives,
• creation of the short film
• dissemination to maximise the impact on awareness.
Strategic partnerships with the Giffoni Innovation Hub but and the National Association of Cinema Exhibitors (ANEC) ensured a wide range of audiences, especially young people. The choice of the cinematic language made it possible to go beyond the traditional boundaries of health communication and reach a more diverse audience
Execution
The integrated communications project has evolved through several key phases:
- finding the necessary sponsors to support the whole project
- A special press event to launch the campaign, with a film screening, a testimonial from a famous filmmaker and a discussion between journalists and patients.
- A social media competition inviting people to share their experiences.
- Involving the experts at the Giffoni Innovation HUB to transform the patient stories into an effective and engaging 15-minute short film.
- Premiere of the short film trailer at the LICE National Congress in front of thousands of neurologists
- Official presentation at the 2023 Giffoni Film Festival, with a masterclass for the young audience
- Out-of-competition screening at the 2023 Venice Film Festival
- Publication of the film on the LICE YouTube channel and promotion on social media
- Further distribution through partnerships with ANEC, facilitating multi-city screenings with high school students
Measurable results
The campaign was extremely well received by both young audiences and epilepsy patients.
The campaign received extensive media coverage, with over 480 articles published, reaching over 96 million contacts through various communication channels, including national TV, radio and newspapers.
The involvement of 7 pharmaceutical companies as sponsors secured the necessary budget.
Screenings of the short film reached over 1,200 students and around 20 high schools, sparking deep and engaging discussions.
The campaign demonstrated significant innovation in addressing sensitive health issues through the art of film. By highlighting the voices of patients and collaborating with key partners in the film industry, the campaign reached a wider audience and helped to challenge stereotypes associated with epilepsy. The unconventional communication strategy allowed the campaign to stand out and even reach mainstream media, further increasing its impact and resonance.
Communication
All the main stages of the campaign were presented to the media through press events and press releases.
The press event included an ad hoc montage of the film Il Grande Cocomero (The Great Watermelon), one of the few films dealing with epilepsy in the life of a teenager, with a video message from the famous film director, Francesca Archibugi.
Media representatives were also emotionally involved thanks to the film, motivating them to become real ambassadors called upon to promote the campaign.
The famous Giffoni and Venice film festivals gave journalists, not only those covering health issues, the opportunity to talk about epilepsy.
A call to action was launched on LICE's social channels to take part in a creative competition.
To help them tell their stories more consciously and effectively, the Foundation published short writing tutorials on its FB page, in which a famous screenwriter suggested the basic tools for constructing and telling a story
Sustainable practices
The event planning and execution was conceived to ensuring minimal negative effects on the environment while maximizing positive societal impact.
- Empowering Patients: The initiative focused on empowering patients to share their stories, fostering a supportive and inclusive community.
- Educational Outreach: The screenings reached a large number of students and schools, promoting awareness and understanding, which is a social sustainability goal.
- Strategic Partnerships: Partnering with established film festivals like Giffoni and Venice allowed for wider dissemination without the need for additional events, thus reducing the resource usage associated with hosting multiple events.
- Innovative Content Delivery: the use of a short film as a medium to communicate the message is a sustainable way to reach and engage a wide audience, ensuring the content is reusable and can be shared without further environmental costs
