More to Parkinson’s wasn’t only about reach—it was about revelation.
A revelation from the untold side: the caregivers. Increasingly, that means adult children—sons and daughters stepping into roles they never expected. Especially in the case of Parkinson’s disease (PD), where hallucinations and delusions can affect nearly half of people with the condition, yet remain shrouded in silence, stigma, and fear. Most families don’t even know these symptoms exist, let alone how to talk about them.
Our challenge: Start a difficult conversation in a way that felt honest, human, and hopeful.
Our insight: The problem wasn’t awareness of Parkinson’s itself—it was awareness of the unseen symptoms and their impact. We needed to reach the adult children of aging parents—a generation of people unaware these symptoms were part of the disease—who often didn’t know what to look for, let alone how to talk about it.
So, we took a different path. No polished endorsement. No pharma-typical PSA.
We partnered with actor and advocate Ryan Reynolds. Not just for his fame, but as a son who had lived it. One who had watched Parkinson’s distort the reality of someone he loved. A storyteller who knew how to deliver a message families would hear.
For the first time, Reynolds and his mother, Tammy, spoke publicly about the hallucinations and delusions that marked his father’s final chapter. Just two people pulling back the curtain on an experience too many face alone.
This work lives at the intersection of personal storytelling and cultural relevance—everything social and creator-led campaigns strive to be. Ryan Reynolds didn’t just amplify the brand’s message; he embodied it. By sharing his family’s experience with PD-related hallucinations and delusions, he turned lesser-known symptoms into a public conversation. That story launched across social platforms, including Ryan’s own channels, driving massive reach and emotional engagement. His voice brought authenticity, while social gave it scale. It proved how a creator’s truth, shared at the right time, can shift awareness and drive action—without ever feeling like an ad.
Though Ryan had briefly spoken publicly about his father’s Parkinson’s, he’d never told the full story, until now. With approximately one million Americans living with PD, often diagnosed when their children are in their 30s and 40s, Reynolds' story struck a powerful chord. It was personal, timely and deeply relatable. By harnessing his cultural influence, the More to Parkinson’s campaign cut through the noise and started the conversation in such an impactful way, we were able to help people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers feel seen, understood, and empowered to act.
This wasn’t a celebrity cameo. It was a cultural interruption—one that cut through the noise with something pharma rarely dares: a deeply human moment that made people feel seen.
Our cultural insight grounded in data revealed that adult children are often the first to notice changes in a parent’s behavior but rarely speak up due to fear, confusion, or stigma. To break the silence, we turned to someone whose story mirrored theirs, Ryan Reynolds. Though he had spoken about his father’s Parkinson’s, he’d never shared the full journey. Instead of focusing on Ryan alone, we knew that pairing him with his mother, Tammy, would resonate with caregiver audiences in the 30-40 age range.
Timing the launch to align with peak cultural interest in Reynolds provided maximum visibility. Social platforms—especially Reynolds—were key to driving scale and connection. This strategy not only addressed the real issue but used personal experiences and cultural momentum to spark conversation and drive action.
The unexpected partnership created instant cultural relevance and emotional connection among target audiences. The campaign centered around a hero video, with Reynolds and his mom sharing their experience with Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and delusions that launched via Reynolds’ social channels.
Outlets like People, USA Today, and Good Housekeeping were prioritized for outreach—leveraging Reynolds’ appeal, reaching caregivers and people with Parkinson’s through outlets that rarely cover Parkinson’s. From there, campaign content launched across paid, owned, and earned channels, including national media, social, influencers, connected TV, HCP communications, and a redesigned disease education website.
To amplify Reynolds’ story, we leveraged community voices—engaging HCPs, people living with Parkinson’s, and caregivers to share their experiences with hallucinations and delusions across social.
The campaign adapted quickly, launching early to capitalize on Ryan’s peak cultural relevance. With billions of impressions and meaningful action taken by caregivers and people living with Parkinson’s, the campaign brought the concept to life at scale.
What began as an emotionally raw People cover story became a breakthrough: the first campaign to spotlight Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and delusions through the eyes of caregivers. The result was not just attention—but action.
Earned Reach + Strategic Amplification
Measurable Shifts in Awareness + Behavior
Bottom Line: Proof of Impact
More to Parkinson’s delivered outsized returns, exceeding expectations across earned impact, digital behavior, and public health resonance.
From a celebrity-led revelation to a community-led dialogue, the campaign proved that in healthcare PR, the most powerful coverage doesn’t shout. It gives people something to say—and the courage to say it.
