Objectives

Over the past ten years, those suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD), a form of chronic eczema, have lacked access to innovative treatment options. DUPIXENT AD marks the first – and currently only – a biologic treatment designed to treat AD through the administration of an injection.

As a first-to-market treatment for AD, DUPINEXT faced two major challenges – first, low societal understanding of AD and, secondly, low brand awareness of DUPINEXT and its benefits. DUPIXENT needed to solidify its place in the market, especially considering it has several big competitors coming down the pipeline in early 2020.

Havas Media and the client’s research uncovered that many people living with AD think of it as “just a skin condition.” Shame – coupled with a tendency to think of eczema as an intermittent skin condition rather than a chronic, inflammatory disease – prevented these people talking about it. Leveraging these insights, Havas Media worked with DUPIXENT to raise awareness around AD and the brand.

Strategy and Execution

Havas Media, Arnold and DUPIXENT created “No Matter What,” a campaign that built a connection with moderate-to-severe eczema patients. It demonstrated the struggles of living with AD, emphasizing how DUPIXENT can help by bringing real patients to the forefront. Using a multi-touchpoint media approach, Havas Media succeeded in reaching the brand’s niche audience in relevant and engaging environments, ultimately leading patients to ask their doctors for DUPIXENT.

Executional specifics include:

• Surrounding Consumers Journeys: Knowing that 13% of adults are cord cutters who tend to multi-task while watching TV, Havas Media created a holistic video presence. Taking a 360-degree approach, the agency extended beyond TV with online video to “own the living room.” To target the key moderate-to-severe patients and encourage action, Havas Media focused digital and paid search efforts on directing patients to visit the website for more information or to search for a healthcare provider on the site’s “Dr. Finder.” Additionally, Crossix data allowed a focus on endemic sites such as Everyday Health, Healthline and VeryWell, all deemed top performers based on efficiency and audience quality. Seizing the opportunity to put DUPIXENT on the top of patient’s minds, Havas Media surrounded the consumer at high priority healthcare provider offices with messaging on multiple platforms including waiting room TVs, digital wallboards, print guides, and mobile geotargeting.
• Action-Oriented Channel Mix: Havas Media recommended a multi-touchpoint media approach to reach DUPIXENT’s niche audience in relevant, engaging environments. Upper-funnel national TV and print helped raise awareness of the condition and brand name, while search, digital and POC tactics targeted the audiences most likely to act.
• The Right Creative: To connect with those living with AD, Havas Media used real patients in the “No Matter What” campaign’s creative to demonstrate their daily struggles and how DUPIXENT can help. A single point of view in all channels also helped create consistency and build brand awareness.

Results

“No Matter What” TV increased awareness of DUPIXENT by 5% by the end of 2018. The DTC campaign launch and increased Search presence drove a 60% increase in site traffic, while the TV launch helped accelerate sales growth by 25% in the first two months, leading to an overall sales volume of 50% by year-end. Havas Media’s work increased registrations for patient support by 40% and garnered overall positive reactions from eczema sufferers. Over 50,000 people saw an improvement from the product, with one patient tweeting: “If you want to know what I’m feeling, watch this commercial.”

Media