Objectives

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that affects fewer than 50,000 people in the US. As a rare condition, it often takes years for people to get correctly diagnosed—particularly because the symptoms can vary drastically from person to person.

MG can cause extreme muscle weakness, which may affect a person’s eyesight, facial expressions, and ability to chew, talk, and even swallow. The effects of MG can be life-altering, physically debilitating, and emotionally draining—as everyday tasks such as brushing one’s hair or getting out of bed can be exhausting. It can also feel isolating living with a rare disease for which there is little awareness or local support.

For a person living with MG, it can feel as though the disease itself has become their identity. But the fact is, MG does not define who they are—they are so much more than their diagnosis. 

To provide encouragement and support to the MG community, Alexion launched the More Than MG campaign in 2022. To bring the campaign concept to life, a photo shoot series was conducted, with the following goals in mind:

1. Highlight real people living with MG to celebrate them for who they are as individuals (versus being defined by their disease)
2. Capture stunning imagery that creatively differentiates the campaign and embodies the essence of what it means to be More Than MG

Strategy and Execution

As each person who is affected by MG experiences the disease differently, it was crucial to partner with a variety of MG advocates representing different ages, backgrounds, and experiences. It was also important to feature people who felt passionate about the More Than MG mission in their own unique way to ensure the photo series was truly authentic.

To execute a successful photo shoot series, the following approach was taken:

• A social media audit was conducted to identify people who were actively sharing their experiences living with MG across various social media channels
• Four inspiring MG advocates from across the US were contracted to participate in the photo shoot series to celebrate their experiences and what makes them More Than MG
• In anticipation of the photo shoots, participants were asked to wear their favorite outfits and bring personal items to the set that represented their favorite hobbies, interests, or who they are as people
• Four separate studio locations and photo shoot dates were booked throughout 2022 to ensure each participant’s experience was tailored to their unique needs (and to ensure each shoot took place at a location conveniently located near their homes)
• A dramatically stylized set was designed to ensure that the emphasis of the imagery would be placed on each individual, and that the creative concept could be mobilized to take place in various studio locations

In order to inspire, encourage, and support others within the MG community, the finalized photos were released via the More Than MG Facebook and Instagram pages, and copies of all photos captured throughout the shoots were shared with each participant as keepsakes.

Results

The final photos produced as part of this unique series are a stunning and powerful representation of how truly inspiring the MG community is. The inner strength, passion, and unique spirit of each MG advocate is brought to life in each image, as they beautifully personify what it means to be More Than MG.

Most importantly, once the visuals launched on the More Than MG social media channels in October 2022, it was clear that this creative approach was highly valued among the MG community, resulting in:

• 979.6% increase in overall reach on Facebook (vs. September 2022)
• 1.7K% increase in overall reach on Instagram (vs. September 2022)
• Facebook page hit a record-breaking high in overall page visits of 223 on launch day alone (+25% higher than any other month)
• Instagram page hit a record-breaking high in overall page reach of 99,595 (+17.8% higher than any other month in 2022)

Overall, it was incredible to see how this creatively distinguished campaign made such an impact in driving support and awareness within the rare disease community and beyond.

Media