Objectives

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type of irregular heartbeat and increases the risk of stroke by about five times. Yet many people with AFib may dismiss or ignore their symptoms because the symptoms may come and go or can be mistaken for other conditions and remain undiagnosed. No Time to Wait (NTTW) was originally launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to emphasize the importance of seeing a doctor when experiencing symptoms that may indicate AFib, or another condition. Many people ignore symptoms and/or delay care.

As the pandemic waned, it became clear through market research that many people experiencing symptoms were continuing to ignore their symptoms, potentially putting them at greater risk for AFib-related stroke.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was diagnosed with AFib through a journey like many others: he ignored his symptoms because they would come and go – until he couldn’t ignore them any longer and wound up in the hospital.

With a longstanding commitment to raising awareness about diseases and conditions, Kareem became the main face of NTTW, a refreshed and fully integrated unbranded campaign with the goal of motivating patients experiencing common symptoms to speak with a doctor to better care for their condition.

Objectives

• Raise awareness of common AFib symptoms
• Encourage people experiencing common symptoms to speak with a healthcare professional

Target audience
People experiencing common symptoms that may be due to AFib (persistent or paroxysmal), ages 50+, who are undiagnosed and at-risk.

Strategy and Execution

Research

A 30-minute online survey of undiagnosed, symptomatic people about their attitudes and behaviors about AFib showed:

• Most people who experienced intermittent AFib symptoms were less likely to act because they didn’t fully grasp the potential severity and consequences.

• Many felt symptoms could be attributed to lifestyle factors, aging, or situations that provoked symptoms, so they opted to “ride them out.” 
• Many blamed themselves, seeing their symptoms resulting from an unhealthy lifestyle or existing medical conditions.
• Most individuals felt their HCP hadn’t fully listened to their symptoms during previous office visits and had ignored their concerns.  

Insight

Many people experiencing symptoms may feel their bodies are trying to get their attention, but the intermittency and the perceived insignificance of symptoms can lead to self-doubt, hesitation to discuss with a doctor, or make them simply forget about the symptoms. They don’t realize that even if symptoms are mild, or come and go, AFib can be serious due to its increased risk of stroke.

Strategy

• If it can happen to Kareem, it can happen to anyone! Portray Kareem as more than just a celebrity (basketball legend, advocate, and public figure) and connect to the audience through his vulnerability, his common diagnosis story and his emotional journey. Help others learn from Kareem ignoring his AFib symptoms and highlight the importance of speaking with a healthcare professional right away.
• Utilize surround-sound activities (earned, paid media, social, digital, third-party partnerships) to deliver priority messages directly to our target audience.
• Drive audiences to No Time to Wait unbranded campaign website to learn more about common potential AFib symptoms and how to better discuss with their doctor.

Execution
Kareem reflected intimately on his symptoms and diagnosis journey, bravely discussing what led to his diagnosis. He reminded individuals to take their symptoms seriously and speak with a healthcare professional.

The campaign grabbed attention at home, in media coverage, on the radio and on social platforms. All of these touchpoints directed people to NoTimetoWait.com, which prominently features Kareem’s compelling story and a symptom guide, potential questions for individuals to ask their healthcare professionals and more.

Paid

• Television commercials across major networks and in doctor’s waiting rooms and national radio ads.
• Digital campaign to share Kareem’s story with those at greater risk of AFib in places where they already look for information. 
  • Display
  • Online video
  • Facebook ads
  • Paid search
  • Streaming audio
  • Email

Earned

• Kicked-off campaign across priority national traditional and broadcast media.  
• Leveraged news hooks to drive media coverage throughout the campaign, such as during AFib Awareness Month.

Shared

• Shared social content to Kareem’s broad online audience and across BMS/Pfizer social channels.
• Kareem published a blog post on his widely viewed Substack page.
• Collaborated with 18 patient advocacy and medical associations to extend content reach.
• Partnered with StopAFib.org and the Association of Black Cardiologists to bring Karem’s message to live audiences.

Results

No Time to Wait is moving people to action! Since the campaign re-launched in February 2023:

• More than 4 million website visits in the campaign’s first nine months (February to November 2023): 
  • 19,013 people downloaded the symptom guide from the website, indicating they or a loved one planned to review their own symptoms against common AFib symptoms
  • Outperformed goals in driving registrations for the campaign’s CRM email program
• Over 37 million impressions across Kareem’s and BMS’s corporate social channels:
  • • The paid campaign on BMS social channels outperformed one of the KPIs, Video View Rate (VVR), benchmark by 16%.
    • The paid campaign on Kareem’s channels outperformed VVR benchmarks by 4%.
• The majority of corporate content and Kareem’s content outperformed organic benchmarks.
• 45 pieces of earned media coverage, garnering 892.4 million impressions

Media