Takeda aims to bring IBD to the forefront of public awareness by improving understanding of the disease's impact and the strength of those fighting this disease. Takeda wanted to reach people living with IBD, who struggle to keep jobs and live normal lives due to pain during flare ups and constant visits to the doctor and to the bathroom, inhibiting them from participating in the everyday activities of life. They are frustrated with the stigma behind this "bathroom disease" and yearn for people to understand the effects of this invisible illness. Through IBD Unmasked Takeda wanted to engage the gastrointestinal (GI) and IBD communities, where they are already active – online.
The team recognized a unique opportunity to partner Takeda with Marvel Custom Solutions. By creating a graphic novel and other content with the comic book legend, we could translate the real lives of people living with IBD into an ultra-sharable tale of heroism and empowerment.
Using Super Heroes and the world of graphic illustration would encourage people living with IBD to demand more – from themselves and those around them. Empowering people living with IBD to overcome the unpredictability, anxiety and stigma would encourage conversation with friends, family and healthcare professionals. In the process, we would raise disease awareness among the general public.
Make Patients the Real Heroes
Takeda and Marvel Custom Solutions collaborated directly with people with IBD via a series of in-person and virtual brainstorms across the globe to create the characters and provide input on everything from Super Hero costumes to specific storylines for a full graphic novel featuring a team of IBD Super Heroes. We strategically engaged additional partners to provide input on the campaign content.
Create Strategic Alliances
- Collaborated with the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) on the development of creative content and website resources in the U.S.
- Partnered with individuals living with IBD from around the world, including Marvel artist and illustrator of the graphic novel cover, Kirbi Fagan. Assembled a team of spokespeople including IBD specialists and Fabian Nicieza, co-creator of Deadpool, who wrote the graphic novel.
With input from people living with IBD and our partners, Takeda and Marvel Custom Solutions introduced the world to the first IBD Super Hero team, The Unbeatables in 2016.
- Take Command of the Internet: The team created a robust, mobile-responsive website IBDunmasked.com translated in three languages to serve as the interactive hub for the campaign. It houses original content from The Unbeatables graphic novel, a create-your-own-superhero widget, tips from healthcare professionals on how to discuss the disease with a healthcare professional, videos, infographics and conversation guides for friends and family members.
- Hit Twitter Hard: Our research indicated that a vast majority of online conversations related to IBD occurred on Twitter. So we developed Takeda's first unbranded Twitter handle — @IBDunmasked. Additionally, we worked with several prominent patient bloggers in the U.S.
- Go Big at Comic Con: IBD Unmasked booths at MCM London and Chicago Comic Con events (230,000+ attendees combined) were flooded with traffic.
- Spread the Word: We targeted short- and long-lead, online, print and broadcast outlets with messaging that drove consumers to the website through multiple press releases, patient bios, social content, the graphic novel and educational infographics. The team developed a comprehensive earned and paid media strategy that featured a combination of search engine marketing, native, and social advertising tactics that drove an interested and highly qualified audience to the rich content.
- Activate Local Markets: Provided support and resources for local markets around the globe to launch the campaign.
The campaign is ongoing; interim results include:
In less than six months following launch, the campaign earned 13% competitive SOV in traditional coverage and 21% competitive SOV within the overall social IBD conversation.
To date, the campaign has received approximately 100 original placements in top online, print and broadcast outlets, resulting in more than 670.9MM media impressions.
Online Engagement:
Campaign Website
- Approximately 65,000 unique visits to IBDunmasked.com
- More than 12,100 high-valued actions
- More than 100,500 page views of IBDunmasked.com
- Average time spent on site: 1:55
- More than 3,400 digital comic book reads
- More than 1,500 infographic downloads via the website
- More than 3,000 clicks to Takeda websites
Campaign Twitter Handle
- More than 8.8MM social media impressions
- More than 500 uses of the campaign hashtag, #IBDunmasked
Paid Media
- Controlled paid media tactics including an audio news release, infographics, MAT release and paid partnership with Huffington Post resulted in more than 521.2MM paid distribution media impressions.
- Infographic pick-ups: estimated reach of more than 344MM
- MAT release: published more than 950 times and reached more than 65.5MM
- Audio new release: estimated audience of 99.9MM through more than 480 affiliates
- The first of three sponsored Huffington Post blog posts received:
- More than 45,000 page views
- More than 39,900 unique visitors
- More than 25,700 social interactions (social actions + social referrals)
