UCB Public Relations Campaign
Healthcare Communications Agency Cooney Waters retained MC to support a campaign for global biopharmaceutical company UCB, Inc., in conjunction with Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
In honor of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, UCB, Inc., teamed up with Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame football player and coach, Forrest Gregg, to share his personal experiences living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) as part of UCB’s Parkinson’s More Than Motion™ campaign. Gregg spent 40 years fighting for victory on the football field, but little did he know that after retirement, he would begin one of the biggest battles of his life. In 2011, Gregg became one of the more than 60,000 Americans each year who are diagnosed with PD, a chronic, progressive, neurological disease.
Objective:
To bring awareness to individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, through the Parkinson’s More Than Motion™ campaign, as more than 60,000 Americans each year are diagnosed with PD.
Campaign:
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Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame football player and coach, Forrest Gregg, served as the Spokesperson for this campaign. When he first learned of his diagnosis, Gregg adopted the same attitude that earned him the nickname “Iron Man” during his playing days: he didn’t let PD sideline him. He recently learned that along with the typical motor aspects of PD – such as slowness and tremors, or stiffness – there are also a wide range of non-motor symptoms like fatigue, difficulty sleeping or memory problems associated with the disease .
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MC arranged for several high profile interviews (across multiple platforms), with the ultimate goal to raise awareness for individual living with Parkinson’s, and driving them to the Parkinson’s More Than Motion™ FB page for additional resources.
Results:
MC generated extensive coverage for the campaign highlighted by the following feature stories/segments: the Associated Press, USA Today, Denver Post, Dallas Morning News, Bleacher Report, Green Bay Gazette, Cincinnati Inquirer, SIRIUS/XM NFL Network Radio and NFLEvolution.com.
The campaign generated significant awareness for the Parkinson’s More Than Motion™ Facebook page, where today there are more than 75,000 followers.