Client Case Study

Public education on abdominal obesity and its connection to cardiovascular disease on World Heart Day in 2005 & 2006

Context
sanofi-aventis maintains a strong partnership with the World Heart Federation and World Heart Day is considered the main initiative of this relationship. In order to educate stakeholders as well as support a linkage between World Heart Day in 2005 & 2006, sanofi-aventis asked its worldwide affiliates to participate in a competitive campaign in which two major factors would be considered: 1) the ability of affiliates to raise awareness about the serious health risk associated with abdominal obesity during the week of World Heart Day and 2) to educate the public about abdominal obesity and the necessity to establish waist circumference as an easy way to measure risk of cardiovascular disease. The global campaign entitled "Shape of the Nations" would also be measured by how each affiliate could creatively generate interest and awareness around abdominal obesity and its link to cardiovascular risks by focusing on publicity around a large-scale event.

Objectives
The objective for "Shape of the Nations 2005" was to establish abdominal obesity and intra-abdominal adiposity (as measured by waist circumference) as major risk factors of cardiovascular disease. And then the objective for 2006 is to move the story on from waist circumference to a more comprehensive understanding of cardiometabolic risk. To raise awareness and understanding about 5 Cardiometabolic Risk factors (cholesterol, TG, blood glucose, blood pressure, and abdominal obesity) and their links to CVD were the main objectives for "Shape of the Nations 2006".

Strategies
The first strategic step with any form of disease campaign is to engage a local medical association. As such, the team worked towards creating a partnership with the Korean Society of Circulation (local organization of World Heart Federation) and sanofi-aventis Korea was named the exclusive sponsor of World Heart Day in Korea. The second strategic consideration was how to develop a localized campaign theme so that the public and key stakeholders could be targeted with the key messages effectively. The goal was to maximize media coverage through various media tactics including a journalist teaser campaign, feature article development, TV program pitching, and a photo event.

Key Activities
1) Strategic approach to maximize media coverage : One of the main challenges encountered in 2005 was building awareness around abdominal obesity and its link to cardiovascular disease, as many people believe that waist circumference is more of a cosmetic concern rather than a serious health risk. One week prior to the World Heart Day event, the team sent all target journalists - including print and broadcast - an "Unhealthy Waist Circumference Package" with a mystery card that read: "Have you measured your WC recently?" The package contained potato chips, chocolate bars, donuts, soda drinks and cookies. The design of the card was adapted from the "Shape of the Nations" logo. The sender was kept anonymous as a means of garnering greater interest and the team created a second package, which was sent 5 days later to the same target media. Inside this package, the media were invited to the attend the World Heart Day event to be held in downtown Seoul and items included in this second package were apples, oranges, yogurt, green tea and a waist circumference tape measure. At this phase, the media were informed of the identity of the sender. This 'teaser' campaign - one of the first to ever be used in Korea - was a foundation in attracting media interest.

Given the fact, the objective for 2006 was more complicated concept to highlight as one simple visual shot. It should be focused on not only waist circumference but also cardiometabolic risk factors alongside waist circumference measurement. As such, to deliver the key messages effectively, the team focused on pitching in-depth feature articles targeting leading consumer/news wire/broadcast media. The main focus of the feature articles was on cardiovascular disease and the importance of CMR management with a special focus on waist circumference as a measure of CV risk factors.

2) Successful National Campaign through Eye-captured Promotion : The initial guideline for the 2005 campaign from sanofi-aventis was to link abdominal obesity to a landmark building within each of the countries participating in the campaign. Instead, the team focused on a representative symbol of Korea - the Taegukki or Korean national flag - and for the photo event, the team secured an entire team of male wrestlers to stand around the flag in order to support communication around abdominal obesity and its risk to the cardiovascular health of Koreans. The wrestlers were also asked to gather at Seoul City Plaza. The use of the male wrestlers and the Korean national flag helped to garner media interest and helped to link abdominal obesity to cardiovascular risks. Most affiliates focused on landmark buildings such as the Eiffel Tower in France to support a localized connection to the "Shape of the Nations" campaign but Korea's focus on national symbols and its citizens were seen as unique and extremely successful in promoting the national campaign.

Key Achievements
The media coverage of World Heart Day was phenomenal. As a result of unique media outreach in 2005, a total of 69 WHD related results appeared in web/print/broadcast media. The total media value was KRW 723,777,733 (KRW 225,357,679 of Ad Value).

This significant success continued in 2006. The day of the event also showcased a number of activities for citizens including free on-site consulting by medical professionals and interesting relevant events. A total of 2,500 people (estimated) participated in this event and a total of 62 WHD related results appeared in web/print/broadcast media. The total media value was KRW 819,998,220 (KRW 191,758,510 of Ad Value)

While the event was deemed extremely successful, the important measure of success was how much the media and public continued to see waist circumference as an important factor in heart health post-event. After the event in 2005, various television programs and print media started to give special focus to waist circumference and urged the public to visit clinics and hospitals to get treated for potential cardiovascular risks based on waist circumference. Based on the various success factors of the World Heart Day event in Korea, sanofi-aventis Korea was designated the winner of sanofi-aventis' worldwide affiliate competition.

It was continued to make success over the campaign in 2006. As a result of the successes in 2005 and 2006, significant buzzes around 5 CMRs especially abdominal obesity as a major cause of cardiometabolic risk factors were successfully secured. At the same time, strong relationships with World Heart Federation and Korean Society of Circulation were built through the campaign and the level of awareness of CMRs in the context of CVD prevention and management has been greatly increased among target stakeholders and continues to be a topic of discussion and media interest post WHD.