APartnership, Weber Shandwick, and Gilead Sciences
Be About It: Breaking the Silence on Hepatitis B in the Asian-American Community
An unbranded documentary called Be About It is the centerpiece of this campaign to educate Asian Americans about hepatitis B. Judges thought the film was beautifully executed, realistic, and highly relevant.
Research showed Asian-Americans are disproportionately affected by chronic hepatitis B and many are un-treated due to misperceptions, cultural beliefs, fear, and more. There’s also stigma associated with the condition that need to be overcome.
Knowing that Asian-Americans value family and are extremely loyal, the film, and the entire supporting campaign, was centered around families.
“We wanted to showcase an authentic, unfiltered, and heartfelt story about the daily struggles and emotional toll of hep B,” said an agency representative.
The character-driven film was directed by Chinese-American director Christopher Wong, who has a history of hep B in his family. The story centers on the ways in which hep B has impacted the lives of two Asian-American families. Daily activities, such as getting kids ready for school, are juxtaposed with hep B realities, such as waiting for scan results.
The film was screened at seven film festivals across the U.S. Panel discussions followed some screenings, and local advocacy groups disseminated information in each market. Media relations and social media outreach drove awareness and traffic to Hepbsmart.com.
Judges applauded the team’s multichannel approach and the campaign’s results, which included over 100 earned media placements and nearly 500 online mentions.
This article has been updated.
From the October 19, 2017 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
