Getting the full picture on Parkinson's

On Monday we launched our first ever public awareness campaign, designed to change the way people think about Parkinson's.

Here our marketing manager, Lily Dwek, explains the full story behind the campaign:

Full page article and adverts in The Metro

Since joining the charity one of the things that most struck me was just how little the general public knew about Parkinson's - something that I desperately wanted to start to change.

So, how do you get the public to change their views on Parkinson's? The answer, like the condition itself, is far from simple. To change someone's view, you need to create something that will encourage people to stop and take notice - and for that you need a good idea.

Like many good ideas, it was a chance conversation with an old friend that led to the opportunity to really put our plans for change into action. This old friend happened to work for a creative agency that was looking to help a worthy cause - and so our first public awareness campaign was born.

The campaign uses cleverly reworked images of 6 everyday activities that we all take for granted that can be incredibly difficult for those affected by Parkinson's. The images of each activity have been mixed up to create a disjointed visual puzzle that brings to life the difficulties of living with Parkinson's.

Creating a clever campaign is one thing, but if it isn't noticed then all of your work can be for nothing.

Overwhelmed by the response


Spotted on South West trains!



Although it is only a few days since we launched the campaign, I have been overwhelmed by the response. As well as seeing our adverts in the papers, the real highlight has been seeing so many people sharing their stories as a result.

Our Twitter and Facebook pages have been buzzing with hundreds of people talking about the ads and the campaign (on Twitter we're using the hashtag #myeveryday if you want to join in).

These are not only people talking about their experience of life with Parkinson's, but also those with no connection to the condition feeling compelled to comment on our work.

Although we may not be able to change the world with an advert, this campaign is certainly the first step in our mission to make life easier for people with Parkinson's.

If you spot the ads, I would love to hear what you think of them.