Michael J. Fox Foundation: "Dear Parkinson's"

How do you bring a new urgency and personal investment in the fight against Parkinson’s? The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is the premier non-profit organization funding the fight against Parkinson’s disease. Alongside the launch of a new research study the organization was sponsoring, the foundation wanted to energize the recruitment effort and spread awareness.

We wanted to dive deeply into the stories of those affected by the disease, both patients and their loved ones. To achieve this, we created the “Dear Parkinson’s” campaign: a series of handwritten letters from real people, addressed to the disease itself. This emotionally-driven narrative communicated the impact of the disease in human terms and illustrated the promise of the research. Each letter tells the personal experiences of living with Parkinson’s, how it has affected the writer’s life, and how they remain resilient and hopeful. The campaign’s flagship moments are letters are from Michael himself. A flexible approach allows the campaign to refresh itself and shift into new areas, with new approaches to the “Dear” construct. A do-it-yourself handwritten fox logo activates and personalizes the #DearPD campaign on social.

Hearing the struggles and triumphs of real patients serves as an emotional rallying cry to give and help end the disease.

DESIGNERS:
Woojin Chung, Nico Di Costanzo, Maria Fe Farah