Genentech uncovers ‘Hidden GeMS’ in latest #MSVisibility drive

With a new edition of a long-running awareness campaign, Genentech is drawing attention to the talents and passions that are helping people with multiple sclerosis (MS) thrive. The “Hidden GeMS” campaign is part of the #MSVisibility initiative that the Roche subsidiary originally launched in 2021. In various iterations since then, Genentech has sought to spotlight the often-overlooked diversity of the MS patient pool, as well as those patients' strength and perseverance. The latest installment shares the experiences of three people with relapsing-remitting MS, each of whom has found purpose in continuing to pursue their passions while living with the daily challenges of the autoimmune disease: Cecelia is an aerial artist, Demi is a social media creator and Rob is a professional musician—and dog dad to pet-lebrity Doug the Pug. Each individual’s story is captured in a three-minute video on the Hidden GeMS webpage. The campaign also includes additional digital content from the trio and both paid programmatic ads and organic posts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, according to Eugene An, head of neuro-immunology at Genentech. The aim of the campaign, An said in an email interview with Fierce Pharma Marketing, is to share those authentic stories in hopes of empowering other people with MS to advocate for the best care possible. Aerial artist Cecelia shares her story in the new "Hidden GeMS" campaign. (Genentech) “Our goal is to celebrate the unique and inspiring experience of people living with MS by showing the full spectrum of their lives and how they’ve achieved by continuing to pursue their passions and other pursuits that define their identity, by advocating for themselves and exploring high-efficacy treatments,” he said. “By sharing their journeys, we aim to underscore how these treatments can play a critical role in helping slow disability progression, while equipping people with MS with resources to have more informed, confident conversations with their care teams,” he added. Though the campaign is unbranded, Genentech is the maker of MS med Ocrevus. It’s also currently studying BTK inhibitor fenebrutinib as a possible treatment for multiple forms of the disease. #MSVisibility’s initial launch in 2021 “was inspired by listening to the MS community and observing how the pandemic reshaped their approach to healthcare,” according to An. “During the pandemic, many people living with MS were looking for support, connection and uplifting ways to feel less alone in managing their daily challenges,” he continued. “Since then, the program has continued to provide support, educational resources and authentic stories for those living with MS, caregivers and the larger community.” In its almost five years, the campaign has reached members of the MS community across all 50 states and around 60 countries, the exec said, while its video assets have been viewed more than 45,000 times. So far, this year’s iteration has already raked in more than 3.6 million impressions and views through digital and paid promotion. Most importantly, An noted, the initiative has “encouraged patients to seek information, support and more proactive care.” “Each year, the campaign seeks to help people living with MS feel seen, articulate their experiences, and be empowered to have meaningful conversations with their healthcare providers about disease progression and treatment options,” he said. “Patients and people living with MS will remain our ongoing focus that will continue to guide how we evolve the series.”