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When EMD Serono embarked on a campaign to empower patients living with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) to advocate for themselves, it sought out an authentic, trusted voice.

With this goal in mind, the drugmaker collaborated with actress and patient advocate Selma Blair for its I Was Ready for Change campaign.

The effort is designed to raise awareness of RMS — and which is the most common form of MS — as well as the treatment option of Mavenclad (cladribine) tablets, which are produced by the healthcare business unit of Merck KGaA. 

Launched on Super Bowl Sunday, the campaign includes a 60-second digital ad featuring Blair and her service dog, Scout. 

The ad is being promoted on social media platforms like Instagram, Reddit and TikTok to reach patients and caregivers. The spot also ran on select Fox streaming channels in order to target specific demographics.

Additionally, Blair has made a number of mainstream media appearances to promote the cause, participating in interviews with The Today Show, USA Today as well as The Drew Barrymore Show.

The decision to work with Blair was fairly intuitive, according to Venkat Thiruvallur, SVP and head of U.S. neurology and immunology at EMD Serono, since she is “arguably the face of MS.”

He said the campaign aims to showcase Blair as a patient rather than just as a celebrity and share her story to influence the estimated 1 million MS patients living in the U.S.

Through this effort, Blair has detailed what life has been like since she was diagnosed with MS in 2018 — informing people of the highs and lows that accompany this disease.

“We wanted to bring the humanity [of the patient experience] and you will see that in every content piece around Selma,” he said. 

Anecdotally speaking, the decision to bring more of the patient experience into pharma marketing and moving away from traditional celebrity-centric ads has been well-received, according to Thiruvallur. He also suggested this could set a new standard for the industry moving forward.

I Was Ready for Change builds on previous DTC campaigns for the brand. In 2021, the company launched its first DTC TV ad for Mavenclad.

In addition to highlighting Blair’s perspective as a patient, I Was Ready for Change also features Dr. Regina Berkovich, a renowned MS specialist based in West Hollywood.

Berkovich has aided Blair along throughout her care journey and now audiences will gain an insight into the value of their shared decision-making process, according to Thiruvallur.

Though healthcare professionals may know the clinical aspects of MS, the campaign underscores the need to work alongside patients on a care strategy that is appropriate for them.

“Dr. Berkovich says it best: ‘I’m the expert in M.S. but Selma is the expert in Selma,’” he said. 

Thiruvallur added that this DTC campaign is another example of EMD Serono’s commitment to positively impacting the MS treatment space and uplifting the community of patients, caregivers and HCPs.

He cited the company’s Embracing Carers global initiative to bring light to the needs of MS caregivers and the establishment of more than 30 partnerships to advance advocacy for this critical part of the care journey.

As for the future of I Was Ready for Change, he said the drugmaker will release more content featuring Blair’s story in the coming months.

All of this will build upon the themes of empowering patients, strengthening the patient-provider relationship and addressing misconceptions about living with MS.