Former England rugby player Matt Dawson MBE partners with GSK to launch initiative aimed at increasing understanding of potentially fatal disease ahead of Meningitis Awareness Week.
Challenge: We worked with SO What Global to deliver broadcast coverage of the partnership between former England rugby player Matt Dawson MBE and GSK, who launched the “Tackle Meningitis” initiative on Meningitis Awareness Week. The activity was also to announce that a survey will be undertaken to underpin the campaign which will engage with schools, rugby clubs and community organisations throughout 2017.
Solution: This initiative was backed by UK charities Meningitis Research Foundation and Meningitis Now and aimed to increase public understanding of this potentially fatal disease; including what the symptoms are to look out for.
Fronting the campaign was former England rugby player Matt Dawson, who has had first-hand experience of meningitis after his two-year old son, Sami, contracted meningitis and remained critically ill on a life-support machine for two weeks afterwards. Sami thankfully recovered and Matt now wants parents and families to receive the knowledge and education that he feels he lacked when the unthinkable happened to him.
Results: Matt’s personal story, and flexibility to undertake any opportunity we secured, meant extensive coverage was secured, with highlights including Sky Sunrise, ITV Lunchtime News, Channel 5 News, Sky News Radio, talkRADIO, BBC West Midlands and BBC Radio Gloucester.