Embracing Carers Global Movement

The Challenge

Caregivers play a pivotal role in the healthcare ecosystem, yet there was a critical need to drive greater recognition of their contributions and improve their overall health and wellness. The primary challenge was to elevate global awareness of the practical issues unpaid carers face and push for new, improved support structures within governments and healthcare systems worldwide. Additionally, there was a need to establish a global policy agenda to address carer needs, share best practices, and encourage caregivers to self-identify so they could seek the support they deserve.

Our Approach

Working alongside EMD Serono, a global biopharmaceutical company, CCG led the initiation, strategic planning, and creative execution of Embracing Carers™, an award-winning global public affairs initiative. The strategy was built on four key pillars: global awareness, stakeholder engagement, policy activation, and healthcare system integration.

1. Creative Branding & Authentic Storytelling

   • We developed the movement's name, logo, website, and social media presence, alongside powerful, authentic content. This included videos and photography sharing personal "By Day, By Night" stories that captured real-life moments to educate and activate individuals globally.
     
     

2. Policy Activation & Tools

   • To bring carer challenges to the forefront, we conducted an international survey and developed a white paper alongside the first-of-its-kind Global State of Care Report, which served as a foundational platform for the UN Global Action Plan.
     
     

3. Stakeholder & Healthcare Integration

   • We formed a steering committee comprising over 30 leading organizations. To deeply embed the movement within medical structures, we collaborated with nursing, oncology, and multiple sclerosis organizations to train healthcare staff on how to better support carers, and highlighted initiatives like the Carer Passport Program.
     
     

4. Global Activation

   • We launched a worldwide call-to-action across 11 countries—including the US, UK, Brazil, and China—featuring campaigns like "Time Counts" that encouraged the public to donate time to support caregivers in their personal lives.

The Outcome

The strategic activation successfully sparked a lasting global movement, broadening support among elected officials, healthcare systems, and the public. Key results and metrics from the campaign include:

1. Global Advocacy Footprint

   • We successfully engaged over 200 patient advocacy organizations representing 60 countries.
     
     

2. Massive Media Reach

   • The movement generated over 916 million in online and print media reach, securing more than 2,602 pieces of online coverage and over 114 broadcast features.
     
     

3. Digital & Social Impact

   • The campaign sparked over 12 million social media impressions driven by the advocacy community, resulting in more than 3,763 individual social posts and over 33,000 views on the signature Embracing Carers™ video.