In honor of Mother’s Day, Genentech and Grey Health have joined forces to shed light on the importance of caring for women's eyesight through the release of an animated short film.
"A Beautiful Sight" is a two-minute film developed in collaboration with creative agency Grey Health that aims to highlight the impact of wet age-related macular degeneration (or wet AMD) on aging mothers and promote Genentech's VABYSMO treatment.
The film follows a heartwarming story told from the perspective of a son as he grows up, experiencing the ups and downs of life under the guidance of his mother.
The mother’s gradual vision loss contrasts with the milestones in her son's life, ending with him becoming a retina specialist and giving his mother an eye checkup.
The short film concludes with the message, "Our loved ones shape our vision for the world. So when their vision is at risk due to wet AMD, how we care for them means everything."
Flipping the Script of Pharma Ads
According to its website, "VABYSMO is the first and only FDA-approved treatment designed to block two causes of vision loss."
The treatment was approved for wet AMD and diabetic macular edema in January 2022, and retinal vein occlusion in October 2023. Genentech celebrated the latest approval with an ad released last month.
This time, the pharma company wants to raise awareness for wet AMD by telling a story that many can relate to, veering away from the usual pharmaceutical ads that focus more on the clinical features of treatment.
"We instead focused on the human experience and emotional connection to show that VABYSMO is not just a treatment, but one that retina specialists would trust for their own parents," Erin Echter, Genentech’s patient marketing director for Opthamology, said in a statement.
"Traditionally dominated by predictable lifestyle imagery and functional communication approaches, our aim is to elevate the narrative, emotion, and visual experience to new heights," Grey Health Executive Creative Director Bruno Rebelo added.
Grey Health also collaborated with award-winning animation company Roof Studios and Marvel's "Shang-Chi" composer Joel P. West and used innovative facial mapping technology to enhance the emotional depth of the characters and the storyline spanning four decades.
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Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang
