Parkinson’s disease is most commonly associated with trembling hands and other physical symptoms, but receiving a diagnosis can bring far broader changes to a person’s life. Fear, uncertainty and questions about the future often remain outside what the public typically associates with the disease. This less visible side of the experience became the starting point for the Lifequake campaign, created for Parkinson Canada by Toronto-based agency Broken Heart Love Affair.
At the heart of the campaign is a commercial that portrays a diagnosis through the visual metaphor of an earthquake. Shaking effects convey the sensation of the ground slipping away beneath one’s feet, connecting the physical symptom most commonly associated with the disease to the emotional upheaval that can follow a diagnosis. Through this approach, the campaign seeks to communicate an experience that can change a person’s confidence, relationships and outlook on the future, while also affecting those who support them.
Marty Hoefkes, creative director at Broken Heart Love Affair, explains that the creative team was particularly struck by the psychological burden of the disease, including the fear, anxiety and depression that people living with Parkinson’s may experience. This understanding led to the decision to use an earthquake as a visual expression of lost stability, while also showing how a diagnosis affects the wider circle of people surrounding the person living with the disease.
The campaign is part of Parkinson Canada’s annual year-end fundraising initiative. The organization currently supports a community of more than 120,000 people living with Parkinson’s disease in Canada, with that number expected to reach 150,000 by 2034. Donations support activities including assistance for people living with the disease, research into better treatments, community building and advocacy for changes to the healthcare system.
For this reason, the creative concept also plays a clear communication role in the fundraising effort. While the visual earthquake represents the uncertainty brought on by a diagnosis, donor support is presented as an opportunity to help people living with Parkinson’s regain a sense of stability.
Amanda Paterson, director of brand strategy, marketing and communications at Parkinson Canada, points out that a diagnosis can raise questions about almost every aspect of life, particularly when someone does not know where to turn or what to expect. The campaign therefore seeks to bring these moments closer to potential donors and demonstrate the role their support can play in the lives of people facing the disease.
The commercial was directed by Abby Ballanger, with production handled by Felon. The campaign is distributed across connected television (CTV), online video, digital out-of-home advertising (DOOH) and other digital channels. Agency Initiative managed media planning and execution for awareness-focused activities, while Principles was responsible for digital channels aimed at encouraging donations.
A significant portion of the campaign’s reach was achieved thanks to media partners who donated advertising space. According to the organization, this donated media support enabled the campaign to achieve an advertising value nearly 20 times greater than its initial media budget.
Through Lifequake, Parkinson Canada aims to broaden public understanding of the disease beyond its physical symptoms and demonstrate how much support can mean to people whose everyday lives have changed following a diagnosis.
