Timing of Campaign

Search: Launched November 1-7, 2016 and continues indefinitely.
Social: Ran March 21. 2017.

The Goal

When parents learn their unborn child has Down syndrome, they have about 10 days to decide whether or not to keep the baby. Shell-shocked, they leave the doctor’s office with a list of questions.

To make matters worse, parents are confronted with the cold and clinical language of Down syndrome: genetic defects, developmental delays and abnormalities – language that is far removed from the emotional reality of the agonizing decision at hand.

The Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS) wanted to be there for expecting parents by giving them the answers about Down syndrome that they were seeking. The objective wasn't to be pro-life or pro-choice, but only pro-information.

Target

Agency FCB’s target was expecting parents who had just received a Down syndrome diagnosis – a very small and fragmented audience who are difficult to reach.

The Insight and Strategy

The team began by understanding the target’s media habits, who use search very intensely. Despite accounting for just 0.1% of pregnant couples, they ask Google 57,000 Down syndrome-related questions every month – a massive volume for such a small group.

Knowing this, the team centered the strategy on search so they could reach parents when they were seeking information. In partnership with Google, they identified the 40 most Googled questions parents were asking about Down syndrome. Then, using Google AdWords, they intercepted these top searches so they could answer parents in the exact moment they needed information.

And since there’s no way to target expecting parents of a child with Down syndrome in traditional media, AdWords allowed the team to find this niche and tough-to-reach audience in a way that other platforms would not.

The Plan

With lots of questions and no time, couples inevitably turn to Google for answers. So rather than leaving them to the wilds of WebMD, CDSS had the true experts – people living with Down syndrome – answer their questions.

“Down Syndrome Answers” is a series of searchable videos that provide answers from people with Down syndrome to the 40 top Googled questions on the condition. Launched during Canadian Down Syndrome Awareness Week, the videos offer a window into the lives of people who, just by their very existence, can dispel some common misconceptions.

Taking the data-driven approach of answering parents’ top searched questions ensured that the videos’ organic rankings would continue to rise. Down Syndrome Answers is an always-on campaign that will live far beyond its initial launch, providing expectant parents a searchable resource to turn to, today and into the future.

On World Down Syndrome Day, the team used Facebook Live to launch a Down Syndrome Answers Q&A in which Dylan, one of the Down syndrome experts, answered questions in real-time from the community. Parents were invited to participate through the CDSS’s newsletter and Facebook page.

Technology and tools

1. Search Data Tools: the team leveraged Google Trends and Keyword Planner to identify the most search questions about Down syndrome.
2. Search Tools: Google AdWords was leveraged to find the niche audience and intercept their searches.
3. Social Technology: Facebook Live was leveraged to answer parents’ questions and foster community.

User experience

The digital campaign was designed to bring the answers to parents seeking them, in the exact place and time they want them. Youtube playlists was used so that once parents watch a video, another automatically plays to give them more relevant content.

Supporting Channels

The team took advantage of the increased attention on the condition during Canadian Down Syndrome Awareness Week to launch a PR program. The campaign was featured across Canadian and international news outlets, giving the CDSS a larger platform to showcase its Down syndrome experts and shift misperceptions about the community.

The results

-240,000 video views, which is significant since there are 25,800 Down syndrome pregnancies in North America annually
-101% increase in organic traffic to site, 50% of which was through Google Search
-893% increase in referral traffic to cdss.ca
-A Think with Google best-in-class case for search-based marketing
-Down Syndrome Associations in 10 countries support the CDSS’s assets as a resource for parents
-519 million media impressions
-The campaign was featured on the CBC’s The National, Global, CTV, the Daily Mail (U.K.) and Huffington Post (U.S.)