Case Study Summary
Long COVID Europe
To raise awareness among young people about the hidden struggles of Long COVID, Long COVID Europe launched “Long COVID Mode,” an innovative campaign that turned gaming into a powerful educational tool. Without a marketing budget, they created custom mods for Minecraft, The Witcher 3, and Elden Ring that simulated 20 real Long COVID symptoms—like fatigue and memory loss—within gameplay. These mods were streamed by top influencers on Twitch and YouTube, transforming popular games into immersive empathy-building experiences.
Key Insights
- Meet them where they play: Traditional health messages miss younger audiences, but gaming is their world. By embedding health education into game mechanics, the campaign reached them organically.
- Challenge = engagement: By turning symptoms into in-game handicaps, the campaign tapped into the appeal of “Challenge Runs,” a favorite among gamers.
- Purpose-driven innovation: This was the first-ever health-related game mod campaign, proving how entertainment can drive empathy, education, and action—achieving global media coverage and a 250% spike in donations.
What the Awards Jury Says
It’s a compelling example of how creative, low-budget campaigns can use culture and community to make serious topics both relatable and unforgettable.
The Long COVID Mode campaign by Long COVID Europe is an innovative case study because it reimagines gaming as a vehicle for public health education and empathy-building—without any marketing budget. By tapping into the popular culture of “Challenge Runs” in games like Elden Ring, Minecraft, and The Witcher 3, the campaign created custom mods that mimic real Long COVID symptoms (e.g., fatigue, brain fog, and memory issues) in gameplay. This transformed gaming into a purposeful experience, helping younger audiences feel what living with Long COVID is like—something traditional health messaging struggles to do.
The campaign made gaming purposeful by making it an immersive storytelling platform for invisible illness, turning spectatorship into understanding. With 140 million in global reach, 22 million views, and a 250% rise in donations, it proved that creativity and empathy—paired with smart influencer partnerships—can break through even the most challenging awareness barriers.
Winning Details
Long COVID Europe – Long COVID Mode, submitted by MEDIAPLUS Germany
GOLD Winner- the 16th Annual Internationalist Awards for Innovative Digital Marketing Solutions, announced November 2024.
Credits
SERVICEPLAN
Designstube
86Tales
Cynapsis Media GmbH
