Game on! For MS

MS is a chronic illness that attacks the nervous system. 2.3 million people around the world live with the disease, many of whom were diagnosed in their twenties. The lack of awareness and understanding in this age group means a diagnosis can lead to social isolation. Merck recognised that supporting people with MS involves more than just developing medicines. They also need supportive communities to help them stay connected with their peers. So, when Merck asked us at Momentum how they could make World MS Day 2020 the best one yet, we helped them take a radically new approach. By tapping into the online gaming and eSports community to connect people, this year’s World MS Day event was truly ground-breaking. Partnering with Twitch, the unofficial home of eSports streaming, we created the first-ever Twitch event by a pharmaceutical company. With the help of some hand-picked pro gamers, that our young audience know and love, we held ‘Game On! For MS’, an 8-hour gaming extravaganza! We shared real-life stories, smashed stereotypes and demystified MS. And we created an accessible, online community for people living with MS in the process. Not only that, we also raised over $62,870 USD for the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation! Results at a glance • 1,203,604 total unique views of live stream • 2,981,657 total minutes watched • 29,172 viewers at peak of livestream • 27,219 Twitch Chat messages