Toxic Ads

Proteins that threaten lives of PKU patients.

Office: Spain

Client: PKU Foundation

Raising funds for helping patients achieve a better quality life.

PKU is a rare, incurable genetic disorder that prevents the body from processing proteins from common foods like meat, eggs, and fish. Spain's public healthcare system provides access to specialized treatment, but PKU management is expensive. Although these formulas are partially covered by the government, families still face significant costs, leading to disparities in access.

With a PKU prevalence of 1 in 10,000 births, approximately, innovative solutions like a real-time blood protein biosensor are crucial. However, funding for such innovations remains limited, putting lives at risk. That is why we created Toxic Ads for the PKU Foundation, and Sant Joan de Déu Hospital.

We created a provocative and moving campaign that resembled toxic products warnings, generating more than 1.4 million impressions.

Leonardo Rincón Creative Director at VML THE COCKTAIL

PKU is a rare, incurable genetic disorder that prevents the body from processing proteins from common foods like meat, eggs, and fish. This leads to the production of toxic substances that can cause irreversible brain damage or even death. The only hope for patients lies in developing a biosensor to measure blood protein levels in real time, but this solution is currently underfunded. The challenge rested on drawing attention to the issue.

Raising awareness in Spanish communities about PKU and the necessity of funding can help bring attention to this critical health issue and foster a supportive environment for affected families.

We launched the Toxic Ads campaign in collaboration with the PKU Foundation and Sant Joan de Déu Children's Hospital. The campaign used ink made from the very proteins that threaten PKU patients' lives to create provocative posters resembling toxic product warnings displayed in hospitals and public spaces as well as letters that were sent to politicians.

This initiative generated 1.47 million impressions, a staggering 9164% increase in website visits, and a 487% rise in donations, significantly raising awareness.