Long COVID Europe faced the challenge of educating young people about Long COVID symptoms when this demographic was largely unreachable through traditional health information channels. With no marketing budget, the organization created "Long COVID Mode" — custom modifications for three popular video games (Elden Ring, Minecraft, and The Witcher 3) that embedded 20 common symptoms of Long COVID into gameplay. By partnering with influential gaming content creators who streamed these modified games on Twitch and YouTube, Long COVID Europe transformed gaming sessions into powerful educational tools, reaching millions of young people where they naturally spend their time and helping them recognize symptoms they might otherwise ignore or misunderstand.
Long COVID Europe aimed to create awareness about Long COVID symptoms among young people aged eight-35, educating them on the condition and the importance of seeking treatment. With zero marketing budget, the organization needed an innovative approach that would effectively reach this audience on platforms where they already spent significant time.
This was the first year of the "Long COVID Mode" campaign. The strategy addressed the critical awareness gap among younger audiences by leveraging the popularity of gaming. Unlike traditional health campaigns, this initiative utilized game modifications and influencer partnerships to create an immersive educational experience. This approach aligned with the habits and interests of the target demographic, marking a significant departure from previous health campaigns that relied on conventional media channels.
The campaign targeted young people aged eight-35 who are avid gamers and spend significant time on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. This demographic may experience Long COVID symptoms without recognizing or understanding them due to a lack of accessible information. They are characterized by their strong interest in gaming culture, challenge-driven gameplay, and tendency to follow influential gamers and streamers. Tech-savvy and highly engaged with digital content, this audience frequently seeks new, challenging experiences (challenge runs) in their favorite games.
The campaign ingeniously embedded 20 common Long COVID symptoms into three popular games with different age ratings: Elden Ring (hardcore gamers), The Witcher 3 (casual gamers), and Minecraft (children as young as eight). With over 350 million copies of these games sold globally, this strategy offered tremendous reach potential across YouTube and Twitch.
The modifications were designed to work within "Challenge Runs," a popular format in gaming culture where players intentionally make games more difficult. This approach ensured the educational content felt authentic and engaging rather than forced or didactic. By having influential gamers stream these modified games, Long COVID Europe transformed entertaining content into a powerful educational tool.
The "Long COVID Mode" campaign relied entirely on organic reach and the goodwill of the gaming community, with no allocated budget for mobile or digital spend. The execution centered on innovative use of existing digital platforms and leveraging influential gamers to amplify the message.
Game modifications were developed pro bono within just two months, in line with the modding community's tradition of creating mods out of passion. These mods transformed popular games to simulate Long COVID symptoms, creating an immersive experience that helped players and viewers understand the condition in a tangible way.
The campaign's primary channels were Twitch and YouTube, chosen for their popularity among the target demographic. Influential gamers were engaged to play and broadcast these mods, turning their streams into educational content for millions of viewers. The campaign timing was strategically aligned with International ME/CFS Awareness Day to boost visibility and leverage existing awareness efforts around chronic illnesses.
The sophistication of the campaign lay in its deep integration with gaming culture. By utilizing "Challenge Runs," the campaign seamlessly embedded educational content into an engaging context that gamers naturally sought out. This approach ensured high engagement and authenticity, as gamers were drawn to the unique challenge presented by the Long COVID Mode.
The use of different games with various age ratings (Minecraft, The Witcher 3, and Elden Ring) allowed the campaign to reach a wide spectrum of age groups within the target demographic. This strategy maximized reach without requiring additional resources or budget.
The "Long COVID Mode" campaign demonstrated the power of innovative approaches to health education, particularly when targeting younger audiences. By embedding Long COVID symptoms into popular games, the campaign created a unique and engaging way to inform and educate a demographic that typically avoids traditional health communications.
The campaign was exceptionally well-received by consumers, with significant engagement metrics and positive feedback from both gamers and viewers. The creative integration of health education into gaming not only raised awareness but also sparked conversations about Long COVID, increasing empathy and understanding within the gaming community.
This approach set a new standard for how serious health issues can be communicated through entertainment platforms, highlighting the power of gamification and influencer partnerships in reaching and educating target audiences. The innovative use of game modifications and influencer collaborations provided a new model for engaging hard-to-reach audiences, demonstrating how organizations with limited or no marketing budgets can still create impactful campaigns.
By leveraging existing gaming platforms and the passionate gaming community, Long COVID Europe achieved widespread awareness and education about Long COVID symptoms without financial investment, proving that creativity and strategic thinking can overcome budget limitations in public health communication.
