GSK ‘Project 90’ to boost awareness of shingles prevalence and intricacies of disease in India

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals has initiated Project 90, a public awareness campaign aimed at shedding light on the prevalence and complications of shingles. Collaborating with celebrities such as Soha Ali Khan, Milind Soman, Neelam Soni, and Rohan Bopanna, the global pharmaceutical giant seeks to educate the public about this painful viral disease.

Shingles, caused by the varicella-zoster virus responsible for chickenpox, affect the nerves. After recovering from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body's nerves and may resurface later in life, particularly in individuals over 50 with weakened immune systems. Named 'Project 90' because the virus potentially affects over 90% of Indians over 50, the campaign aims to raise awareness about this risk.

The multi-phased social media campaign began with a simulated takeover of the celebrities' Instagram profiles by intrusive Project 90 spam and pop-ups. This tactic aimed to mimic the sudden reactivation of the virus in ageing adults' lives.