Hepatitis B Foundation

National Hepatitis Awareness Month Local Awareness Campaign

The Hepatitis B Foundation, based out of Doylestown, Pa., is the only national non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide. The Foundation’s commitment includes funding-focused research, promoting disease awareness, supporting immunization and treatment initiatives, and serving as the primary source of information for patients and their families, the medical and scientific communities, and the general public.

Furia Rubel worked with the Foundation to strategize and manage a local awareness campaign to promote National Hepatitis Awareness Month in May 2006. The Foundation approached Furia Rubel with the goal to reach out to the Bucks County community and create awareness of hepatitis B and the Foundation. Furia Rubel developed a plan involving media relations, event sponsorship, online partnerships and outdoor exposure with four weeks notice.

Using their established media relationships, Furia Rubel connected the Foundation members with various local media outlets to spread the word of National Hepatitis Awareness Month. Interviews were broadcasted by Comcast Newsmakers on MSNBC, WOGL 98.1 and KYW 1060AM. Banner awareness ads were included on Buckscountyalive.com and its six premier affiliate websites reaching more that 24,000 unique visitors per week. The banner was also included in the Buckscountyalive.com’s monthly newsletter hitting more than 15,000 local subscribers.

As part of the awareness programming, the Hepatitis B Foundation was the lead sponsor for First Friday Doylestown, a community arts and entertainment event. Furia Rubel assisted the Foundation in targeting their local audience in Doylestown, Pa and with the help of the Foundation, organized an informational tent with free hand-outs and educational literature, along with entertainment including local bands and an appearance of the O’Liver mascot. At the tent, local television entertainment celebrity, Lori Wilson from NBC-10, signed autographs and promoted the Foundation’s message.

Television coverage included News 10 at Eleven and WB 17 News At 10. Print coverage throughout the months of April through June included The Intelligencer (cover business story), the Bucks County Herald and the Trend Leader. A Hepatitis B Awareness Month banner was placed at a premier location at Starbucks in the center of Doylestown.