VMLY&R Provides Hope and Help in Brazil with Poignant Diabetes Print Campaign

Diabetes, a frequent counterpart to obesity, is a growing health concern in Brazil. Over half of the adults are overweight and the country ranks fourth in the world in the number of people with diabetes. The Support Groups for Eating Disorders and Anxiety, also known as the GATDA clinic, is dedicated to helping Brazilians with eating and anxiety disorders. It was created in 1998 with the mission to be the world’s leader in eating disorders prevention. Currently, the GATDA clinic is a member of the Academy for Eating disorders and specialises in clinical treatment while also offering cognitive behavioral therapy. 

The founder, Valéria Palazzo, noticed an uptick in patients, as the pandemic worsened factors- such as stress, inactivity, and increased screen time- that exacerbate eating problems. This, in combination with the population’s passivity around managing diabetes and even denial about its consequences, inspired the founder to partner with VMLY&R to create MISSING LIMB. To show the possible reality of amputation and drive behaviour change, the agency illustrated a cautionary tale and distributed it in print throughout the countryside of Brazil.   

How do you inform an already worried person living with diabetes about the frightening reality of amputation, without scaring them into paralysis? VMLY&R enchanted them with a highly engaging image and a realistic and practical message of hope and help.  

From the meticulously crafted facial details of the subjects to textures of each setting, the image goes where photography cannot. The Japanese illustrator Roberto Junaka, an artist with particular skill in creating hyper-realistic caricatures, spent months articulating the vision until it was just right. In addition to his own artistry, he used multiple kinds of technical software. In the end, he struck a beautiful balance between over-exaggeration and human-like features to allow the image to resonate without being too jarring. The other elements of the scene are rendered in such accurate detail, it forces its audience to imagine itself in the character’s shoes.