Making headlines at a fertility conference in Argentina
Louise Brown being interviewed by CNN.
Our latest work in the IVF and fertility sector took us to Buenos Aires in Argentina, with our client Louise Brown.
As the world’s first IVF baby, Louise was the guest of honour and keynote speaker at the 22nd Argentine Congress of Reproductive Medicine held on September 16, 17 and 18.
Empica’s work started almost a year before, alongside the board and organisers from SAMeR.
The society wanted to make their 2026 congress more international, and Louise’s presence was a key part of that. Since her birth in 1978 Louise has travelled the world, first with her parents as a baby and today with Empica supporting her.
Conference organisation
We secured the agreement for what could happen at the conference to ensure that it met the needs of the conference organisers and also fitted in with what Louise was able to deliver. Negotiation, especially when two different languages are involved, is vital to ensure there is no misunderstanding and that both SAMeR and Louise were happy with the arrangements.
In February it was officially announced that Louise would be visiting Argentina with a social media video created by the Empica online team that helped to attract doctors, embryologists, scientists, and fertility nurses to book their places in Buenos Aires.
The conference programme was entitled “Del comienzo al futuro” - From The Beginning To The Future, with Louise’s story of her parents struggle against infertility at the heart of the beginning of IVF.
Of course, the work of the IVF pioneers Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe and their assistant Jean Purdy (who effectively became the first embryologist), was also vital to convey how the technique was developed resulting in Louise’s birth.
The story of the doctors is captured in the Netflix film “Joy – The Birth of IVF”, which has also proved popular in Argentina, so references were included in the material prepared.
Handling the media in Argentina
Our founder Martin Powell, who has been working with Louise and her family for 20 years, wrote the speech and created the presentation that Louise was to present in the keynote address in Argentina.
Our videographer, Grace Fox, produced a seven-minute introductory video from vintage and more recent footage that could be used to introduce Louise on stage in Argentina, where it was projected simultaneously on three huge screens with Spanish sub-titles to help the audience.
All the assets were sent out in advance to South America in liaison with the conference technical team.
Martin and Louise flew to Buenos Aires and within hours of landing were presenting a press conference at the Marriott Hotel, where there was a major turn-out from the media wanting to capture the visit of Louise to Argentina for the first time – the most southerly place she has ever visited.
The press conference was attended by among others CNN, Reuters, Clarin, La Nacion, Infobae, Medscane, Info Salud, TN, I Professional, Noticias Argentina, Noticias Medicas Y Cientificas, La Prensa and El Diaro Argentina. It meant a round of individual television interviews as well as facing a packed press conference and individual print and photography sessions.
There was a little bit of time to look around the city the next day before another interview with a top women’s magazine – the result was major publicity for the SAMeR 2026 conference, highlighting fertility issues in South America.
Public relations
Four sessions were organised where Louise was able to meet the public – or in this case a very specific group of the public – those who work in the worldwide fertility industry. Most wanted a photograph with the person who was the catalyst for the industry existing and to have a chat about Louise's mum, Lesley, and her memories of the pioneers who made IVF possible.
There was also time for some socialising with a dinner dance where the medical professionals celebrated with many Spanish songs and a traditional tango dance performance. Martin and Louise entered into the spirit of the celebrations with a live rendition of the Beatles' Twist and Shout!
The Empica-produced film was also shown during a meeting with the patient organisation Concebir (conceive) when parents and children born through IVF met with Louise and discussed how IVF began and how to tell children that they were conceived in this way. Discussions also were held about how legislation impacts on those with fertility issues to overcome.
You can read more about Empica's work in the fertility sector here: https://www.empica.com/ivf-and-fertility
