As America continues to face shortages of nurses and other healthcare workers post-pandemic, West Coast University––a healthcare education provider with over 50,000+ alumni across the globe–– and advertising agency Special U.S. created a campaign to encourage us all to reconsider what care means in the U.S. today. The truth is, healthcare work is one of the hardest things you can do, and yet it often doesn’t receive the same level of cultural respect as many other services like the military or firefighters. With this campaign West Coast University looks to take the conversation beyond education in healthcare, to demonstrate the power of care as a value system. As an organization they are committed to not just educating, but advocating for the very best care, and this new work determines to put that purpose out in the world.
Special U.S.’s first campaign with the university aims to extend the brand’s presence and positioning beyond its stronghold on the West Coast to Texas and Florida. Shot with real nurses in actual hospital settings, “Care Like Crazy” is a 360 integrated campaign that aims to show current and future healthcare workers that West Coast University is dedicated to enabling them to create the social impact–and get the cultural recognition–for the heroic care they provide.
Henry Hobson of MJZ directed this :60 which shows what nurses endure, how they rise to the challenge and provide comfort and caring to patients and their families.
Dave Horton, executive creative director and partner, Special U.S., said, “Care is so often portrayed as a ‘soft’ profession, but when you speak to healthcare professionals you realize that the reality of care is anything but soft. We really wanted to convey that pride, respect and grit in the same way you’re used to seeing it for things like the military and even sports advertising.”
CreditsClient West Coast University Agency Special U.S. Dave Horton, Matthew Woodhams-Roberts, executive creative directors; Chris Cavalieri, Peter Albores, creative directors; Mat Bunnell, Micky Coyne, creatives; Matt Marty, sr. producer; Kelsey Hodgkin, chief strategy officer; Janet Shih, strategy director; Charmaine Cheng, designer. Production MJZ Henry Hobson, director; Ross Giardina, DP; Ed Callaghan, Emma Wilcockson, producers. Editorial Cabin Sam Ostrove, Nathan Rodgers, editors; Dale Nicholls, producer. Music Walker Stephanie Pigott, music producer. Postproduction a52 and Trafik Dimitri Zola, colorist; Hugh Copeland, Meredith Cherniack, post producer. Sound Design/Mix Eleven Jordan Meltzer, audio
NHS England, M&C Saatchi UK, Director Tom Tagholm Team On PSA Highlighting The Overlooked Signs Of A Stroke
National Health Service (NHS) England has unveiled a multichannel campaign, “Act FAST,” to raise awareness of the individual signs of a stroke and get people to call 999 as soon as they suspect they may be experiencing any one symptom. The push, which is part of the ongoing “Help Us, Help You” campaign, was developed in partnership with M&C Saatchi UK.
The campaign depicts everyday situations where everything might seem relatively normal, but where there’s the sign of someone experiencing a stroke.
A key component of the campaign is this :30--directed by Tom Tagholm of Various Films--which sets up the idea that initially, a stroke might not seem like much, highlighting key symptoms: from struggling to use a paint roller, to not being able to smile when watching TV, to slurring your speech when reading a story to your grandchild. The PSA emphasizes that time is critical, ending with the line: “Face or arm or speech, at the first sign, it’s time to call 999.”
Jo Bacon, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi UK, said, “We want to ensure people take action on the first symptom, rather than waiting for more conclusive signs. To help them understand that even when everything seems normal, something serious might be happening.”
Matt Lee, executive creative director, M&C Saatchi UK, commented: “This is important work. We wanted to explore that precise moment when your world shifts, quietly yet powerfully, off its axis during a stroke. We highlight how a tiny external moment can actually be seismic—an extraordinary gear change, framed in a really ordinary way.”
Director Tagholm shared, “My Dad suffered a stroke a few years ago and was saved from the worst by acting quickly, and by the work of the NHS. So there’s... Read More