FCB Canada launched a PSA campaign for Canadian Down Syndrome Society providing “Down Syndrome Answers” to common questions, delivered by those living with it.
“The majority of prospective parents know very little about Down syndrome,” Kirk Crowther, national executive director, Canadian Down Syndrome Society explained in a statement. “Doctors do their best and there are lots of websites offering the medical perspective but they typically use very clinical terms that don’t capture the emotional and human side of the Down syndrome story. We wanted to change that with ‘Down Syndrome Answers.'”
Questions range from “What is Down syndrome?” and how and why it develps to whether a person with Down syndrome can learn to read, ride a bike or have babies of their own (of course they can) to when babies with Down syndrome learn to talk. Targeted especially at prospective parents of babies with Down syndrome, the campaign meets such questions where they’re most likely to be posed: Google.
“When parents get a diagnosis, they always have questions even after speaking with their doctor. At that point, they inevitably turn to Google looking for answers,” said FCB Canada CCO Nancy Crimi-Lamanna. “When we met with CDSS, we realized that people with Down syndrome are most qualified to provide those answers, but without a good search strategy, there’s no guarantee people will find them.”
The series of videos not only provides answers to such questions but, in letting those with Down syndrome give the answers, gives those posing the question added insight into how those living with Down syndrome at various ages view their relationship with the condition.
“Just by casting real people with Down syndrome we start to dispel some misconceptions about the developmental disability,” added fellow FCB Canada CCO Jeff Hilts. “But what will really make this campaign effective is ensuring people find the videos first when they turn to Google looking for answers.”
Credits:
Client: Canadian Down Syndrome Society
National Executive Director: Kirk Crowther
Treasurer: Ed Casagrande
Board member: Ben Tarr
Communications Manager: Kaitlyn Pecson
Agency: FCB Canada
CEO: Tyler Turnbull
Chief Creative Officer: Jon Flannery
Chief Creative Officer: Jeff Hilts
Chief Creative Officer: Nancy Crimi-Lamanna
ACD, Art Director: Simon Tuplin
ACD, Copywriter: Pete Gardiner
Producer: Judy Hamilton
Editor: David Rodriguez
Group Account Director: Anabella Mandel
Account Manager: Joline Christiani
Senior Strategist: Eryn LeMesurier
Digital Strategist: Shelagh Hartford
Production:
Director: Elias Campbell
Director of Photography: Stephen McLouglin
Casting: Shasta Lutz, Jigsaw Casting