Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare was founded in 1897 as the country’s first hospital for kids with disabilities, yet a recent survey by agency Periscope on behalf of its client found that, despite its long history, the institution had low brand awareness. So Periscope created a series of spots to raise awareness of Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare as part of its larger “Moving Forward” campaign.
“The medical community knew Gillette well, but the general public was not as familiar with the services Gillette provides,” explained Michelle Chester, senior brand strategist at Periscope. “They didn’t realize that for kids facing certain conditions — epilepsy or cerebral palsy, for example — Gillette is a better choice than other children’s hospitals.”
Each of the spots highlights a real patient with one of the conditions the hospital specializes in. “Gravity” (featured above), for example, highlights the hospital’s physical therapy program for a patient with cerebral palsy. Showing the patient working out under water, text communicates the message “We’re helping him master the laws of gravity in water…so he can break them on land.” Another spot in the campaign, “Confidence,” shows a girl with scoliosis who dreams of becoming a professional dancer, while others highlight how the hospital matches children with the right technology to help them thrive. The spots, only two of which have been released in broadcast so far, are supported by a print component designed to drive donor engagement. A radio spot will follow in the fall.
“It was just so incredible to work with these kids and help celebrate the progress they’ve made,” said Periscope creative director Kym Ohna. “We got to be part of a tiny part of what the therapists at Gillette experience every day and it was incredibly inspiring. All we did was capture that on film.”
Credits:
Agency: Periscope
Creative Director: Kym Ohna
Senior Brand Strategist: Michelle Chester
Senior Copywriter: Julie Dulude
Broadcast Producer: Kelly Farley
Management Supervisor: Jonathan Comito
Account Executive: Tanya Botten
Senior Project Manager: Andrea Weisner
Production Company: Horner Studios
Director: Alex Horner
Editing Company: Ditch Edit
Editor: Brody Howard
Original Music: In The Groove