Princess Margaret Hospital shares its creed
Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) is one of the top five cancer research hospitals in the world, and it's driving to 'Conquer Cancer in our Lifetime.' Those two points form the crux of a creed which was developed last year after Y&R interviewed major stakeholders at PMH, including doctors, researchers, caregivers and volunteers.
Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) is one of the top five cancer research hospitals in the world, and it’s driving to ‘Conquer Cancer in our Lifetime.’ Those two points form the crux of a creed which was developed last year after Y&R interviewed major stakeholders at PMH, including doctors, researchers, caregivers and volunteers.
‘It’s something that’s organized [PMH] internally in terms of they’re all speaking from the song sheet,’ says Chris Jordan, president and CEO at Y&R Canada. ‘We’re big believers that everything about a brand communicates, whether it is a sign or a speech someone gives, and this is a tool to enable them to do so.’
In July, the hospital foundation launched a campaign to take that message to Canadians, to show it’s making progress in the fight against cancer, and to enlist aid in furthering an extremely worthy cause.
Based on the stories that came out of the interviews – both of personal triumph and tragedy on the part of patients and of the incredible progress that PMH has made since opening its doors in 1958 – Y&R developed creative illustrating the creed.
‘We had to have big statements like [the fact that] stem cells were discovered there,’ explains Joseph Nanni, CD at Y&R in Toronto. ‘But at the same time, we had to balance it with the human side of the story, and that was my mission for the spot, because we’re still losing people to cancer and you have to let people know that we’re making progress.’
The creative includes PSAs on TV, which have been picked up and aired by all the major Canadian networks, as well as radio, print and online ads, representation in internal communications and banners on the outside of the building. Y&R plans to incorporate the creed campaign, which will continue indefinitely, into further online initiatives.
The creds:
advertiser: Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
agency: Y&R, Toronto
AD: Gints Bruveris
writers: Matt Fraracci, Joseph Nanni
director: Joseph Nanni
producer: Pam Portsmouth
strategic planner: Judy Flanagan
prodco: Brown Entertainment
executive producer: David Cranor
music house: Wanted Sound Production
Music rights granted by EMI Music Canada and Abkco Music & Records
