SickKids: This is Why
The SickKids Foundation needed to deepen emotional engagement and increase donations, building on the previous "VS" campaign. They aimed to articulate the profound reasons behind their fight against childhood illness, targeting a broad audience of potential donors by showcasing the raw reality and resilience of their young patients and dedicated staff.
Creative Idea
It used a haunting song and raw visuals to reveal the emotional "why" behind the fight.
SickKids powerfully depicted the raw, emotional reality of children battling severe illnesses, using a poignant song and defiant imagery. This campaign shifted the narrative from just "VS" to a deeper "WHY," inspiring empathy and donations by connecting viewers to the children's unwavering spirit and the staff's dedication.
The Raw Reality Behind the 1.3 Billion Dollar Fight
From Pity to Performance Branding
The "This is Why" phase marked a definitive shift in the non - profit sector, moving away from traditional "pity - based" advertising toward a "warrior" narrative. While earlier "VS" spots utilized gladiators and rappers, director Mark Zibert and agency Cossette pivoted to extreme authenticity for this chapter. The production featured 40 real patient families and 25 actual hospital staff members, including surgeons and researchers. To maintain this raw tone, the crew used a documentary - style approach in active wards and operating rooms, often evolving the script in real - time based on the patients they encountered on - set.
Strategic Sequencing and Real Time Stakes
The campaign’s media strategy, led by OMD Canada, utilized a sophisticated YouTube sequencing model. Viewers were served different content lengths - ranging from 6 - second teasers to the full 2 - minute hero film - based on their previous engagement levels. This data - driven approach, combined with a haunting choral arrangement by The Music Project Choir, drove unprecedented financial results. The 2019 campaign period alone raised $68.7 million, helping the Foundation surpass 100,000 monthly donors and achieve a Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) of 289%.
Cultural Friction and Merchandise
The campaign was so culturally resonant that it spawned a "VS" clothing line, selling over 43,000 items and raising an additional $1 million. However, the "battle" metaphor wasn't without friction; some critics argued the imagery could alienate families of children with incurable conditions. SickKids leadership countered that the "fight" represented the hospital’s collective effort rather than an individual burden on the child. This tension only fueled the campaign's visibility, helping unaided brand awareness rise by 8% during the "VS" era.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
SickKids could credibly deliver world-class medical care and a relentless commitment to fighting childhood diseases, backed by dedicated staff and advanced facilities.
Category
Healthcare charities often focus on hope or specific successes, sometimes sanitizing the harsh realities of severe illness to maintain optimism.
Customer
Audiences felt a deep, often unspoken, empathy for sick children and a desire to support a cause that genuinely makes a difference against profound suffering.
Culture
A cultural appreciation for raw authenticity and stories of resilience, particularly when facing overwhelming odds, resonated strongly with viewers.
Company
SickKids could credibly deliver world-class medical care and a relentless commitment to fighting childhood diseases, backed by dedicated staff and advanced facilities.
Category
Healthcare charities often focus on hope or specific successes, sometimes sanitizing the harsh realities of severe illness to maintain optimism.
Strategy:
Reframe the fight against illness as a shared, deeply human struggle to inspire unwavering support.
Customer
Audiences felt a deep, often unspoken, empathy for sick children and a desire to support a cause that genuinely makes a difference against profound suffering.
Culture
A cultural appreciation for raw authenticity and stories of resilience, particularly when facing overwhelming odds, resonated strongly with viewers.
Strategy:
Reframe the fight against illness as a shared, deeply human struggle to inspire unwavering support.
Strategy Technique
Make the Brand the Hero of a Bigger Fight
SickKids positioned itself as the unwavering champion in the fight against childhood illness. By showcasing the raw, emotional struggle of young patients, the campaign rallied support for the hospital's critical mission, making viewers feel part of a vital cause.
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Creative Technique
Use a famous song
The campaign used a haunting cover of Nine Inch Nails' 'Hurt' to underscore the profound challenges faced by sick children. The song's poignant lyrics and emotional delivery amplified the raw reality and defiant spirit, creating deep empathy.
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Craft Breakdown
This campaign's craft is exceptional in its emotional storytelling and the powerful synergy between its poignant music, intimate cinematography, and impactful editing to convey the profound struggle and resilience of children battling illness.
The raw, intimate close-ups of the children and their families, combined with dynamic camera movements in urgent hospital scenes, effectively convey emotional intensity and realism.
The child's haunting and emotionally resonant rendition of 'Hurt' by Nine Inch Nails serves as a powerful, central element that elevates the narrative and emotional impact.
The precise and impactful editing creates a compelling rhythm, seamlessly transitioning between moments of vulnerability, urgency, and quiet determination.
The stark contrast between the realistic, clinical hospital environments and the stylized, glowing 'VS' neon sign powerfully symbolizes the internal and external battles faced by the children.
The magic of this campaign comes from the powerful combination of the child's poignant vocal performance, the intimate and dynamic cinematography, and the sharp editing, all working together to create a deeply emotional and inspiring narrative.
