NHS – BMI
Responding to unprecedented times
It’s well known that the National Health Service has been under serious strain for many years and the arrival of a deadly virus on our shores in 2020 only further highlighted its plights.
Early on in the pandemic, research suggested that the severity of COVID-19 symptoms had a direct link to patients’ Body Mass Index, and those with a healthy BMI were less likely to need hospital treatment.
Having felt the pressure caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group – who look after regionalised NHS operations – asked us to develop a big campaign idea that would encourage the local community to make healthy lifestyle choices and improve their BMI.
Taking a holistic view
Both a time and subject sensitive project, we had to create a campaign at pace that encouraged, inspired and nurtured a culture of inclusivity within the local community.
It was of the utmost importance that the campaign focused on holistic health, and not body image. We also needed to communicate that this campaign was for all, regardless of weight, age, gender, economic background or ethnicity.
Working closely with the client we refined the creative brief, ensuring all sensitivities were addressed. In a collaborative effort our creative team devised a positive, impactful and playful campaign, ‘BMI Can Do It’, that asked the local community to action everyday changes to improve their health.
Striking a chord
With the campaign’s overarching messaging set, we turned our attention to its visual identity. It needed to be eye-catching, energetic and translate both on and offline. Mixing bold typography with bright pops of colour, the campaign assets visually stood out, whether as a post on a social feed or poster at a bus stop. Photography was also an important consideration and extra care was taken to ensure the imagery felt relatable and inclusive, without feeling forced or cliche.
A digital destination
A key touchpoint for the campaign was a microsite that provided a hub for people to sign up to take part in the ‘BMI Can Do It’ challenge. Built on WordPress, the microsite offered users the ability to learn more about the campaign, register personal details (as an individual or group), access to a BMI calculator and opportunities to learn wider, helpful information on improving their health via a blog.
Easy to update in the CMS, the microsite also offered those managing the campaign at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group digital marketing triggers that linked to subsequent dynamic remarketing opportunities, helping to widen the campaign’s reach.
Spreading the word
The campaign was swiftly rolled out across multiple channels. We created a suite of promotional assets including social assets, flyers, posters and letterheads, to help spread the word and encourage sign ups online.
Creatively, it’s a campaign we are proud of. It challenged us to think boldly while treading carefully, no easy feat.
