2021 Gold Best B2C | DMA

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2021 Gold Best B2C

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Agency: MullenLowe Group U

Client: NHS England

Campaign Name: We Are The NHS: Then, Now, Always

Campaign Overview

The NHS was already under pressure when Covid-19 struck, and life became unrecognisable as the service shouldered the impact of the pandemic.

It needed a recruitment drive to secure a future NHS workforc

Strategy

The biggest-ever recruitment drive was launched amid England suffering a confidence-crisis in itself and in the future of the NHS that was putting off potential recruits.

The strategy was to drive confidence in 'WE' (the future of the NHS) and in 'ME' (to offset applicant anxiety and self-doubt).

The 2018/19 'We Are The NHS' campaign inspired national NHS pride, driving nursing university applications (+4% in year one; +6% in year two) after a catastrophic 36% decline.

Year three was intended to continue this success.

There was a dual comms roles:

• (Re)ignite ‘Confidence in we’; a rallying cry to elevate the NHS out of crisis, with language showing audiences the values on which the NHS was founded still remain strong today

• Drive ‘Confidence in me’. Ground this in real stories from real staff, the greatest advocates for the NHS, across the multiple touchpoint application journey, showcasing the realities of roles to empower individuals to believe that they could succeed in an NHS rol

Creativity

'We are the NHS: Then, Now, Always' told the whole story of the NHS. It was an emotive statement of purpose designed to create pride and confidence at every touchpoint.

Using real voices from the NHS frontline produced authenticity; the signature attributes ‘real staff, real patients, real voices’ allowed the public to see the humanity of the NHS doing what it does best.

The campaign featured TV ads in programming such as 24 Hours in A&E and ITV News, focusing on 'shared sofa moments' with parents, peers and partners.

Digital video and audio gave scale among streaming teens as role-specific ads followed to more targeted audiences, celebrating the variety of NHS roles.

NHS also prioritised the places where audiences sought affirming stories.

Video content on Ladbible demystified weird and wonderful roles for teens. Live UCAS Facebook Q&As enabled audiences to ask staff questions directly. Sequential social lifted the lid on the staff experience and guided applicants to discover more.

Smart social retargeting and search nudged considerers along the journey with a revamped website serving customised digital journeys.

By reacting to behaviours and focusing on key moments of application commitment the organisation avoided losing prospects in the self-doubt cycle.

Results

The campaign outperformed all objectives, successfully re-igniting confidence, delivering behavioural shifts, CRM sign-ups and - most importantly - increased degree/job applications:

• Elevated 'brand NHS' away from crisis

• Drove awareness of recruitment to 64%, +7% point vs. our 4% point target

• Increased confidence in NHS future

• Rebuilt career consideration of NHS careers, building a warm prospects CRM database

• Delivered significant year-on-year uplifts in claimed action with a third of teens and half of career switchers taking action after the campaign

• CRM database of 77,000+ future Nurses/AHPs/HCSWs built (+50% year-on-year)

• Record-breaking recruitment uplifts in nursing, allied healthcare professionals and healthcare support workers

The Team

MullenLowe Profero - Jared Botha, Business Director - Bien Huynh, Account Director - Lucy Coombs, Account Director - Jessica Parish, Account Manager - Howard Pull, Head of Planning - Dean Lanzman, Head of Data - Rhianne Patent, Planner - Cece Tsang, Data Planner - Sam Brigstock, Planner - Helen Sharp, Lead Copywriter - Becci Winstone, Copywriter - Bradley Nicholls, Digital Designer - Karen Franklin, Head of Production

Mediahub UK - Sabina Usher, Communications Strategy Director

MullenLowe Group - Fran Griffin, Senior Strategist - Katie McCambley, Head of Account Management - Georgie Dale, Account Director - Harry Flynn, Account Executive - Jane Dorsett, Effectiveness Partner - Lovisa Silburn, Creative Director - Nick Bell, Creative Director

Mediahub - Olivia Furniss-Roe, Account Manager NHS England - Ian Hampton, Lead Campaign Manager - Phil Bastable, Deputy Director, Head of Campaigns and Social Media