2022 Bronze Public Sector

Agency: MullenLowe Group UK

Client: NHS England

Campaign Name: NHS Life-Changing Careers UCAS Events

Campaign Overview

Stopping prospective healthcare students in their tracks at the UCAS University Fair was a crucial part of plans to boost NHS staff numbers.

Strategy

Most 16- to 18-year-olds are unaware of the breadth of roles available in the NHS. Many careers require a relevant degree with an application through UCAS.

Each year, UCAS hosts more than 40,000 students at a series of events across the UK. But with more than 140 exhibitors at each event, the NHS needed to stand out.

The comms were designed to open students' eyes to all of the roles and gather contact data for CRM, using the campaign proposition: ‘There’s more to the NHS than you think’.

Creativity

A mangled motorbike stopped people in their tracks. The creative told the story of Ben Tansley, whose life was smashed to pieces in a motorbike accident. The NHS helped put him back together.

Ben's long journey of recovery involved many different specialists, from paramedics to physios. Using his social media posts and the broken bike, his story became the campaign story, dramatically showcasing the variety of NHS experts who were instrumental in his recovery.

It used the tagline: ‘We are life-changing careers. We are the NHS.’

To be successful in the busy event space, the stand was designed as visually impactful at every touchpoint. It featured the motorbike, the film on a big screen and eye-catching career booklets that injected each specialism with dynamism.

Skilled NHS staff were also on hand to answer every question. However, the team knew deciding on a future career isn't an instant decision. The objective was therefore to collect contact data from interested students, and help them through the decision-making and application journey with bespoke CRM.

Every element of the stand helped to keep people engaged long enough to scan their lanyards and collect their contact data. Prominent QR codes on the stand and career booklets took students to a dedicated webpage for further information on roles and another opportunity for data capture.

Results

The NHS stand captured the attention and interest of students.

UCAS expected around 800 people to give their contact details - but the campaign garnered 1,030. Subsequent emails proved popular, with an open rate of 51.4%; some 13% above benchmark.

That's more prospective physios/nurses/podiatrists and other healthcare workers of the future being inspired and staying engaged.

The Team

NHS England - Ian Hampton, Lead Campaign Manager - Finian Scott, Senior Partnerships Manager - Fiona Warren, Senior PR Manager

MullenLowe Group UK - Tom Hudson, Global Creative Director - Matt Collier, Creative Director - Wayne Robinson, Creative Director - Silvia Sella, Art Director - Helena Heras, Delgado Creative - Jack Waters, Group Operations Director - Sophie Arnett, Joint Head of Account Management - Georgie Dale, Account Director - Harry Flynn, Account Manager - Vicki Holgate, Executive Strategy Director - Joe Cusack, Strategy Director - Cris Jones, Design Director - Danny Flint, Designer - Rob Carew, Artworker - Dom Scriven, Artworker - Pete Stedman, Retouching - Vanessa Hunt, Producer (Film) - Rhyanna Taylor Hogan, Assistant Producer - Maria Singh, Print Producer - Hettie Rifkin, Print Producer - Becci Winstone, CRM Copywriter - Jared Botha, Business Director - Bien Huynh, Account Director - Sam Brigstock, Senior Strategist - Emma Rathbone, Senior Data Planner - Dillon Jadva, Junior Data Planner - Jessi Tabalba, Senior User Experience Architect - Bradley Nicholls, Designer - Karen Franklyn, Head of Project Management - Matt Anderson, Editor - Martin Bridge, Senior Motion Editor

Absolute - Jules Wileman, Colourist / Grader - Olie Ireland, Post Producer - Yasmin Tilly, Post Producer
Sounds Good Studio - Martin Leitner, Sound Engineer

Wyatt Clarke + Jones - Adam Hinston, Director/Photographer

Freelance - Sue O'Dell, Casting Director