We celebrated the
lead characters
leading pediatric care.
For decades, Rady Children’s Hospital has provided life-changing pediatric care for families in the San Diego region. After receiving their best rankings ever from U.S. News & Report, it was time the rest of the country understood what locals already knew—world-class healthcare happens here.
Rady Children’s called on EFM to deliver a fully integrated campaign for regional and national audiences. The catch? Everything needed to go live in just 3 weeks. Running at a record pace from initial concepts to final files, we moved in close collaboration with our client’s internal marketing team. The result was a bold and colorful campaign that shines a spotlight on leading Rady characters and their stories of “Healthier Ever After.”
Services
Business Strategy, Empathy Mapping, Persona Development, Content & Messaging, Campaign Development, Digital Design, Social & OOH
For a campaign that would run from coast to coast, we needed to understand perception of the Rady Children’s brand among both local and national audiences. Our strategy team examined the online conversations of everyone from potential patients and their families to prospective talent, donors, and even referring physicians. This social listening provided an unfiltered perspective to reveal a more realistic picture of each audience and their motivations.
Tapping into the hearts of audiences near and far.
Setting the tone to bring a brand into the limelight.
With a solid grasp of our target audiences, the next priority was to develop the right campaign approach and messaging. Our team conducted workshops with internal stakeholders to define Rady Children’s brand values from the inside out. During this process, we discovered the organization rarely publicized their accolades, despite consistently high national rankings. This meant our creative would need to walk a fine line—pushing the brand’s voice to make a strong statement without stepping too far from authenticity.
The path from creative concept to campaign delivery.
Doctors, nurses, and patients are the real heroes behind the success of Rady Children’s. To connect rankings wins with audiences on a more emotional level, we brought these leading characters to the forefront. Bright, smiling faces of children and real staff set against vibrant, colorful backdrops—this instantly conveyed a sense of optimism and joy that stands apart from typical healthcare providers.
But none of it would be possible without some creative project management to deliver everything within such a short timeframe. Through sprints lasting days instead of weeks with same-day turnarounds on feedback and live, on-the-spot revisions, we produced a full-scale campaign in less than 3 weeks. Launching with OOH, traditional print, digital media, and paid social, we made Rady Children’s known as the home of “Healthier Ever After.”
In San Diego, Southern California, and nationwide, billboards and print ads told the story of Rady Children’s Hospital and their top ranked specialties. At the same time, digital banners in airport terminals, shopping and dining areas, and luggage claims reminded travelers that world-class pediatric care was just around the way.
Our team also developed a library of digital creative assets that could be easily adapted for everything from high-impact display ads to promoted social posts. This way, we could equip our clients to always be ready as their needs change and new opportunities arise.
Extending the campaign far and wide.
A story that continues to unfold.
Beautifully executed and enthusiastically received, what began as an eleventh hour campaign quickly became an evergreen initiative for the Rady Children’s organization. Through the holiday giving season and beyond, our ongoing partnership with Rady Children’s Hospital persists to support their brand evolution and mission to help families on the path to Healthier Ever After.
Results
“Healthier Ever After has been a huge success, not only with SD families but our own staff as well. The kid characters and clever copy took the campaign to the next level, keeping it light and warm, while underscoring our pediatric health care leadership and separating us from other brands.”
–Irena Boostani – VP, Marketing
