2019 Winners & Shortlists

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BrandHEARLIFE CLINIC
Product/ServiceAUDIOLOGY TESTS
EntrantFP7/DXB Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryBrand-led Education & Awareness
Idea Creation FP7/DXB Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement FP7/DXB Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Media Placement 2 UM MENA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PR FP7/DXB Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production MINT MENA Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Production 2 BKP MEDIA GROUP Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Describe any restrictions or regulations regarding Healthcare communications in your country/region (imposed by healthcare regulatory bodies, government, TV stations, etc.)

Healthcare communications in the UAE undergo rigorous testing. Claims cannot be made that aren't true or without supporting evidence or without approval of medical bodies. To ensure authentic scientific and medical accuracy, every step involved hearLIFE’s certified audiologists to support claims that were granted approval by the Dubai Health Authority.

Describe the target audience

We were targeting people across UAE, who could be affected by hearing impairment themselves or know someone who might be affected. 81% have little awareness regarding hearing impairment. 40% who notice they have hearing issues wait for up to 6 months. Average time to seek professional help is 10 years!

Background

In the UAE, over 410,000 people suffer from hearing impairment. And 96% of those who are diagnosed with hearing impairment, have been found to not be aware of the symptoms and warning signs. Early diagnosis is known to prevent hearing conditions from worsening. But, symptoms aren’t obvious. hearLIFE Clinic, an audiology clinic in the UAE, wanted to educate people about hearing loss. But, awareness was low and getting people to visit the clinic and take a hearing test was going to be difficult. We needed to make checking for hearing impairment easy and accessible for people across the UAE.

Describe the creative idea

So, we designed and created first-of-its-kind hearing tests. And placed them on the ONLY audio channel that everyone has access to: RADIO. Turning every car, home and office into a hearing clinic and an acquisition channel. Partnering with certified and expert audiologists’, we discovered that early sufferers lose the ability to hear anything above 4 Kilohertz. Then, we disguised our radio hearing tests as wildlife documentaries. impersonating the famous David Attenborough. And inspired by meticulous research, these radio wildlife documentaries only used animals such as…birds… dolphins… and crickets…who communicated in those 4 Kilohertz frequencies, that sufferers first tend to lose.

Describe the strategy

We wanted to make the hearing tests accessible and easy to take, turning cars, homes an offices into hearing clinics. • RADIO is the ONLY audio channel that everyone has access to. So, to reach people across UAE, we chose RADIO as a cost-effective mass media channel. • We partnered with leading radio networks to broadcast our idea on national radio for maximum reach across a diverse mix of age, demographics and nationalities, and turned cars, homes and offices into hearing clinics. • Upon listening to the live audiology test, and not being able to hear the animals. helped those affected to understand they had a problem. And then, we offered all listeners a solution at hearLIFE clinic. • Through this first-of-its-kind audiology test that did not need an appointment, we made checking for hearing impairment, accessible for people.

Describe the execution

We made people take a hearing test, they didn't know they were taking. • Based on the science of a hearing test, we chose animals that communicate in the 4 kilohertz high frequencies that sufferers first tend to lose: Birds, crickets and dolphins. • We set about creating audio recordings, disguised in the form of wildlife documentaries. • To make the audio execution interesting, we hired an impersonator of the famous David Attenborough, as he reported from what sounded like jungles, oceans and meadows. • The audio files were tuned with certified audiologists, in the same high frequencies sufferers first lose. • Most people could hear the audio within normal frequencies, but those with hearing impairment couldn't hear the 4 kilohertz frequencies. • Not being able to hear the animals’ frequency, helped those affected, understand that they had a problem. And then, we invited them to connect with hearLIFE clinic.

List the results

During this campaign, 22% of people in the UAE were reached and automatically took the hearing test. We witnessed a 46% increase in website visits. Along with a 28% increase in visits to the clinic. And because of its overall success, it is being integrated at the clinic as an actual hearing test. Being an innovative idea, and an innovative use of media, it also won the Warc 2018 Prize for Innovation.

Credits

Name Company Role
Oliver Robinson FP7 McCann Dubai Executive Creative Director
Tahaab Rais FP7 McCann MENAT Regional Head of Strategy
Michael Boszko FP7 McCann Dubai Copywriter
Filipa Mauricio FP7 McCann Dubai Art Director
Vicky Kriplani FP7 McCann Dubai Senior Account Director
Rey Amio FP7 McCann Dubai Senior Digital Art Director
Souraya El-Far MINT MENA Regional Head of Production
Jana Saad MINT MENA Producer
Chris Atkins BKP Media Group Sound Engineer
Darren Altman BKP Media Group Voice Artist
Paul Banham FP7 McCann Dubai Executive Creative Director