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Behind the Work in association withThe Immortal Awards
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How a Toronto Hospital Became a ‘House of Legends’

21/10/2022
Advertising Agency
Toronto, Canada
462
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Cossette’s Anthony Atkinson and SickKids Foundation’s Kate Torrance on the culmination of six years’ work, finding the perfect soundtrack, and the importance of doing one’s best for the kids, writes LBB’s Josh Neufeldt

In October 2016, SickKids Foundation launched ‘SickKids VS: Undeniable’ a campaign intended to rally the Toronto community to donate for the building of a new hospital. Garnering worldwide awareness through awards, media attention and social buzz, the campaign surpassed all fundraising and engagement goals, and the ‘VS’ platform would become a hallmark of the SickKid’s fundraising efforts in the coming years. This has continued into 2022, with SickKids once again reuniting their partnership with Cossette to release their brand new ‘House of Legends’ campaign. Celebrating the legendary work of the hospital, the spot (directed and produced by Mark Zibert) commemorates the hospital’s rich history, and the legendary status of the staff, patients and their families. However, that’s not the only reason why this campaign is special. 

What makes ‘House of Legends’ especially notable is the fact that it represents the final occasion on which SickKids will be publicly raising money for the new building - as they anticipate reaching their goal by March of 2023. As such, this campaign serves as a bookend to ‘VS: Undeniable’, and everyone involved wanted to do as much as they could to reflect that sentiment. The campaign saw the return of patients from the first film, including Cole smashing the dialysis machine and Malachi roaring with the tiger, and showcased personal photos and home movies of other patients featured over the years - many of whom have passed away. This combination of real archival footage, newspaper headlines and patient photography is intended to evoke true emotion, while also reminding viewers that all these moments in history are just a small part of a much larger story, and that it’s time to finish building a new home worthy of these stories, and all the ones yet to come. 

LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Cossette ECD Anthony Atkinson and SickKids Foundation’s vice president of brand strategy and communications, Kate Torrance, to discuss how this campaign was brought to life. 


LBB> What was the brief for this campaign, and how does it build upon the work you’ve previously done with SickKids? 


Anthony> This brief was special, in that it would be our big push to wrap up fundraising for the new SickKids Hospital. But, it’s also the end of an era - where our ‘VS’ campaign will soon enter a new chapter. We needed something celebratory, emotionally moving and disruptive all at once, if there was to be any hope in helping shake the donor fatigue that many of us have been feeling. So, we set out to remind everyone of the amazing accomplishments we’ve achieved together, and the need to finish what we started. 

Kate> We asked Cossette, first and foremost, for an idea that would clearly communicate that we’re building a new hospital. But, like all our work, it had to create emotion and move people to donate. The strategic jumping off point was ‘we’re building so much more than just a hospital’ to remind people about the legacy of SickKids, and that it’s a really special place.



LBB> Did you immediately know you wanted to bring back patients from the first ‘VS’ film, or were there other ideas under consideration?


Anthony> There were many ideas under consideration, but once we saw a piece of writing by Sarah Rutherford referring to SickKids as a ‘house of legends’, it jumped off the page. The idea of bringing patients back was a way to celebrate the legends of our past, present and future, and in some ways, our way of closing the loop to show how these legends’ stories live on. 

Kate> The very first script we saw in the ‘House of Legends’ concept included references to our year one film, as well as a reference to the history and origin of SickKids - and that was the basis for the script we ended up producing. There were other scripts under consideration, but not for long. We realised that when you remind people of our history - not just of the hospital but of the ‘VS’ campaign and the stories we’ve told - it really resonates emotionally. 



LBB> A crucial part of this campaign is the use of archival footage and material. How did you work with Mark Zibert on this, and what was the process like? 


Anthony> SickKids has an amazing archive of their catalogued history - and like all legendary tales, the origin story is a big part of it. Working with Mark, we wanted to show the incredible journey SickKids has taken as an institution: from one nurse with an impossible dream to the amazing work they do today. Mark helped bring this to life via these statuesque tableaux, and really pushed us to bring in the truth of these stories with intercut real footage and photography. We further crafted these stills to bring depth and life to the photographs to draw viewers in, which was a beautiful build. It’s here that we really drive emotion and show the true stories behind the creative pastiche. 


LBB> What made Mark the right person for the job?


Anthony> Mark created the majority of the SickKids work. It’s his style that has defined the look and feel of SickKids. It’s undeniable. But after working with him, it’s much more than that. We say that many directors pour their heart and soul into their work, but watching Mark work on SickKids was really inspiring. He has created such an emotional connection with SickKids, the clients, the kids, and the doctors, that when he works, you can feel him carrying them on his shoulders. It’s that kind of heart and emotion you can feel on film. It runs deep. When I say this piece was a tribute to not only SickKids, but all who’ve worked on it, Mark is a big part of that. 



LBB> How did you work with him to develop the look and feel of the film?


Anthony> It started with breaking down each scene into its own tableau, then working around it. Our creative vision was to create a piece that emulated the legendary visuals of renaissance art - where subjects came together to create this statuesque look that’s larger than life. Mark pushed us to ground this look in truth by integrating real footage and housing these tableaux in a studio where you could see the seams. This all came together to create a look and feel that felt epic, but was grounded in reality. It’s that kind of foresight that really drove emotion in our story. 


LBB> Who’s the voiceover talent for the spot, how did you find them, and what made them perfect for the job?


Anthony> We set out to find a voice that was powerful yet vulnerable. Jelly Too Fly is a Toronto hip-hop artist whose voice was discovered by Mark Rajakovic. When Mark was looking to fulfil this brief, he knew that no ordinary voiceover would do. We needed someone who could empathise with this story - someone who had lived through something similar, and who could channel that emotion. Jelly recently survived an accident and had a long road to recovery. Her experience was felt through her voice. It was powerful but walked on the edge of a knife between power and vulnerability. This film would not be the same without her voice, and it’s Mark’s ear for such talent that we’re incredibly grateful for. 



LBB> It’s not all archival footage. What was the production process like? How did you pull it off?


Anthony> A SickKids production is unique. It’s a masterful orchestration with many people responsible for its success. There are many kids and families involved, and that’s the primary focus. They’re the stars of the show and making this a positive experience is our primary objective. So, pulling off a SickKids production is more about thinking of them first, before anything else. 



LBB> The song choice - a remixed version of ‘Pastime Paradise’ - fits the spot brilliantly. How did you select this song, and who did you work with to create the remixed version for the final spot?


Anthony> Music is so important. SickKids has a history of adapting iconic songs and bringing new meaning to the lyrics. We’ve worked with Nirvana, NIN and Kate Bush, just to name a few. So, when approaching music for this, we knew we were following in some big footsteps. After much creative research, we knew we wanted a few key ingredients: a single staccato piano note that pulled you in (Kanye’s ‘Runaway’), a choir, and a classical score merged with a hip-hop beat. That’s when Mark Rajakovic went to work and came back with a track that blew our mind. A rendition of ‘Pastime Paradise’ by Stevie Wonder. Many will know this song as sampled by Coolio. The moment we heard it, we knew we had something very special. 



LBB> Building on this, Coolio, sadly, just passed away. Did his passing impact the decision process in any way?


Anthony> Mark R’s version of this track was scored in the summer. So, it’s been in the works for some time. The true story is, we only heard back from Stevie Wonder and his publisher giving us permission to use the track the day Coolio passed. The universe works in mysterious ways. We took time to carefully consider our decision to move forward with the track, and in the end, felt it was the right choice to continue on our path. 


LBB> The representation of doctors, nurses, healthcare workers, and researchers in this spot is equally important. Did you have a hand in deciding who featured in the spot? And do you have any amazing stories to share about the people who made it in?


Kate> We rely on SickKids staff to volunteer their time (which is really hard to do with their demanding schedules) to join us on set. We do ask for some specific staff members like Dr George Ibrahim, who was Shea’s neurosurgeon (the patient standing atop the stacks of wheelchairs, crutches and the overturned car). They are featured in that scene standing together, and it was meaningful for Shea and her family to be reunited with him outside the hospital setting. Dr Ibrahim led an interdisciplinary surgical team in an eight-hour surgery to reattach Shea’s skull to her spine after she was involved in a horrific car crash. We were so lucky Dr Ibrahim happened to be on vacation and in town when we filmed. Dr Ibrahim has made headlines for a paediatric world-first - using deep brain stimulation to treat a child with autism who was severely self-harming.


LBB> Do you have any memorable lessons learned from the making of this new campaign?


Anthony> We spend a lot of time pitching, selling and talking in this business. This was a process of listening and collaboration. I personally wanted to create an environment where everyone had the opportunity to leave a thumbprint, where everyone would be listened to, and where everyone would have the opportunity to be heard. This goes for our clients, our creative partners, our own team, and the hospital itself. In many ways, it might be easier to ignore these voices and push forward on a solitary vision, but that’s not my style.

Kate> We agonised over the words in the script, and were still making small tweaks in the VO recording session. But it was worth it. Most of our campaigns don’t have a VO because the imagery and music would tell the story. 



LBB> Bringing back patients, and sadly, in certain cases, memories of patients must have been moving. Please tell us more about what it was like to reconnect during the shoot, and what this experience meant to you!


Anthony> When I heard this work reminded the healthcare workers of SickKids why they got into the business, it really hit home for me. Healthcare workers have been through a lot over the past few years, and to know that we had an impact in reigniting their purpose? That’s incredibly powerful. We have a lot of influence in our business, and working on a project like this reminds me how impactful our creativity can be on the lives of many. 

Kate> Every year, it’s truly a privilege to meet these incredible kids and families and tell their stories. They remind you of what’s important and ultimately, why we’re raising money and trying to build a new hospital. To do the best we can for the kids. So, during the production process, there are definitely emotional moments. But they also just want to be regular kids, so there’s a lot of fun moments and laughter on set. This year, seeing some of the kids like Cole and Malachi, who were in ‘VS Undeniable’, all grown up was really inspiring. 


LBB> Seeing as this is a campaign bookend for ‘VS Undeniable’, what has working on the ‘VS’ platform over the past few years meant to Cossette? 


Anthony> The ‘VS’ platform will live on, but this chapter of our story has come to a close. We’re building a new SickKids, but what that new hospital can do goes well beyond Ontario. So, although it comes with many emotions to turn the page on a new chapter, the future of our story and the future of SickKids is where things get really interesting.


LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?


Anthony> I’ve worked on many legacy brands in my career, and it’s always a tremendous amount of pressure to live up to a brand’s legacy of incredible work. Audiences come to expect excellence from you, and it really pushes you to see what you’re capable of. They say pressure makes diamonds, and this team didn’t quit until they found one. 

Kate> It’s always challenging to recruit the number of patients and staff that you need for a shoot of this scale. But, we have an incredible internal team who manages our patient ambassador program at the Foundation, and they always get it done. And, we also have incredible production partners who donate their time all the way through the process - which is what allows us to produce such epic films on a charity’s budget. 

This year, we had a particular challenge with the music. We only received permission to use the Stevie Wonder song ‘Pastime Paradise’ literally the day after our deadline (we had used a backup score), but once we got permission, the whole team rallied to get it done. The music has always been such a critical element of the story that we couldn’t NOT use it once we knew we could. 



LBB> What has the initial response been like? 


Anthony> It’s still quite early, but the idea of challenging our perception of what a legend really is has resonated with many. It’s empowered the kids who still fight, it’s built pride in those who have recovered, and it offers purpose and comfort to those who have lost a child. Furthermore, it reignited a healthcare system that has been through a lot. My hope is that the general public will feel the same, and that this will hopefully inspire them to help us finish what we started.

Kate> It’s been incredibly positive. Right out of the gate, the most rewarding feedback we received was from patient families and hospital staff. This film in particular has renewed a sense of pride in hospital staff - and given how hard the last few years have been in healthcare, this is really meaningful to us.



LBB> This year’s marketing campaign will be the last time that the Foundation will be publicly raising money for the new building, as they anticipate reaching their goal by March 2023. Is there anything you’d like to say to the people who’ve supported you these past few years?


Kate> The generosity of our community is humbling. We raised the money from more than 1.2 million unique donors. That represents one in six people in the Greater Toronto Area contributing to our campaign. This is what they mean when they say ‘it takes a village’. It really was a wonderful community coming together that made this possible, and the staff and patient families are so grateful. We wish we could say this goal means that we’re done… but sadly even with a new hospital on the way, we still have a lot of work to do and there is no finish line for us.


LBB> Is there anything you’d like to tell readers about SickKids’ hospital, and how they can support the work you’re doing?


Kate> We’re heading into the holiday season, and it can be an especially difficult time to be in hospital. The entire staff - everyone from medical professionals and child life specialists to therapeutic clowns, music therapists and volunteers - do everything they can to make the hospital feel more like home. Close to 300 children and youth will need to stay in hospital each night - missing out on holiday festivities with their families and friends. The best way readers can support SickKids this season is to become a monthly donor, with the amount they donate being their choice. Go to BuildANewSickKids.ca



LBB> Is there anything you’d like to add?


Anthony> Please become a monthly donor!

Kate> The ‘VS’ brand platform and all the films we’ve produced over the last six years are a result of a huge team effort from literally hundreds of people, and a lot of passion for the cause. Every person that has touched this work is emotionally invested, and has gone above and beyond to make it special - not because it was great creative, but because it was for the kids. Our Foundation team, our agency partners, our director and crew, our post-production partners - they all ask about the kids, develop relationships with them… they really care, and so they worked really, really hard. And that passion is what made the campaign so authentic and so special. 

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