Coloplast
Challenge
Coloplast’s mission is “making life easier for people with intimate healthcare needs”. It’s why one of the founders, nurse Elise Sørensen, invented the first ostomy bag in 1954, and it’s still at the heart of everything they do. Today Coloplast makes life easier with medical appliances and services in the areas of ostomy care, continence care, urology care and wound & skin care.
We were tasked with helping them tell the world about this mission and in a way that was representative of all four of their business areas. As with all Coloplast projects, there was an important condition: no actors could be used to portray the users of their products. We would film and photograph real users and their stories.
Mesha – living with a stoma
Solution
An intimate healthcare condition not only has a physical impact. It can also affect self-esteem, confidence, lifestyle, family life, hobbies, ambitions and social interactions. There are always moments of doubt and vulnerability. And it was these moments that we chose to focus on, as they give insight into where people’s most immediate and personal concerns lie.
We asked nine users from six countries to re-live the moments of doubt and vulnerability that Coloplast helped get them through. Their willingness to accept and meet this challenge was both humbling and inspiring, and took us between Copenhagen, Los Angeles and Chongqing in just nine days. The process was made easier from start to finish by a close collaborative relationship with the Coloplast team.
“Making Life Easier” mission film
“This is what we’re all about. It gives our passion a voice and captures everything we stand for. It sets the perfect tone from the very beginning. People are touched by it - and it provides us with a platform to start a valuable conversation with our many different stakeholders.”
Thomas Christian Bruhn, VP Marketing & Branding, Coloplast
Results
A film and photo series that enabled Coloplast to more distinctly communicate the essence of their mission both internally and externally, and across all relevant target groups.
While the film focused on relived moments of doubt and vulnerability, the photo series focused on the positive outcomes. These materials are being used globally across all channels, including online, SoMe, congresses, seminars, shareholder meetings, sales calls, HR activities and user events.
Bob – catheter user
Flemming – wound patient
Brian – urology patient
Keagan – living with a stoma
For those who work at Coloplast, the communication serves as a motivating reminder of their noble mission. For healthcare professionals, people with intimate healthcare conditions and business partners, it has proven to be a direct way to learn about the intent that drives this market-leading company.
Agency, client and crew on location with one of the users who stars in the campaign.
“After having worked with Coloplast for many years and helping their different business areas launch new, innovative solutions, it’s fantastic also to get the opportunity to make their mission, and the difference it makes, known to even more people.”
Sofie Svarre, Client Director & Partner, Advance
