The ubiquitous condo real estate advertising throughout the city of Toronto was the rather unlikely inspiration for this campaign for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). It makes sense - CAMH is building a new kind of hospital-- the first of its kind in the world-- where being part of the community is part of the treatment. To alert the community of their new neighbor, CAMH welcomed themselves to the hood with condo-ads.
“It is unprecedented for an addiction and mental health facility to be leading the revitalization of 27 acres, or nine blocks in the downtown core of Canada’s largest city,” said Darrell Gregersen, President and CEO, CAMH Foundation. “The campaign approach is a metaphor for the transformation of an old institution into a modern healing community with through streets, retailers, and residences all seamlessly woven together - where CAMH becomes a destination for people to enjoy a coffee as much as it is for people to receive treatment. We want as many people as possible to understand and become involved with this truly world-leading and life-changing work.”
The OOH ads and radio ads ask people to visit www.transforminglives.ca for more information, and the site itself continues the condo-selling theme, created by digital agency, Henderson Bas.
But, you'd like to check this condo out, right? Of course you do so naturally there's a condo-style "model suite" you can visit.
A break-through component of the campaign includes the opening of a condo-style ‘model suite’ designed by Zig and housed on the Queen Street West site. This unique concept will provide a tangible experience for people to engage with the new kind of care that their support can enable. Initially promoted through construction hoarding and at the tranforminglives.ca website, the visiting public will learn about the awareness campaign, CAMH clients and how CAMH is creating a welcoming, healthy and inclusive new neighbourhood.
On April 6, to coincide with a celebratory and historical groundbreaking event at CAMH, the awareness campaign will officially reveal, through public relations, radio, newspaper, out-of-home and digital advertising to those who have not yet learned that Toronto’s most life changing address is the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Running until the end of May 2010, the campaign will continue to invite people to visit the website now branded as www.camhtransforminglives.ca and the 1001 Queen St. West model suite, which will also be modified to include mock up future CAMH hospital rooms.
CAMH and the CAMH Foundation are very grateful to the many philanthropic and volunteer leaders who are embracing CAMH and its redevelopment project by stepping forward to take leadership roles. The CAMH Foundation’s current fundraising campaign has a goal of raising $100 million toward the redevelopment and research enterprise, and is well on its way to meeting that goal. To learn more about the awareness campaign and to donate, visit www.transforminglives.ca
