How we used the sense of urgency to craft an award-winning digital PR campaign

Filipinos are notorious for their “bahala na,” or come-what-may attitude, even on important things such as their health. This probably explains why many would rather experiment with herbal products instead of actually going to hospitals for a checkup because they feel that taking in this remedy is enough to solve whatever ailment they are probably having.

This problem was even more pronounced post-pandemic. Despite widespread health paranoia, the cold and hard truth was that many Filipinos were neglecting routine check-ups out of sheer anxiety about hospital visits. It was a crisis simmering beneath the surface—a ticking time bomb of undiagnosed chronic illnesses waiting to explode.  

This was the problem presented to Comm&Sense by Tagaytay Medical Center (TMC) when they asked us to come up with a digital campaign that would convince more people to finally take that step and get that long-overdue visit to the doctor. 

TMC knew pleading for more “awareness” alone wouldn’t cut it. We had to come up with something different and powerful to get our call-to-action to turn into actual action.

This gave rise to Comm&Sense’s Huli-Cam online video campaign. At its core, “Huli-cam” plunged its hands into the messy realities we’d all rather ignore: the suddenness of health emergencies, the harrowing split-seconds where every moment is precious. 

The idea was simple: We created videos that had the look and feel of CCTV footage, which shows situations of people moments before they experienced strokes, heart attacks, and other medical emergencies in rather raw and gritty detail.  

The scenarios depicted in the videos were carefully chosen to showcase the potential consequences of neglecting or failing to manage the identified serious medical conditions. The goal was to visually engage the audience and elicit a sense of urgency, prompting them to take action.

Actors were cast to portray the emergency scenarios, and the videos were shot at various locations, ensuring realism and relatability. Each video was designed in a CCTV-like fashion to simulate real-life incidents caught on camera. The videos were crafted with cliffhanger elements, enticing viewers with phrases like “you won’t believe what happens next” and “they had no idea what will happen in the next few seconds.”

The Huli-Cam video was just the first part of the two-part content to engage the target audience. Those who watched the video were retargeted using Facebook’s remarketing tool so they could watch part two, called “Doctor Reacts.” Here, we had a TMC doctor watch the same Huli-Cam video so he can explain in detail the symptoms that were not noticeable before the patient experienced a medical emergency.

The doctors’ insights served to educate the audience, ensuring they understood the risks associated with neglecting their health conditions and reinforcing the need for timely medical care.

To maximize the campaign’s reach and impact, TMC implemented a multi-platform strategy. The videos were published on various social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. TMC also utilized short-form content, such as IG reels and stories, to cater to the preferences of different segments of the target audience. The campaign was further amplified through targeted ads on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, specifically reaching users in the Metro Tagaytay area, as well as nearby towns in Batangas and Cavite.

To supplement the video content, TMC conducted a photo shoot featuring the actors portraying emergency scenarios. The photos were used for flyers, posters, and social media art cards, ensuring consistent messaging across different channels and reinforcing the campaign’s call to action, “Magpa-check up agad, bago mahuli ang lahat” (Get checked up immediately, before it’s too late).

The numbers more than validated our content strategy. 

The campaign yielded significant results in terms of brand awareness and social media reach, as evidenced by the measurement and evaluation metrics. Prior to the campaign, TMC’s Facebook page had a baseline of 3,000 engaged users, 71,300 page likes, a reach of 41,400, and an engagement rate of 7.2%.

Months after the implementation of the “Huli-cam/Doctor Reacts” campaign, TMC’s social media activity experienced remarkable growth and engagement. The campaign garnered a total of 1.27 million video views, indicating a substantial increase in content consumption. The number of engaged users surged to 359,600, showcasing a significant rise in audience interaction and interest.

Moreover, the reach of TMC’s social media content skyrocketed to 2.25 million, reflecting the campaign’s success in extending the message and impact of the hospital’s brand and services to a much wider audience. The impressions surged to 2.8 million, demonstrating a significant increase in the visibility of TMC’s content across various platforms.

The success of the “Huli-cam/Doctor Reacts” campaign was not only limited to social media metrics but also manifested in tangible actions from the audience. Viewers of the campaign were motivated to seek medical help by visiting TMC to consult with their doctors. TMC witnessed growth in the number of inquiries regarding doctor schedules and a surge in appointments being booked, indicating a tangible shift towards seeking timely medical care.

Owing to the simplicity, novelty, and ultimately impact of this campaign, TagaytayMed’s Huli-Cam campaign was handed the Award of Merit (for Social Media) another Award for Excellence (Video) by the prestigious Philippine Quill Awards in 2024. It was also shortlisted in for top prize in the Skills Category.

The “Huli-cam” campaign is a shining example of how PR can be a force for good. It didn’t just win awards – it quite literally saved lives. It also shows how storytelling can make full use of emotions, such as urgency and a bit of fear, to ultimately create an impactful digital PR campaign.

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