Starting a conversation

Undiagnosed hypertension is a serious problem in Cheshire and Merseyside, but many patients aren’t engaging with their own potential risks. To support pharmacies and health trainers in providing blood pressure checks in the community, we created a new digital tool to help start conversations about blood pressure and wellbeing with the public.

The Happy Hearts web app aids health professionals, by offering a 2-3 minute intervention that leads to a blood pressure check. It was carefully structured in a way that encourages patients to talk about themselves, their life and interests, before allowing the professional to illustrate how the health of their heart plays a crucial role in their life. This will hopefully increase their propensity to take a blood pressure check.

The project was based on a qualitative study which looked at how to motivate people to make healthy lifestyle changes. This work identified effective ways to use conversation to motivate behaviour changes around risk factors, self-care and medication adherence.

This provided us with clear insight that the brand and tool must deliver against. This allowed us to create early concepts around a brand name, identity, look and feel; and a user journey to structure the tool in a way that would support both the patient and health professional.

The tool was developed and tested in collaboration with pharmacies, health trainers and patient representatives to define the best format, content structure and tone of voice. This ensured that we were able to develop the tool in a live and dynamic way, incorporating audience feedback throughout.

On launch, the tool was rolled out alongside a training package for professionals to drive their confidence and propensity to use the tool.

Following launch we have then gone on to deliver a wide range of targeted social media campaigns using a blend of static and animated content (see below) to engage multiple audiences across the region.

Why it matters

Undiagnosed hypertension is a serious problem in Cheshire and Merseyside, but many patients aren’t engaging with their own potential risks. Tools to spark conversations between the public and health professionals are vital to encourage people to take control of their own health on such issues.

The collaborative approach we took to co-create the brand and tool with patient representatives and health professionals was critical to the success of the project.

Impact

3.4 million reach from social ads

Since launch Happy Hearts has now become the brand for a range of related campaigns and has been utilised for practical tools in health settings, a detailed CVD website and multiple social media campaigns.

An identity for a bright future

The core brief was to develop a visual identity (plus name and strapline) that could be used to communicate the future vision and the associated plan for the Trust to its many staff, stakeholders, and patients and their families.

An illustrative concept was created that embraced the warmth and passion of the Trust; with a clear focus on the inspiration for the whole organisation, the children. The concept is based around an illustrated ‘world’ with many individual elements that can be used flexibly across multiple channels.

The logo is a sunshine that provides a simple yet effective symbol of the bright future that the Trust is working towards.

The identity has now been embraced as the primary campaign brand across the entire organisation and we have been involved in its application across every internal and external communications channel available in addition to integrated campaigns, including:

Strategy documents / animations / physical environments throughout the hospital / presentations / emails / infographics / lanyards / events / digital screens

We have also worked with Alder Hey on multiple other campaigns and projects, ranging from commercial partnerships and conferences through to service brands and Covid-19 communications.

Why it matters

Alder Hey is one of the leading children’s hospitals in the UK – not only in terms of patient care but the innovation and leadership in the health economy it shows on a regional, national and international scale. The organisation is positively affecting lives every day.

The identity is used to lead the future vision of a leading city region institution – Alder Hey. It is high profile and a fundamental component of the organisation’s future plans which have a wider impact on our city region.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) is the combined authority of the Liverpool City Region.

Why LCRCA matters to us?

LCRCA works together to make investments in areas that have a real impact on our communities across issues such as transport, digital, energy and environment, skills and culture much more.

Find out what matters to them here

What we’ve done with LCRCA

Transport campaigns
Tourist attraction campaigns
Education and skills websites and campaigns

The Innovation Agency is the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) for the North West Coast, one of England’s 15 AHSNs in the AHSN Network acting as the innovation arm of the NHS.

Why the Innovation Agency matters to us?

The Innovation Agency plays a crucial role in driving the adoption and spread of innovation across all aspects of the health sector in the North West, embracing collaboration across public, private and third sector organisations. We believe that is fundamental to a progressive and healthy society, and we are proud to be one of their communications partners.

Find out what matters to them here

What we’ve worked on with the Innovation Agency

A digital resource for patients with respiratory conditions
Corporate publications such as annual reports
Employee awards branding and event activation

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), founded in 1898, was the first institution in the world dedicated to research and teaching in the field of tropical medicine.

Why LSTM matters to us?

LSTM develops new drugs, vaccines and pesticides and is at the forefront of infectious disease research.

As a teaching institution, it attracts more than 600 students from 68 countries, from PhD research and Masters programmes to a range of professional courses, and works in partnership with health ministries, universities and research institutions worldwide to train the next generation of doctors, scientists, researchers and health professionals.

Find out what matters to them here

What we’ve done with LSTM

Corporate publications and reports
Integrated campaigns to engage multiple stakeholders on key issues
Symposium and event branding and collateral

PSS is a social enterprise that supports people to live happy, healthy and hopeful lives, whether they are adults who have learning or physical disabilities, challenges with their mental health or difficulties as they’re getting older; people in and around the criminal justice system; or families who’ve been through unsteady times.

Why PSS matters to us?

PSS is a values-based organisation that is delivering incredible work with all types of people to support them to be as independent as possible. PSS does everything it can to help people see their own potential, get out there and live their life your way, no-matter what it throws at them.

Find out what matters to them here

What we’ve done with PSS

Brand identity and guidelines
Corporate website
Corporate publications
Signage

Champs is a long-standing collaborative of nine Directors of Public Health and their teams serving 2.5 million people in C&M, who also have a strategic influencing role within the Liverpool City Region combined authority and the Cheshire & Warrington sub-region.

Why Champs matters to us?

Champs places collaboration at the heart of its comprehensive and systematic approach to improving public health priorities by large scale action and working together as system leaders across Cheshire & Merseyside. Health issues don’t recognise boundaries and so working together is vital to the wellbeing of our communities.

Find out what matters to them here

What we’ve done with Champs

Corporate website
Web apps for health priorities
Various campaigns on health priorities
Publications

MIP has become a global leader in the reusable healthcare textile industry, providing a broad range of products and services to the healthcare industry in North America, Europe and around the world.

Why MIP matters to us?

MIP puts care at the heart of its business, committing to making a difference through the integration of science and care. It puts people at the core of everything it does.

Find out what matters to them here

What we’ve done with MIP

Employee engagement campaign
Product photography

LUH runs Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool University Dental Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. It serves a core population of around 630,000 people across Merseyside as well as providing a range of highly specialist services to a catchment area of more than two million people in the North West region and beyond.

Why LUH matters to us?

LUH works together to support the communities of Liverpool to live happier, healthier, fairer lives. It strives to deliver great quality care, and to be recognised for our commitment to innovation. It is proud to serve families, friends and our city, and our region.

Find out what matters to them here

What we’ve done with LUH

Brand narrative and messaging
Brand identity and guidelines
Employee engagement campaigns
Corporate publications