Home Instead challenged negative stereotypes about aging through radio and social
The campaign won in the Healthcare and Pharma category at The Drum Awards for Marketing EMEA 2023.
PHD Manchester's ad campaign for Home Instead
To promote Home Instead’s in-home care as a favorable option for elderly individuals in the UK, it created the ’Purple Plaques – Celebrating Lives Lived Well’ campaign.
The Brief
The objective was to empower families to support their aging relatives at home rather than placing them in care homes. It aimed to challenge negative perceptions of aging and combat ageism while highlighting the contributions of older adults.
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The Idea
Partnering with Bauer’s Greatest Hits Radio, a media brand known for celebrating things that improve with age, the team drew inspiration from the UK’s tradition of blue plaques on heritage sites. With this in mind, it introduced Home Instead’s ’Purple Plaques’ to honor and recognize older adults who lead remarkable lives. These purple plaques, displayed on the exterior of their homes, showcased their achievements and challenged societal assumptions about the contributions of older adults.
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Execution
Working closely with Greatest Hits Radio, Home Instead utilized audio, social and digital platforms to generate excitement leading up to the Queen’s Jubilee. Co-branded audio trails and social posts directed listeners to a nomination site, where they could nominate their loved ones for a Purple Plaque and a Jubilee hamper.
The winners were announced at the start of Jubilee Week, leveraging the opportunity to communicate Home Instead’s mission and empower older adults with in-home care solutions. Through on-air vox pops and digital video content, the brand shared the inspiring stories of the winners, while driving traffic to Home Instead’s website to learn more about their services. The campaign also gained organic coverage in the Daily Mail.
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The Results
In a six-week period, the campaign delivered significant results with a relatively modest investment. Website traffic increased by 13%, search volume rose by 25%, generating over 13,000 additional visitors year over year and new client inquiries saw a 10% increase.
Its social community grew by 50% following the campaign and one-third of engagement in 2022 was attributed to the Purple Plaques campaign.
The campaign not only celebrated and highlighted a marginalized group often overlooked by mainstream media but also left lasting physical legacies through the Purple Plaques. These plaques served as a permanent reminder of the achievements of the winners and became a visible testament to the value that older members of society bring, effectively reaching everyone who passed each property.
This campaign won at The Drum Awards for Marketing EMEA 2023. Find out more about The Drum’s Global Awards program or head to our case studies hub to read more award-winning stories.