Healthcare advertising tends to rely on the same tropes again and again – a hand on a hand, knowing nod, and lots and lots of smiling. Cramer-Krasselt took healthcare system, Emplify Health, somewhere very different. The animated campaign film is saccharine-sweet, but also reassuring [read: compelling], introducing the animated character, Empathy, designed to pull at people’s heartstrings.
A Little Empathy follows a small, blue, animated heart called Little Empathy.
Additional 15-second spots highlight how, when you show a little empathy, you share a little too. Little Empathy appears again to underline this message, this time with the friends it meets at Emplify Health at the end of the hero spot. The theme of support runs through the shorter spots, with one particularly memorable one showing Little Empathy looking upset beneath a cloud – until a friend, another blue heart, lassos it away to reveal a sun.
The campaign is running across TV, social, OOH, print and digital in the US’ upper Midwest (Minnesota, IowA, Wisconsin and Michigan). Emplify Health also created a plushie toy of Little Empathy to bring smiles to people across and beyond the healthcare system.
“A Little Empathy is unlike anything in healthcare — bold, unexpected, and deeply emotional. This campaign proves that when you take bold creative risks, you create something truly unforgettable,” stated Alison Fiebig, vice president, strategy, brand, marketing & communications at Emplify Health. “Cramer-Krasselt’s work has inspired our team, resonated with leadership, and brought smiles to our patients and staff. This is more than a campaign; it’s a movement redefining what compassionate care looks like.”
“Healthcare advertising is flooded with sameness — bland visuals and forgettable messaging. With Emplify Health, we saw an opportunity to redefine how empathy is communicated,” added Betsy Brown, EVP, managing director, Cramer-Krasselt. “A Little Empathy isn’t just a creative choice; it’s a storytelling tool that connects with people on a deeply human level.”
Credits:
Client: Emplify Health
Vice President, Strategy, Brand, Marketing & Communications: Alison Fiebig
Marketing Director: Kendra Maggert
Creative Agency: Cramer-Krasselt
Managing Director: Betsy Brown
Group Account Director: Kelly Vogt
Account Supervisor: Taylor Kaine
Executive Creative Director: Todd Stone
Creative Director: Jim Root
Senior Copywriter: Sandy Derhovsepian
Art Director: Mallory Kubenik
Senior Strategist: Eddie Otto
Executive Director of Production Operations: Brian Cooper
Producer: Mark Ginski
Project Manager: Michelle Haga
