Sports injury and pain treatment advertising is dominated by clinical demos and product claims. Punlicis London has taken Essity Medical’s Actimove, a brand specialising in braces, supports, tapes and bandages for musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, into entirely different territory. Instead of focusing on functionality alone, it makes the mental strength, effort and grit it takes to keep moving through pain palpable.

The campaign is led by two 30-second films that visualise hidden internal pains and underline them with sound effects, showing what people living with acute and chronic pain are really pushing against in everyday life. The commercials, directed by Quentin Deronzier, renowned for his music video work with artists including Drake, Doja Cat and The Weeknd, bring a more atmospheric, cinematic approach to the category. Blending live action with CGI, each film builds a world where movement comes with real weight. They dramatise the inner strength required to overcome resistance, using a darker and more distinct visual language.

The work reframes everyday movement, showing the effort behind what most people take for granted. The campaign underscores how Actimove’s braces, supports, tapes and bandages help people continue doing the activities they enjoy, shifting the focus towards movement and momentum. It will run across social and online, rolling out first in Denmark from August 1, followed by Norway, Sweden and further around the globe.

The campaign was created by Publicis London, with Publicis Production supporting production across the films and stills.

Noël Bunting, chief creative officer, Publicis London, stated, “We challenged the codes of the category by making internal pain visible and giving it real weight and presence on screen. Every movement is pushed to its limit, every frame built to show what people are up against. When you see that, those everyday movements stop feeling small and start to feel like what they really are. Heroic acts of inner strength.”

Kathrin Matthée, global brand communications manager, orthopedics at Essity Medical, added, “This campaign brings a sense of drama and emotion into a category that often feels purely functional. It reflects the resilience of acute and chronic pain sufferers to keep going. Actimove supports that strength in a practical way, giving people the confidence and stability to move through their pain and keep doing the things that matter to them.”

Credits
Client: Essity Medical – Actimove
Global Brand Communications Manager: Kathrin Matthée

Creative Agency: Publicis London
Chief Creative Officer: Noël Bunting
Creative Directors: Rhys Hughes, Barret Helander, Steve Paskin
Copywriter: George Orton
Art Director: Hugh Kendall
Designer: Oskah Manchip
Planners: Alex Mimoun, Adam McGlashan, Rosie Mahoney
Business Lead: Anna Crabtree
Account Team: Luke Cambridge, Tom Bryant, Claire Chislett, Sneha Bansal
Agency Producers: Donna Baker, Bea Icke

Production Company: Arts and Sciences
Director: Quentin Deronzier
Editor: Ed Cheesman @ Final Cut
Producer: Kwok Yau

Post-Production Company: Daydreamer
Audio Post-Production: Publicis Production
Social Agency: One Green Bean