ALS Society of Canada

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease that causes the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that attacks 3,000 people each year. In 2008, ALS awareness was very low in Canada, but the ALS Society was determined to put a face to the disease and get men and women between 30 and 60 thinking about ALS with their hearts, minds and wallets.

Lowe Roche wanted the audience to visualize the disease and empathize with those experiencing it. The sad reality of ALS is that it gradually causes your body to lose its ability to receive signals from the brain. The creative centered on this frightening fact.

Both television and radio emphasized the progressive nature of the disease. In the spot “Head and Shoulders” a man struggles through the various stages of ALS, gradually losing the use of his body parts. The iconic children’s song “Head and Shoulders” powerfully replaces dialogue. Print focused on the everyday routine ALS sufferers need help with: a little boy helping his father put on his shoes, a woman helping her husband shave. In each ad, a broken maze-like illustration runs from the brain to a body part of each ALS patient - a stark demonstration of how even the most mundane tasks become complex challenges for those suffering from this disease.

The spot aired nationally and received extensive media coverage and publicity. Online donations to the ALS Society increased 74% with ALS attributing all the gains to the campaign. Lowe Roche received accolades from both those living with the disease and the people around them.