Muscular Dystrophy Canada has teamed with Toronto agency Smith Roberts Creative Communications to launch an awareness campaign for the non-profit’s Walk for Muscular Dystrophy.
The Walk is a series of charitable events held nationwide to raise money for muscular dystrophy research. Sajeeta Saroop, the newly named national director of marketing and communications, sent out an RFP for posters, mailers and collateral that would support the 30 walks to take place this year.
Smith Roberts “really stood out in terms of their creative talent,” says Saroop. “They have a really good reputation in the community.”
The creative concept revolves around counting the number of muscles it takes for people to perform simple, everyday actions, to suggest the muscles would be better used by taking part in the walk.
“It takes 7 muscles to sip your half-caf-light-soy-frappuccino,” reads one poster. “Join the walk for muscular dystrophy instead.” Other posters count the muscles used to watch TV and poke someone on Facebook.
Saroop calls the campaign “playful, yet hard-hitting” and hopes it will raise awareness about the challenges facing the 50,000 Canadians affected by neuromuscular disorders like MD.
While the partnership is project-based, Tony Miller, Smith Robert’s creative director, says they are working towards a longer-term relationship. It is a paid assignment, though the agency is doing the work for the charity at a discounted rate. The material will begin appearing in early March to support the first Walk for Muscular Dystrophy in Windsor, Ont. on April 10. A viral video is also in production and will appear on various Muscular Dystrophy Canada websites.
