The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto has chosen BOS as its new agency of record following a multi-stage review that began earlier this year.
CAMH put out a call for pitches in January and subsequently invited seven agencies to pitch for the account. CAMH whittled the field down to four agencies, then two, before selecting BOS.
Liza Jerome, vice-president of innovation and development for the CAMH Foundation, said the organization was seeking a new agency to contribute to the strategic plan currently in development.
Jerome said previous CAMH marketing initiatives had emphasized awareness of the organization and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction. She said CAMH was looking to maintain those themes while better communicating its full range of services.
“We want to establish ourselves as a leader in the field of mental health and addiction. Internally, we might know that, but the general public doesn’t know us as that,” she said. “The public doesn’t even know that we have an emergency department and that we are a hospital.
“We have a lot of work to do from that awareness standpoint and we want an agency to help in directing us with what the best approach is going forward.”
According to Jerome, CAMH’s previous agency, Crispin Porter & Bogusky, declined to participate in the review.
Claude Carrier, executive vice-president at BOS, said his agency was looking forward to working on what he described as the “semi-pro bono” account.
“My sense, from the conversations we’ve had, is that we’ll be extensively involved in many levels of their business,” said Carrier. “Communications, advertising, events, media – there will be many components to the work we’ll be doing.”
Carrier said BOS’ Toronto office will lead the account, although resources from its Montreal shop may also be used.
No timeline had yet been established for a new campaign.
Toronto research firms Innerviews and Scientific Intelligence will partner with BOS on the CAMH account.
