the inside story of your gut – abBott pharma
Disrupting a tired industry trope with an award-winning, light-hearted animation
Healthcare ‘mode of action’ animations are typically literal, scientific depictions of molecules and cells. For this antidiarrhoeal, with its groundbreaking paediatric indication, there were multiple marketing challenges. Informing doctors of the ‘mode of action’ of the drug, while also overcoming their disinterest in diarrhoea as serious condition. And simultaneously, creating a piece that could be used to help patients and parents understand the medication they were being given.
Visualising and empathising with an upset child and their parent helped cement a visual approach, that also neatly explained the complex physiology at work.
Agency/Client Publicis Langland / Abbott Pharmaceuticals
Year 2011
Country United Kingdom
My roles Concept / art direction / typography
Animation Finger Industries
Media Website / B2B
Watch the full film (3 min)
Sheffield-based Finger Industries was an excellent collaborative partner, finding a great balance between budget and artistry – including their beautiful character design work.
Despite the shoestring budget, this animation scooped a number of premium creative awards, including Best in Show for Illustration in the UK, and a bronze at the Clio awards in New York. Beyond the awards, a wider positive effect of the work became apparent.
The international success of the disruptive creative approach empowered other agencies to pitch bolder new ideas to their clients.
Then, off the back of the success of this piece, the animation studio found themselves inundated by new briefs – eventually creating a whole new and enduring work-stream for them.