Though it has 20% of the world’s population, sub-Saharan Africa has only 2% of the world’s physicians.
Africa Health Placements (AHP) has been on a mission to draw enthusiastic graduate doctors from the US and Europe to get involved, improve medical care and gain invaluable experience across Africa.
To stand out from the crowd and draw attention to the needs of the continent, AHP’s recruitment is supported by creative award-winning marketing campaigns. Working with Boomtown, the agency secured silver in the 2013 CLIO awards for AHP’s latest direct mail campaign to recruit doctors – The World’s First Stethoscope Radio Ad.
Gary Welsh, Boomtown copywriter and part of the award-winning team added: “1,200 doctors graduate each year in Africa, more than half leave. As a result only 2.9% are serving rural communities. Foreign doctors are used to fill these gaps, and we needed to speak with to them directly in a unique and powerful way.”
Andrew Mackenzie, Boomtown’s creative director said of their work: “The World’s First Stethoscope Radio Ad works by the recipient placing their stethoscope on the box, where a pressure sensor activates the audio clip.
“We knew all graduating doctors have a stethoscope, so devised an idea which also encouraged sharing amongst their peers.”
Welsh concluded: “It’s a privilege to be placed alongside some of the world’s largest brands. We pride ourselves on our innovative approach to brand communications, and to get top-quality grads to Africa’s shores, and to have been globally recognised for this campaign gives us a great sense of satisfaction.”
Due to a shortage of doctors in Africa, direct mail packages were sent out to foreign health care professionals, in the hopes of recruiting them to the area.
Instead of a tedious booklet or pamphlet, the ad could only be heard by using a stethoscope, the most basic of tools that doctors possess. Pushing their stethoscope against the package activated a pressure sensitive MP3, allowing the doctors to hear through their instrument.
