ALS Society of Canada: Head and Shoulders

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Released:	November 2008
Advertiser:	ALS SOCIETY OF CANADA
Brand name:	ALS AWARENESS
Agency:	LOWE ROCHE
Country:	Canada
Category:	Public health & safety

Credits:

The ALS Society of Canada has launched a new public service advertising campaign created by Lowe Roche, Toronto to raise awareness about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and the ALS Society's efforts to fund research towards a cure for the disease.

Created by Lowe Roche on a pro bono basis, the 60-second television public service announcement, “Head and Shoulders” is composed of a montage of clips, each one focusing on a man with ALS in emotionally charged moments as his disease advances to different parts of his body. Set to the children’s song, “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes”, as the spot progresses, and his conditions worsen, the cheerful singing becomes a sad whisper.

“We chose to create a spot that was musically and emotionally driven to raise awareness for ALS,” said Christina Yu, Vice President, Creative Director, Lowe Roche. “This song is one which everybody can relate to and we wanted to use it unconventionally to illustrate how this disease eventually affects every body part.”

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease that causes the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As the nerve cells die, people with ALS lose control of their muscles, which makes breathing, eating and even smiling almost impossible. Eighty per cent of those diagnosed will die within two to five years. There is no known cure or effective treatment of ALS.

"Lowe Roche has created a very powerful commercial that we think will help the public better understand what ALS is all about," explains Bobbi Greenberg, Director of Communications, ALS Society of Canada. "We're very appreciative of their dedication to this project and of those who donated their time and services during the production process. We’re certain that their efforts will help us raise the funds we desperately need to proceed with research initiatives that will ultimately help us find effective therapies and a cure for this devastating disease."


Credits:
Title: Head and Shoulders
Client: ALS Society of Canada
Creative Agency: Lowe Roche, Toronto
VP/Creative Director: Christina Yu
Chief Creative Officer: Geoffrey Roche
Copywriter: Rob Sturch
Art Director: Ryan McNeil
Agency Producer: Brie Gowans
Business Director: Amanda Gaspard

Production Company: Untitled Films, Toronto
Director: John Mastromonaco
Executive Producer: James Davis
Producer: Tom Evelyn
Director of Photography: John Houtman

Post Production: Rooster, Toronto
Editor: Richard Unruh
Executive Producer: Melissa Kahn
On-line Editor: Ernie Mordak, Rooster
Colorist: Gary Chuntz, Notch, Toronto
Sound Design: Chris Tait, Pirate, Toronto

Links:
ALS http://www.als.ca/
Lowe Roche http://loweroche.com/
Untitled Films http://www.untitledfilms.ca/
Rooster Post http://www.rooster.ca/