THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF PAIN

Short List
TitleTHE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF PAIN
BrandMERCEDES-BENZ (THAILAND) ,THAIHEALTH
Product / ServiceMERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER
CategoryA12. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) / Corporate Image
EntrantBBDO BANGKOK, THAILAND
Idea Creation BBDO BANGKOK, THAILAND

Credits

Name Company Position
Suthisak Sucharittanonta BBDO Bangkok Chairman & Chief Creative Officer
Anuwat Nitipanont BBDO Bangkok Deputy Chief Creative Officer
Nopharit Dusadeedumkoeng BBDO Bangkok Creative Director
Thamonwan Rojanawanichkit BBDO Bangkok Copywriter
Annop Khunwong BBDO Bangkok Art Director
Jutatat Pattanodom BBDO Bangkok Group Account Director
Tanyawan Wongapichart BBDO Bangkok Account Director
Thitiporn Kittikawinwong BBDO Bangkok Traffic Director
Atitan Thongmak BBDO Bangkok Project manager
Natthawut Soonsub BBDO Bangkok Graphic Design Director
Watchalee Sirikayon BBDO Bangkok Graphic Designer

The Campaign

Mercedes-benz Sprinter,the world’s leading medical vehicle,realized the problem for doctors in diagnosis is how pain is never accurately described by patients, but pain characteristics is one of the most important indicator that gives direction for diagnosis. we want to create a solution for patients to communicate pain better to doctors. The brand and Thai Health partnered to create a universal language that overcomes language barriers, the symbol system that can help doctors diagnose every known illness,without using verbal language. Our communication designers developed each symbol with pain specialists from Thai Health Foundation and Siriraj Hospital,as well as the medical volunteers from Princess Mother Medical Volunteer Foundation to understand more on rural patients.In order,to achieve the most effective symbols to communicate pain. This will help reduce miscommunication between health professionals who work in rural areas,both volunteers and those work in public health centers,and their patients,who speak different languages.

The Brief

The budget for design and artwork is the same as on the agency's rate card, and no paid media budget.

Creative Execution

We designed a symbol language,using instinctive design,which is the design from fundamental objects,shapes, and forms;The symbols are based on experience that can be perceived and give the same understanding for all. For example,the shape of a thorn,no matter what this pointy shape is called in any languages,everyone have the same understanding that this shape is sharp and know the feeling of pain it causes.Or the shape of fire,everyone automatically understands the feeling fire gives--the burning sensation. We develop each symbol with pain specialists from Thai Health Foundation and Siriraj Hospital,as well as medical volunteers to understand more on rural patients. Patients simply point the location on their body where the pain occurs,and point at the type of pain they are experiencing. This symbol set is printed in a form of pamphlet,this is cost-effective,light,and easy to carry around. However,the idea is a universal symbol language,that can be implemented in various formats.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

This set of symbols overcomes language barriers that used to be a long-standing problem in medical care, it can be implemented in various ways in other locations, because miscommunications and inability to describe pain characteristics happen everywhere where doctors and patients do not share the same language. it has an impact on people’s lives, those whose language is the minority in the country now gets the same standard of healthcare as others. The universal language of pain help reduce miscommunications that could cause medical errors and waste medical resources, as well as strengthen the brand’s proposition as the world’s leading medical vehicle.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

The work allows people to understand and experience what Mercedes-Benz vans specializes in, which is medical-related vehicles. It utilizes the existing problem and turn every rural area where doctors need to communicate with patients who speak different languages into our sustainable activation space. Moreover, since the problem exists everywhere, the work can be used worldwide and improve overall corporate image and expand the perception of Mercedes-Benz vans as medical vehicle which helps improve lives of people.

The target audience are patients in rural areas, who speak different languages, and doctors in public health centers or medical volunteers,who have difficulties understanding them. So our strategy is to approach Thai Health Foundation to learn more on the target, and to find out what is the key element in making doctors and patients understand each other, as well as the knowledge about pain and diagnosis.

Links

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