Southern Cross puts real members centre stage in ‘The Feel Good Project’ campaign via TBWA NZ
TBWA\New Zealand has launched the Feel Good Project, a new campaign for the Southern Cross brand which is a collaboration between Southern Cross Health Society and Southern Cross Healthcare. The campaign puts real New Zealand health stories centre stage and reveals the emotion and joy of what it means to feel good.
Launching across TV, cinema, OOH, digital and social media, the campaign follows the journey of six Southern Cross members as they manage the emotional and physical challenges from their illness, recovery, and the care they received from Southern Cross every step of the way.
For many, these experiences came with pain, reduced mobility, or a loss of confidence that affected everyday life – even something as simple as feeling comfortable in a family photo.
Rather than focusing on illness or limitation, The Feel Good Project celebrates what can happen with supportive care; the return of confidence, movement and self-belief. Each Southern Cross member agreed to share their personal story and take on an unexpected challenge: working with professional dancers to learn and perform in this joyful television campaign, stepping from patients to performers.
Shane Bradnick, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA\New Zealand, says the motivation was to shift the narrative away from the way health stories are typically told, which has been to emphasise the illness aspect of the person’s road to recovery: “We wanted to celebrate how far these people have come. These are real people who’ve experienced real health adversity, and instead of portraying them through a lens of vulnerability, we wanted to put them centre stage and give them an opportunity to feel powerful, confident and proud of their bodies again. This is about movement, joy and reclaiming your sense of self.”
Soundtracked by Tatiana Woods’ Stay Golden, the hero film is built around a simple emotional truth: when you have supportive care behind you, you can recover, feel confident and capable again.
Regan Savage, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Southern Cross Health Society, says at its heart, The Feel Good Project is a celebration of wellbeing capturing the authentic experiences of real Southern Cross stories and the importance of your health, above all else: “Health challenges don’t just affect the body, they affect confidence, identity and how people move through the world. At a time when healthcare can feel complex and overwhelming, we wanted to reflect the real experiences of the people we support and to remind New Zealanders how important it is to feel genuinely cared for.”
For participants, the project represented more than a campaign. It was an opportunity to reclaim movement, confidence and visibility, and to share their experiences in the hope it might resonate with others facing similar challenges.
The campaign was directed by New York based director duo, KingShe who have well established credentials working on music-based projects having worked with Olivia Rodrigo and Rihanna.
The duo’s approach brought warmth, empathy and energy to the storytelling.
Says KingShe’s Radha Ganti: “Coming from a family of doctors and nurses, we could immediately recognise the exceptional work Southern Cross does, and this campaign felt personal to us. Our approach to the filmmaking was led by the joy at the heart of the idea, and in celebration of the people whose stories inspired us.”
The Feel Good Project will be live across television, cinema and digital channels from 8 February, and forms part of Southern Cross’ ongoing commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders.
Client: Southern Cross Health Society and Southern Cross Healthcare
Regan Savage – Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Southern Cross Health Society
Tony Reid – Chief Communications & Brand Officer, Southern Cross
David Simpson – Chief of Strategy & Partnerships, Southern Cross Healthcare
Ryan Koppens – Head of Sales & Distribution, Southern Cross Health Society
Louise von Sierakowski – Head of Brand, Marketing, Communications, Southern Cross Healthcare
Christina Knappik – Brand Lead, Southern Cross
Frith Wilson-Hughes – Content Marketing Manager, Southern Cross Health Society
Alice van de Wende – Brand & Acquisition Lead, Southern Cross Health Society
Creative Agency: TBWA\ New Zealand
Chief Executive Officer: Catherine Harris
General Manager: Simon Mills
Chief Creative Officer: Shane Bradnick
Creative Director: Ashwin Gopal
Creative Director: Gavin Siakimotu
Lead Integrated Producer: Tabitha Parke-Gailey
Group Business Director: Hariette Hanson
Senior Business Director: Monique Seil
Head of Strategy: Jo Judd
Strategy Director: Haley Hetherington
Senior Designer: Jim Walsh
Studio Manager: Mark Paise
Head of Production: Jodie Hari
Senior Business Manager: Vinny Cannings
Production Company: Revolver
Directors: King She
Managing Director/Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer/Partner: Pip Smart
Executive Producer: Caroline Kruck
Director of Photography: Jeremy Rouse
Post Production Company: ARC
HERO TVC
Offline Editor: Lorin Askill
Online Editor: Eugene Richards & Chris Betteridge
Colourist: Matic Prusnik
BTS Members stories
Offline Editor: Liam James + Lissie Geyer
Online Editor: Chris Betteridge
Colourist: Sam Holman
Stills Photography : Sam I Am
Photographer: Billy Plummer
Stills Producer: Rich Cole
Audio House: Franklin Rd
Executive Music & Sound Producer : Jonathan Mihaljevich
Sound Design: Shane Taipari
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