Best of CASE District II Award
 

Institution: Western University

Title of entry: The Story of Insulin Starts Here

About this entry: In 2021, Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin—an opportunity that many universities, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies seized. London, Ontario had a unique story to tell because the kernel of the idea for insulin emerged here, on October 31, 1920. While he was a London doctor and Western University instructor, Frederick Banting woke in the night and wrote down a 25-word hypothesis that was the catalyst leading to insulin’s discovery.

To celebrate the anniversary, Western University, along with its Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, joined together with London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Health Care and Lawson Health Research Institute to celebrate this shared history and tell the story of continued impact.

By profiling prominent stories on a bespoke microsite, we positioned London as a place where groundbreaking research, medical advancements and innovative patient care converge, making a positive impact on people living with diabetes.

Over six weeks, the campaign generated 758,009 organic social impressions, 9,841 web views, 99,084 video views and eight media hits. Additionally, over 15 owned media opportunities such as digital newsletters and conferences were leveraged to raise awareness of the partnership.
All of this was accomplished through a coordinated and sustained effort by all project partners, collaborating in a way that achieved the unique communications goals of each institution. The success of this campaign resulted in a strong, long-term commitment to partner on future campaigns.