Cochlear gives Australians a hearing test in disguise through a short film via CHE Proximity
Over 3.5 million Australians are living with some form of hearing loss, with the majority in denial that they even have a problem. So how do you get people who don’t think they have a problem to get their hearing tested?
Cochlear, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, has created a short film via CHE Proximity, that is actually a hearing test in disguise.
‘Does Love Last?’ is a short film with two different outcomes depending on the viewer’s level of hearing loss.
The film follows a couple from courtship to marriage and through to middle age. For those that hear well, it would appear the couple’s relationship remains intact. But for those hard of hearing, audio techniques, sound design, clever editing and specially choreographed performances can be mistaken for the couple’s relationship deteriorating over time.
Says Emma Ramsay, senior audiologist, Cochlear.”When you take away the ability to lip read and background noise, it becomes very difficult for people with hearing loss to follow the conversation.”
It is being launched in cinemas to unsuspecting audiences who have tickets to Oscar favourite ‘Lion’ – generally an older cinema-goer. The campaign will be rolled out online where users can take an interactive hearing test that better diagnoses their level of hearing loss, ultimately directing them to the nearest audiologist to seek help.
Says Ant White, ECD, CHE Proximity: “After witnessing reactions of cinemagoers that experienced the film, and seeing the different conclusions people draw from it, we’re confident more people with hearing loss will watch it, debate it, confront their condition and then hopefully get the help they need.”
Says Shaun Hand, general manager, Cochlear Australia and New Zealand: “We know how many precious moments are missed for those people living with hearing loss. Over time, people can lose friendships, their career, hobbies, self-esteem and even their connections to loved ones. By creating something unique like the hearing test in disguise, we’re hoping to get Australians talking about hearing loss, sharing the film with people they love – especially those who may be in denial about their hearing loss – and ultimately, seeking help.”
The campaign was created by CHE Proximity, in collaboration with The Glue Society and Noise International through production company Will O’Rourke.
Client: Cochlear Limited
Shaun Hand, General Manager, Cochlear Australia/ New Zealand
Linda Ballam-Davies, Senior Marketing Communications Manager, Cochlear Australia/New Zealand
Kerryn Burke, Senior Marketing Communications Manager, Cochlear Asia Pacific
Kate Harrison, Social Media Manager, Cochlear Asia Pacific
Emma Ramsay, Clinical Education Manager & Audiologist, Cochlear Asia Pacific
Agency: CHE Proximity
Chris Howatson, CEO
David Halter, Managing Partner
Mariana Rice, Group Account Director
Alice Jamieson, Senior Account Manager
Harry Manion, Account Executive
Ant White, Executive Creative Director
Brian Jefferson, Group Creative Director
Ben Stainlay, Creative Director
Jake Blood, Junior Art Director
Anne Lau, Junior Copywriter
Tori Taylor, Executive Producer
Elizabeth Geor, Head of Experience
Daniel Bradley, Head of Investment
Christina Webb, Trading Manager
Cameron Dinnie, Head of Programmatic & Data Partnerships
Lily Tidy, Strategic Planner
Jen Livingston – Senior TV Producer
Sam Mitchell / Damian Capicchiano- Additional Editing
Jamie Metcalfe, Digital Products Director
Blair Patterson, Digital Producer
Eddy Milfort, Senior Digital Designer
Rollo Hardy, Digital Designer
Glade Kettle, Digital Developer
PR agency: PR Edge
Nichola Patterson, National Managing Director
Amber Petty, Senior Account Director
Clare McInerney, Account Manager
Tess Vallance, Account Coordinator
Production:
Pete Baker, Screenwriter/Director, The Glue Society
Revolver/Will O’Rourke, Production Company
Michael Ritchie, Managing Director/EP
Josh Mullens, EP/Head of Projects
Jasmin Helliar, Producer
Stefan Duscio, DOP
Philip Horn, Editor
Noise International, Sound Studio
Erin Maxwell, Production Manager
Kathleen Burrows, Sound Designer
Bruce Heald, Composer
24 Comments
Nice work.
Hear, hear. Brilliant work.
Wow this may well be the ultimate example of creative work for the creative community.
In a self indulgent industry this takes it to a whole new level.
How or how could you.
Has CHE down any work of note lately that isn’t for a charity? Seriously, I’m pretty certain their business model is built on; Make money, make charity ad, hope it gets recognised.
Whilst this definitely looks like a ‘award opportunity’ piece of work, I still like it.
It’s a nice way to bring the problem into the creative execution and prompt a rethink.
6 min film? More like a test of patience…
A miles better execution: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/neuroth_hearing_test_concert
Ummmm…@Yikes, Cochlear is a billion dollar business with a share price of $125. A great Aussie brand and business. Would be faaarkin great, if all charities were run that well. Anyhoo…who cares about getting facts right, I like the work.
It’s a nice piece of work with a good story. It made me realise I’ve got a little bit of hearing loss myself, shows it worked.
The hearing test concept is good in theory but the film itself is pretty awful on all levels
@ A great (non-charity)
Please, tell us all how much ‘Cochlear’ paid for this spot? Or don’t even tell us the real figure, just give us a ball park, or don’t even give us the ball park just pretend that they paid more than $400k.
This stinks of an agency that can’t make work for its paying clients. I’ve never hear of Cochlear outside of the ear implant so I doubt they’re spending up big. Seems like another opportunity to make a big ad for a client that didn’t ask for….. But I’m not sure why this is a bad thing???? If little known clients are getting publicity for free or because big agencies want to for there own agenda is it a bad thing? Seems like everyone wins?
Shame that the actual work sucks
Cochlear is a top 100 company on the ASX. Appreciate your epic insight though.
It’s a nice idea well executed for mine. Haters gonna hate.
It’s a good insight that Hearing loss can affect a couple’s relationship. Not sure about the execution as I watched the video and had the concept explained to me at the end, rather than receive any form of test. Of course, you could just say this is all heavily inspired by penny the pirate. What’s next, a range of perfumes that test your sense of smell for those in need of decongestant.
Go and make that for a paying client… I dare ya.
You know the work has failed when it becomes a case study explanation of itself.
Great work. Well done everyone.
@ Love the idea
Couldn’t agree more!
If all the commentators were watching the same film? The ending wasn’t a case study explanation, it revealed the entire film WAS a test. Yeah it was a bit long but a great reveal at the end.
Also @Yeh/Nah, do you know how much a cochlear implant costs? It’s over $1K, and that’s just for a shit one. They would be raking it in, and this is just a new way to recruit more customers…
I have a relatives who are in denial of their hearing difficulties. They’ve lost so much more than their hearing. What an awesome way to catch them off guard! They need to see this.
Hats off Cochlear and CHE.
As above.
Great insight and nice delivery
As someone who actually has a Cochlear Implant (and looking to get another one in my other ear) I’m probably well versed to stick my oar in here:
1.
Cochlear is a top 100 ASX company because almost all its devices are sold to global health departments and thus they charge whatever procurement departments can bear – the company only has 2 other competitors in the market.
The total cost for a cochlear implant is $50k all up including the surgery and rehabilitation. Having said that though, on a cost benefit analysis, the procedure ranks highly in what the government will receive back in taxes with a more productive and engaged member of society.
2.
Most who get a cochlear implant are way far gone as far as hearing loss as illustrated in this advert and would have been wearing hearing aids for sometime.
3.
A cochlear implant sounds like complete garbage when its first switched on and takes months of speech therapy to train the brain to understand what each sound means. Implants have 16 electrodes which fire off inside the cochlear, while ‘normal’ hearing has hundreds of frequencies available. Its amazing what the brain can do by sorting through all the sounds stored in its memory and interpreting the new information.
4.
The best results for Ci’s come from new borns who are implanted at birth, those who lose their hearing suddenly (if you have meningitis for example) or from those that have had progressive loss over time and have worn hearing aids. This film doesn’t show the bloke wearing a hearing aid for example. If you’ve been deaf and unaided, you won’t get a very good result.
5.
Older boomers, considering the cost of an implant are mostly those that can afford to fork out the $50k, or if like me you have health insurance. So at least they got the target market right
So all in all, an interesting piece of work that does give an idea of what its like to ‘listen’ to a hearing loss, but probably just awards crack.
Ace, C.
Everyone involved listed below, but where are the actors? I’d like to know who were these people acting in this film and why isn’t anyone mentioning them?