Driving meaningful change among health care professionals (HCPs) requires more than compelling creative—it demands deep empathy, strategic precision and a genuine understanding of their daily realities. That’s the approach behind the latest from the Ad Council’s “Agree to Agree” campaign, to craft messaging that empowers HCPs to initiate life-saving conversations about firearm safety with patients and their families.
At the heart of this effort is the new work “Questions” designed to resonate with HCPs and encourage them to visit the website where they can be equipped with the language and confidence needed to engage in these critical discussions. To explore what it truly takes to connect with this vital audience, we spoke with key leaders behind the campaign: Kate Cooley, vice president of strategy at Ogilvy Health; Khari Motayne, vice president, engagement strategy at CMI Media Group; and Jenn Gottlieb, global president and head of integrated communications at Real Chemistry, who also serves on the Ad Council’s Board of Directors.
Faith Schanck: What was the creative insight that guided your approach to reaching HCPs?
Kate Cooley: In developing the “Questions” campaign, we conducted in-depth interviews with pediatricians and family practitioners to uncover why firearm safety conversations happen so infrequently. One particularly revealing moment came when a physician admitted, “I guess it’s really me, I am uncomfortable starting the conversation.” That candid insight shifted our perspective: the barrier wasn’t political division—it was professional vulnerability. HCPs needed permission to acknowledge their discomfort and a framework to transform these “uncomfortable questions” into routine safety discussions.
FS: What were the key considerations in designing a media strategy to reach HCPs effectively?
Khari Motayne: It ties back to approaching HCPs across the full scope of their days. Endemic partnerships are essential in building credibility from a professional standpoint. Still, more consumer media when HCPs are engaging in “white coats off” moments, when HCPs have stepped out of their offices but are still engaging with media, can be key reminders for a cohort that often doesn't have much time during their workday to digest longer-form messaging. Having clear and consistent messaging with a unified vision as we have with our partners at the Ad Council is a key component for success.
FS: What communications strategies were most effective in reaching and engaging HCPs?
Jenn Gottlieb: To resonate in this saturated media environment, a message must be precise, transparent and compelling. For “Agree to Agree,” where the focus has been finding common ground around an emotionally charged topic–youth firearm injury prevention–incredibly moving first-person experiences, coupled with key insights and rounded out by cited and credible data helped underscore a compelling need for change and powered our earned storytelling.
FS: How did you ensure the work reflected real-world clinical experiences?
KC: We tested our concept through individual interviews with HCPs, refining the campaign based on their feedback. Two facts rose to the top in motivating healthcare professionals: firearm injuries are now the leading cause of death for children and teens, and empowering evidence that firearm safety discussions can save lives. These messages, paired with their professional commitment, were the ignition for action.
FS: What role did data and audience insights play in shaping your targeting approach?
KM: We needed to ensure the partners we worked with not only had a high reach among HCPs broadly but also had a strong community of pediatricians who were our primary audience. Critically, when thought through endemic partners, we kept in mind the need to enhance both the credibility and legitimacy of this epidemic as a national health crisis.
FS: What’s different—or the same—when developing campaigns for HCPs versus the general public?
KC: The core emotional truth is essential for both audiences. For parents, it’s the instinct to protect their children. For HCPs, it’s their professional oath to prioritize child well-being. But while public campaigns aim for broad reach, HCP campaigns require precise targeting and credible, peer-delivered messaging. In “Questions,” we modeled the desired behavior in a clinical setting and provided tools and resources to support HCPs in practice.
FS: How did you identify the right channels and platforms to meet HCPs where they are?
KM: We leveraged our Empower suite of planning and insight tools, as well as our expertise from running successful unbranded disease state awareness campaigns in the past. Within that suite, we have access to proprietary data, as well as our Media Vitals research, to gauge exactly where HCPs are in terms of their media consumption and where these messages are most likely to resonate.
FS: How do you craft a narrative and pitch that resonates with HCPs?
JG: Crafting a narrative that resonates with healthcare professionals requires an understanding of their world. It's about weaving together information that appeals to a HCP’s sense of compassion, deep understanding of data, and experiences in the exam room to create a story that informs and inspires. At Real Chemistry, we know a successful pitch speaks their language and aligns with their values to drive meaningful engagement.
FS: Why is earned media such a critical component of a holistic communications approach focused on HCPs?
JG: Earned media can be a catalyst for connection and for change. A trusted voice or a compelling story can foster genuine engagement that has the power to transform messages into movements.
FS: What is your advice to others hoping to reach HCPs with a social impact message?
KC: Meet them in their practice (metaphorically): Understand their clinical reality and emotional landscape. Your message must align with their workflow and ethos. Solve their problems: Don’t sell the importance of health—they live it. Instead, identify the barriers and offer practical solutions. Equip them: Go beyond a call to action. Offer a call to confidence. Model the behavior, provide scripts, and guide them to peer-validated resources.
KM: HCPs are people too; it's essential to consider that when evaluating a national campaign, they are likely to see your broader consumer marketing initiatives. Where there are synergies (i.e., in out-of-home and point-of-care settings), be sure to view them as opportunities rather than barriers to keep the initiatives siloed.
JG: My advice is to lead with authenticity, and to back it up with data and real-world outcomes. Engage healthcare providers and those impacted as partners in developing your message and strategy, and ensure your message reflects a commitment to meaningful change.