After many years as one of Tampa Bay’s top hospitals, St. Joseph’s decided to strengthen their expertise in the children’s market.

In Spring of 1997, they started construction on Tampa Children’s Hospital: the only hospital designed to specifically combat a child’s fears (by using kid-sized instruments, colorful decor, playground, video games).

Once construction began, it was our job to create anticipation. We quickly built a construction-site road sign that reminded passing traffic about a new hospital that was — literally — right around the corner.

Using a days-to-go countdown clock, larger-than-life “construction kids” carried the message. Their Disney-like warmth told parents that this place would welcome and comfort their children, not intimidate them.

During construction, a series of actual-kid radio spots used little voices to describe their hospital experiences.  Once the hospital was built, we saturated the market with billboards featuring the same construction kids walking away from the site.  Mission accomplished.