Omnicom Health Group has announced the launch of a national pro bono campaign called #UniteInGratitude to inspire support for hard-hit US healthcare workers, many of whom are facing burnout and fatigue as the coronavirus pandemic continues. The campaign asks the public to unite in thanks and support for all healthcare workers under a reimagined American flag—one made of surgical masks as stars and hospital colors as stripes.
Through the #UniteInGratitude campaign, Omnicom Health Group is raising funds for health workers and the COVID-19 response through the CDC Foundation’s Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund. The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) critical health protection mission. A webstore (UniteInGratitude.com) will raise funds by selling Gratitude Flags and apparel bearing its image. Proceeds from all sales will help support the CDC Foundation’s Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund, which provides personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies, emergency staffing, support for vulnerable communities and more.
“Ending the COVID-19 pandemic will require a marathon versus a sprint,” said Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “We thank Omnicom Health Group for highlighting the critical work, dedication and bravery of our nation’s healthcare workers. Support raised from this effort will be used by the CDC Foundation to support health workers in America’s vulnerable communities.”
The #UniteInGratitude campaign cornerstone is a series of broadcast and digital videos that started airing across America on July 1, featuring the voice of Hollywood icon Dennis Quaid. The videos include all types of healthcare workers, and the campaign hashtag is shown in the 10 most-spoken languages in the US. According to Quaid, “I was interested in doing this campaign with Omnicom Health Group because our healthcare workers really are the true heroes of the recent months. They knew they were going into harm’s way, and did their job, just like they always do. We all owe them our gratitude, our praise and in so many cases, our lives.”
Omnicom Health Group is also aiming to donate Gratitude Flags to 100 US hospitals as part of the campaign. Flags are being manufactured by Annin Flagmakers, a sixth-generation, family-owned and -operated company which has been making flags since 1847. All other items on the webstore are sourced from American manufacturers and are made in the US.
The multichannel #UniteInGratitude campaign was created by Omnicom Health Group agencies in partnership with several Omnicom companies, including IMS Retail, Marina Maher Communications, OMD Worldwide and The Marketing Arm. All work was donated pro bono. Pfizer, Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc. are supporting the effort through sponsorship grants to cover out-of-pocket costs associated with launching the campaign and webstore.
Joshua Prince, Omnicom Health Group’s CMO, noted, “The public may have coronavirus fatigue and want to move on, but the pandemic is far from over. We need to rally around healthcare workers, and hope #UniteInGratitude inspires this. And through the CDC Foundation, we hope our campaign helps achieve material support.”
