The '18 Months' campaign by Klick Health, won Gold in Advertising Illustration & Animation at The Drum Awards, showcasing Second Nurture’s innovative approach to challenging traditional family views through a blend of shadow puppetry and 2D animation, promoting inclusive adoption narratives and reducing stigma.
“18 Months” was created for Second Nurture, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting adoption and foster care support. The film challenges the traditional view of family, centered around biological birth, by showcasing the diverse, valid ways families are formed, especially through adoption.
The creative challenge involved blending meticulously crafted puppets and shadow 2D animation, symbolizing the evolution of societal attitudes while maintaining emotional depth. This approach has successfully over-achieved on brand metrics, increasing awareness and engagement by sparking conversation around non-biological families. It effectively shifts consumer behavior, encouraging more open attitudes toward adoption and increasing adoption frequency by reducing societal stigma. The film also improves brand health by positioning Second Nurture as a progressive, inclusive organization, enhancing consideration and preference among audiences supportive of diverse family structures.
By using the pages of mid-century pregnancy books that reinforce conventional family ideals, the film highlights how outdated these perspectives are. The film’s exploration of non-biological families, through adoption and other means, helps challenge the shame and misconceptions surrounding adoption. It underscores that love and connection are not only defined by biological ties, and that all families—whether formed through birth, adoption, or choice—are valid.
By shifting the narrative and reducing the stigma around adoption, we can create more openness and acceptance, ultimately helping more children find loving, permanent homes. The film’s message resonates with an audience ready to embrace diverse family structures and acknowledges that by changing cultural perceptions, we can better support children in need of families. It’s a call to action: the more we challenge stigmas, the more we empower families to form in all their beautiful, varied forms, ensuring children are surrounded by love, no matter their origins.
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The concept was brought to life through a meticulous blend of analog and digital craft, using hand-torn paper, layered textures, and frame-by-frame 2D animation. Every stop-motion set was built from the pages of outdated pregnancy books, visually reinforcing the idea of rewriting outdated family narratives. This tactile, emotionally rich execution allowed viewers to feel the intimacy and complexity of the adoption journey. Placed online and promoted across Second Nurture channels, the film reached audiences most likely to resonate with its message. The result was a powerful, shareable piece that stood out for its craft, cultural relevance, and inclusive message.
The film drove an increase in engagement with Second Nurture and sparked conversation about what defines a family. It deepened emotional connection with the organization, particularly among LGBTQ+ audiences and allies. The film initially launched with trusted partners and potential donors prior to sharing widely across social and digital platforms, including world renowned comedian Sarah Silverman with over two million followers. The project also influenced conversations in parenting and adoption communities, contributing to broader cultural recognition of diverse family structures. As a result, it not only reinforced the brand’s commitment to inclusivity but positioned it as a leader in purpose-driven storytelling.
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Klick Health
Klick Health is the world’s largest independent commercialization partner for life sciences, focused on hacking the boundaries of health by developing, launching,...