Challenge
As Sunnybrook Foundation’s agency of record, Talk Shop supports the organization across strategic campaigns, thought leadership, digital communications and fundraising opportunities designed to build awareness of Sunnybrook’s impact and inspire donor support.
One major opportunity came with a $10-million philanthropic commitment to establish the Reeve OCD Centre and advance severe obsessive-compulsive disorder care, research and training at Sunnybrook’s Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre. With a significant gift and an important healthcare story to tell, Sunnybrook wanted the announcement to lead with what mattered most: the patients whose lives could be changed and the broader value the new Centre could bring to the healthcare system.
Our Approach
Talk Shop built the announcement around the human story behind the gift. The donor was also a former Sunnybrook patient with a powerful personal connection to OCD care, giving us an opportunity to put lived experience at the centre of the narrative. We paired their perspective with Sunnybrook OCD expert Dr. Peggy Richter, connecting an emotional patient story with credible expertise on the need for specialized treatment, research and training.
One week ahead of the announcement, we began targeted embargoed outreach to priority national and GTA media, giving journalists time to understand the story and speak with key spokespeople. We also equipped media with approved photography of the donor and Sunnybrook team alongside renderings of the future Reeve OCD Centre, creating a strong visual package to support coverage.
Results
The focused approach secured top-tier stories in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CBC News and CTV News, and drove widespread pickup following the announcement. The announcement demonstrated the power of putting patient impact at the centre of philanthropic storytelling. As Sunnybrook Foundation’s agency of record, Talk Shop continues to build on this approach across campaigns, thought leadership, digital communications and fundraising opportunities, helping translate Sunnybrook’s work and donor impact into stories that resonate beyond the hospital.
Let’s Talk Shop.
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