Bupa - Express Your Health

New research showed that just 20-45 minutes of creative activity can have a positive effect on your physical and mental health. That’s quite the health hack!

So I commissioned over 20 artists, activists and influencers around the world to share their health story. From sickle cell, to grief, ageing, cancer and paraplegia.

A veritable cavalcade of talent like Tom Daley, Yinka Ilori, Sophie Tea and Mark Denton. And even some up-starts from D&AD Shift.

Then I took all their artwork and got the fine folk at Global Street Art to blow it up, hanging from abseils and cherrypickers, and recreate it by hand on Europe’s largest mural on London’s South Bank.

Every artist involved created posts about their process and their involvement.

Totalling 100s of social posts across all formats.

And like a gazillion views and impressions.

The mural then featured in billboards around the world.

And there’s even website that encourages the public to share their own health stories.

With over 100 submissions (blimey, that almost never happens!)

Not bad work from an agency that didn’t exist two months before this project went live…

Have a look at the whole campaign while it’s still live at bupa.com/express

  • Tom Daley - Rebuild and Recover - Injury

  • Coco Davez - Both States Coexist - Anxiety

  • Cody Weightman - Patella - Recovery

  • Sophie Tea - In Cold Bloom - Fertility

  • Yinka Ilori - Still Under Your Umbrella - Grief

  • Joe Wicks - Art of Movement - Exercise

  • Keven Mealamu - Irregular Rhythms - Atrial Fibrilation

  • 72 Kilos - No More Clouds - Stress

  • Mark Denton - Sad, Sad Knees - Ageing

  • Poppy Nash - Unsettled Foundational Stitches - Chronic Illness

  • Rizzy Akanji - Golden Inner Child - Sickle Cell

  • Aysha Al-Houmrani - Held By Many - Anxiety

  • Rachel Gadsden - The Gold Aura - Lung Condition

  • Henry Fraser - Accept & Adapt - Tetraplegia

  • Yinka Bokinni - Beating as One - Heart Condition

  • Sophia Hotung - Tanked - Invisible Disabilities

  • Richard Whitehead - Resilient Stride - Limb Difference

  • Daren Cook - One of One - Burnout

  • Jaël Umerah-Makelemi - Floating Thoughts - ADHD

  • Sikelela Owen - Mother and Child - Matrescence

  • Zoe Power - Intertwined Lovers - Sex Education

  • Rosie Woods - Spiral - Grief

  • Cee Illustrate - Cabinet of Mind - Mental Health

  • Allan Solomon - Starting Over Again - Depression

  • Church of Best Ever - What is Taken - Appendicitis

  • Cyrus Nderitu - Mawazo - Environment

  • Ruby Tui - Between the Beats - Mental Health

Here’s the glossy case study that shows it all in action, with all the stats and results and stuff like that.

UGC from real people around the world

For such a massive ask like ‘Create a new piece of art that tells a personal story about your health’ - I was pretty blown away and humbled by all these submissions from everyday people and artists.

Woah!

A frankly ridiculous amount of content

Far too much to post here. But nearly every artist created making-ofs, or posts talking about their health story and how art can help you physically and mentally.

Hundreds of carousels, TikToks, stories, for about two months.

Science-y bits

As a healthcare brand, you know we had to back up everything we were saying with some proper science.

That’s why we linked up with the good folks at Kinda Studios, a neuroaesthetics lab, to make some videos that teach you about the important of art and health, as well as how to navigate your feeds with a bit more intentionality,

Art not ads

Fun story! This was the first time the mural space was used - and the residents liked it so much they asked for it to be extended.