Two of the Midwest’s largest healthcare systems came together to form a new brand: Emplify Health. A name, a system, and a mission built around the belief that empathy (not just clinical excellence) would define the future of their care.
But trust in healthcare isn’t easily transferred. Patients rely on names they know. And in a current healthcare climate of widespread provider burnout, increasingly impersonal care, and institutional distrust, the launch of a new system demanded more than a new name and logo. It had to be felt deeper. This launch wasn’t just about combining organizations. It was about creating a brand that could carry forward deep community relationships while signaling something distinctly new.
Emplify’s ambition was to put empathy at the center of its promise to patients and providers. But in a category where every system makes that claim, doing so credibly and memorably would require a radically different approach.
Every healthcare system positions themselves the same way: as a caring and empathetic organization. Not unexpectedly, this leads to advertising featuring the same obvious repeated imagery. A doctor’s hand grasping a patient’s hand. A knowing nod as a nurse listens to a patient. Another nurse’s hand resting on a shoulder. And lots of smiling.
The problem is, we've collectively been so bombarded by these visual tropes that they’ve stopped making us feel anything at all. Humanity has literally been sapped out of what should be one of the most human interactions of our lives – the ones involving our health.
So, when Emplify Health wanted a campaign that highlights their empathetic approach, we wondered how we could differentiate them from the rest. All healthcare advertising looks the same for a reason, right? To get consumers to believe Emplify Health was different, first we had to get them to feel the difference. That meant bringing the concept of empathy to life in a way no other healthcare system has done. A way that touched people emotionally. We knew we couldn’t feature human interactions in a way that had been done countless times before. So we banked on the fact that animation could convey human emotions better than actual humans could. And we brought the concept of empathy to life by creating an animated character – a small blue heart named Little Empathy. In a category desperately trying to connect with people, we did it without showing any actual people at all.
We launched with a :30 origin story video built around the human truth that empathy is in short supply in our world today. So much so that we sometimes don’t recognize or appreciate it even when it’s right in front of us. The story begins with our character, Little Empathy, trying to spread more empathy in the world—but finding it challenging. In the end, Little Empathy finds its home at Emplify Health. The campaign concludes with the tagline “A little empathy changes everything.”
The campaign is further supported by complementary :15 videos, each leveraging a different truth about the concept of empathy and reminding us how much we need it in our lives—and especially in our healthcare.
Little Empathy served as the emotional thread across every touchpoint. The campaign avoided healthcare clichés and positioned Emplify as a system that does more than just talk about empathy, it believes in it.
Just as importantly, Little Empathy was fully embraced by doctors, nurses, staff, and caregivers across the system. Our character quickly became a symbol of the empathy expected in every patient interaction—building belief and advocacy among those who would be the heartbeat of the brand every day.
Little Empathy launched in March 2025 with two objectives: shake a category that rarely makes people feel anything, and rapidly establish awareness for a brand that was starting from scratch. It did both with impact. The work didn’t just stand out in healthcare. It broke through it. Immediately generating conversation and recognition in a space long defined by predictability.
That breakthrough thinking also showed in the numbers. In just 5 months, awareness climbed an average of 28 percentage points across Emplify Health’s two key regions. Even more telling: over 60% of community members attributed their discovery of Emplify to the campaign. When creative breaks the category mold and speaks to people’s hearts, it also sticks in their minds.
“The campaign is unlike anything in healthcare – bold, unexpected, and deeply emotional. It proves that when you take bold creative risks, you create something truly unforgettable,” said Alison Fiebig, Vice President, Strategy, Brand, Marketing & Communications at Emplify Health. “The work has inspired our team, resonated with leadership, and brought countless smiles to our patients. This is more than a campaign—it’s a movement redefining what compassionate care looks like.”
The character and idea moved quickly from ad creative to cultural currency. Brand merch, including Little Empathy plushies, sold out immediately. Requests to appear at community events spiked. PR requests surged. Internally, doctors and nurses embraced the character as a symbol of why they serve.
What began as a brand launch has become something far more powerful. Proof that when empathy leads, awareness follows.
