To add impact to our plan we issued RFP's to all major multi-media owners. Proposals were analysed based on delivery of the target, ability to generate donations, quality/impact of the idea and cost efficiency. We selected Murdoch Mysteries as our partner.

This is a period detective drama and was a natural fit for SickKids. The show, set in early 1900s Toronto, perfectly reaches SickKids donor target audience which we validated using extensive third party, syndicated research.

The integration provided the opportunity to organically highlight the historic role the Hospital has played solving medical mysteries. The broadcast of the first-ever Murdoch Mysteries Holiday Special at the culmination of the 8-week campaign, alongside commercial-time creative and customized digital content, were the ideal platform and tactics to deliver the SickKids objectives and augment other in-market initiatives. The idea appealed to and engaged all key stakeholders (donors, patients/families, staff and board).

Impressed with the work at The Hospital for Sick Children, Dr. Ogden inspires Detective Murdoch to invent baby incubators to donate to the Hospital. In another scene, young Mary Pickford is seen fundraising for SickKids. Hospital patients and staff were featured as extras. The spirit of giving message extended beyond the integration with an emotional 2-minute spot which aired during the Special and other top-rated programmes.

An Interactive Timeline demonstrating the life-changing work of SickKids, developed for the program’s website, highlighted the Hospital’s historic milestones through archival content which was integrated into the Murdoch homepage on a dedicated sponsor tab, another first.

Show star Helene Joy appeared as spokesperson for SickKids in donation-PSAs. Custom donation lower thirds appeared during the Special, and during Figure Skating events.

Promotional media included TV, radio, online, print, and OOH. The campaign was amplified to the show’s fan base through posts on Murdoch social pages.

1. Nearly $49 million raised during 2015 holiday season (Nov./Dec.), +6% from previous year, a SickKids record

2. +164% vs forecasted audience

3. Paid/earned/bonus media value worth +300% vs investment

4. 7,000,000 impressions from two CBC.ca homepage takeovers, delivering the highest spikes in traffic to SickKids donation site.

5. 69,000 Facebook “likes”

6. 16,659 additional Twitter followers

7. Weekly SickKids posts on Murdoch's social pages resulted in +175,000 impressions and 6,000 engagements.

8. Industry, donor and client accolades:

o “One of the most clever brand integrations we’ve ever seen. Not only an inspired idea for holiday fundraising, but literally a perfect fit for the holiday drama.” – Playback Magazine.

o “The Christmas episode of Murdoch Mysteries convinced me to make a donation so that other kids can thrive as well.” –Donor

o “Media innovation was the undisputed hero of our highly successful 2015 holiday campaign.” - Lori Davison, VP SickKids.