The Garvan Institute of Medical Research is a leading multidisciplinary biomedical research institute in Sydney. Though largely unknown to the public, Garvan have revealed causes and treatments for countless diseases including diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, immunodeficiency and autoimmunity. Our brief was to raise awareness and funding for Garvan beyond their current limited donor base.

Our insight – with thousands of disease-related charities competing for donations, how do you decide who to help? We confronted the public with a range of life-threatening diseases, posing this exact question. Help the young mother with pancreatic cancer, or the musician with Parkinson’s disease? The teacher with a kidney condition, or the student with immune disease? Each execution challenges you to think, interact and ultimately donate to the Garvan Institute, whose genomics research can help them all.

‘Disease Dilemmas’ features 12 people living with different diseases, each captured against a neutral background, eyes facing camera. It was important to create a neutral canvas that doesn’t try to sway you either way. The art direction is subtle, always in the service of showing them just as they are. These quietly confronting portraits were then put in specific pairings and combinations that made choosing one or the other impossible.

Across print, TV, radio, cinema, social, digital screens and out of home – plus takeovers at major metro train stations and even sports stadiums – we used the unique properties of each channel to impose our dilemmas, challenge the public and drive visits to diseasedilemmas.org where our 12 heroes shared their personal disease stories and the ways which Garvan helped them, via captivating long-form video portraits. All media was donated pro-bono and the campaign ran Australia-wide.