Northwell Health Shows Kids Stay Safe When Guns Are in One

Northwell Health, in partnership with New York-based advertising agency StrawberryFrog, has launched a poignant new television campaign aimed at preventing firearm-related deaths among children. The initiative urges New Yorkers to securely lock their firearms, reinforcing the importance of gun safety to prevent tragic and avoidable accidents.

A 30-second spot, titled 'Things We Can Treat,' begins with wistful images of children happily at play and reveals how some have wounds that are healing - a brain surgery scar, a bloody knee, a heart surgery scar, a broken arm in a cast. These children symbolise the many young patients treated and healed daily by Northwell Health’s dedicated healthcare professionals.

But the spot’s emotional tone shifts in its closing moments: a child reaches into an unlocked drawer, subtly implying the presence of an unsecured firearm. It’s a chilling reminder that since 2020, guns remain the leading cause of death among children in the United States (source).

The work is the second gun violence prevention collaboration between Northwell Health, New York state’s largest not for profit healthcare provider, and independent agency StrawberryFrog. Their first campaign 'Doesn’t Kill To Ask,' in 2022, took a metaphorical approach, portraying concerned parents asking if a ferocious, unleashed tiger would be restrained during their child’s playdate - meant to encourage parents to ask about gun safety in an approachable way.

“This is one of those rare times when we wish we didn’t have to create a campaign for a brand. But until guns are not the number one killer of kids, we have to keep ringing the bell. So how do we talk about guns without it getting instantly political? By using a powerful misdirect that makes parents think we’re talking about one thing - the common, everyday care kids need for bumps, bruises and scrapes - when we’re really talking about the one thing we shouldn’t have to treat... gunshot injuries. Because if a gun is in the house, kids will find it. The same way you know a kid will fall on a bike or skateboard. But they can get back up from those,” said Nick Sonderup, chief creative officer, StrawberryFrog.

Northwell believes that firearm-related injury and death must be treated as a public health crisis. For the past eight years, Northwell Health has made gun violence prevention a core priority - committed to educating the public, raising awareness, and driving meaningful change. As leaders on the frontlines of care, health systems have both a unique responsibility and the capacity to address the epidemic of gun violence.

“We view gun violence as a pressing public health crisis impacting communities nationwide," said Ramon Soto, SVP and chief marketing and communications officer at Northwell Health. "Our campaign focuses on prevention and the protection of children through evidence-based public health strategies, underscoring our commitment to driving meaningful change,” said Ramon Soto, senior vice president, chief marketing and communications officer at Northwell Health

As the spot ends with the child reaching into the drawer, it cuts to the rug-pull moment, a super that reads, 'Guns are the #1 killer of kids.' A playful copy line, 'Kids are safe, when a gun is locked in one,' follows. The ending elevates the work to a call to action that enlists New Yorkers to help prevent gun violence by keeping their guns locked in a safe.

The campaign breaks in the greater New York Metro market on July 21st, 2025, with TV, OLV, online video, radio, OOH, social media and print. Its debut coincides with the national launch of the Ad Council’s 'Agree To Agree' gun violence prevention initiative, a project brought to life with the leadership of Ramon Soto, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Northwell Health.

StrawberryFrog has partnered with Northwell Health since 2019 and is the healthcare provider’s Agency of Record. StrawberryFrog has been recognised as one of the industry’s most influential and creative shops since its founding in Amsterdam in 1999. In 2024, the agency was recognised by Advertising Age for the best purpose-driven work of the year.