These Lamps Keep Families Together During Children's Hospital Treatment

TBWA Lisbon has created to Ronald McDonald House Charities a unique family of lamps that only light up when they are together, symbolising the importance of family presence in a child's recovery.

When children undergo medical treatment, having their family nearby can make a significant difference. This is why Ronald McDonald House Charities Portugal has provided a home away from home for over 9,000 families who live far from hospitals.

To commemorate 25 years of this important mission in Portugal, we developed a campaign that brings this message to life.

'The Light of Presence' inspired us to partner with Marvilab, a globally recognised Portuguese creative technology studio, to create a special product: a family of night lamps that illuminate only when connected together.

These lamps, just like real families, only turn on when at least one adult and one child are together. Similar to traditional night lights that provide comfort in the dark, these lamps represent the courage and hope that a present family can inspire - serving as a powerful reminder of the significance of family during a child’s medical treatment. This interactive feature effectively highlights RMHC’s mission, while its attractive design encourages organic content creation, expanding the campaign’s reach.

To represent different types of families, we designed four distinct figures (male and female adults, and male and female children), allowing each family to create a set that reflects their own composition, whether it includes a grandmother, a mother and daughter, two fathers and a son, a single mother, or any other family structure.

These families are already making an impact in the community through out-of-home advertising, television, and social media, promoted by family-focused influencers.