Make-A-Wish Canada redefines the impact of a wish in new brand campaign, ‘Wishes Are Medicine’

Make-A-Wish^® Canada has launched a new national brand campaign, Wishes Are Medicine, that redefines the meaning of a wish and its impact on children diagnosed with a critical illness. At the heart of the campaign is a powerful message delivered by sick children themselves: Wishes are not just a nice-to-have; they’re an essential part of treatment. 

“Wishes are life-changing prescriptions,” said Meaghan Stovel McKnight, Chief  Executive Officer, Make-A-Wish Canada. “They’re a powerful part of a child’s treatment journey, bringing both children and their families strength, hope and resilience — all of which are essential in fighting the impact of critical illness. Not all medicine comes in a bottle.”

Ninety-five percent of medical practitioners surveyed believe wishes improve health outcomes. Further, patients who had a wish fulfilled were 2.5 times less likely to have an unplanned hospital visit and 1.9 times less likely to use the emergency department.

The campaign features self-recorded video messages from real wish kids describing their journeys with critical illness and a new treatment that could help improve their outcomes. The twist comes when the kids hold up a doctor’s prescription, not for pills or procedures, but for a wish: to visit a theme park, swim with dolphins, ride a rollercoaster, or become a princess.

The campaign was conceived and developed by agency partner Zulu Alpha Kilo and directed by Jordan Findlay from Boldly Productions.

“While Make-A-Wish is well-known by Canadians, they may not know there’s research proving the real impact a wish can have,” said Jenny Glover, CCO at Zulu Alpha Kilo.  “We love the raw simplicity of these stories and hope they help show that wishes are not something extra, but are as essential as medicine in their treatment plan.”

Post-production was led by Outsider Editorial, Alter Ego, and Grayson Matthews, with French adaptation by TFS. Media planning and buying were managed by Zulumatic and Yeeboo Digital.

Beyond film, Zulu Alpha Kilo also crafted a new design system for the campaign, using medical iconography to visually root the brand within the medical space.

‘Wishes Are Medicine’ launches nationally today across broadcast, social, digital, and out-of-home. Communications will drive to a dedicated landing page with a clear invitation to donate, giving Canadians the chance to help fill a life-changing prescription for a sick child.