Valley Children's Hospital.
MAGICAL PEDIATRIC EXPERIENCE
The Why.
Valley Children’s Healthcare, a partner with Stanford University in California, is one of the largest pediatric hospitals west of the Mississippi. With a bold vision to be the "Nation's best children's hospital," we borrowed from our experience with Disney. But, instead of focusing on Mickey Mouse, we developed a patient hospitality concept around their mascot, George.
George is a giraffe, and giraffes have the largest hearts of any animal. Children connect with animals, and studies show that animal therapy can be instrumental in healing many mental as well as physical conditions.

IMAGINEERING HEALTHCARE
The Way.
DBA created a magical, memorable experience. As the creative agency for Disney's social media and influencer engagement, DBA used ideas from the Imagineer's handbook.
As the following video describes, we employed BDI/CDI market analysis to identify specific children's healthcare conditions. Using big data to index growth opportunities, we used an analytics-based digital media campaign to reach condition-specific patients with condition-specific messaging.

We recruited a lovable patient advocate to build culture at the children's hospital. Our team expanded on the traditional “man in a giraffe suit,” we created special engagements with George during the course of the care for children. We developed a patient pathway with emotional connections along each child’s journey.
Exploring the use of George in wayfinding, storytelling and even a feature film concept, we landed on a video game as new way to engage patients and tell the story of VCH.
The Work.

Our imagineers created a “card from George.” At off hours when the George suit is not available, children still need encouragement. We designed a way for a nurse or caregiver to write a note to a child addressed from George.
Delivering a note from George can brighten a child’s day, or even get them to take their medicine.
By offering these tools to the care staff, they are guided into new hospitality experiences they would be unable to create on their own.

We introduced a book about how George goes to the hospital. Nurses and family members read the book to pediatric patients to help them overcome their fears while facing great life challenges.
George was instrumental as a vehicle to create patient experiences through social media engagement and thought-leadership content, as well as to reduce stress by integrating George’s likeness in the wayfinding systems of the hospitals.