Film & Campaign Description
The System Is Broken – #thankyouantibiotics The Fleming Initiative
The Fleming Initiative was offered a rare opportunity: a free 10-minute activation slot on the iconic Piccadilly Lights billboard in London. Their mission is to raise global awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – a rapidly escalating threat to modern medicine – and to encourage the public to use antibiotics responsibly to slow the spread of resistant pathogens.
Following positive results from working with Gorilla Gorilla! on their New York billboard activation earlier in the year, they requested a bold creative concept designed specifically for the fast-paced, low-attention environment of Piccadilly Circus.
Despite AMR affecting everyone, most people overlook antibiotic use. Our challenge was to get the attention of those within piccadilly and inspire them to learn more.
We captured attention with a stunt: We created a 'Trojan horse' fake ad campaign to run on the screen, then, with digital decay, made it seem as if the screen had 'broken'. It pixellated, then went black, before starting to reload.
Our attention-grabbing message followed. Bold, giant copy that explained that 'The System Is Broken'. This core concept was designed to speak to three things: The screen itself breaking, a ‘broken’ healthcare system which still sees high levels of inappropriate antibiotic use, and the insight that many people believe that the current societal and political system is also breaking.
After delivering this stark and attention-grabbing message and linking it (through a CCTV shot onto Piccadilly Circus) to every person there that day, we went on to offer positive testimony from people whose lives had been saved by antibiotics.
The campaign urged the public to pause, and act learn more and engage with #thankyouantibiotics to support responsible antibiotic use.
Above is an edited piece as part of the video that was used for social featuring the clients and showcasing the behind-the-scenes on the full film played in Piccadilly Circus.
The campaign delivered impressive engagement across platforms. The Fleming website received an 841% increase in website sessions and 815% of unique visitors compared to the previous period. A total reach of 28.5k impressions, achieved strong visibility for an organic campaign.
The Fleming Initiative
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats to global health. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to resist the medicines designed to kill them. Worldwide, AMR already contributes to 1.27 million deaths every year, and without urgent action, this could rise to almost 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Antibiotics underpin almost all modern medicine – from surgeries and cancer treatments to routine childbirth – yet their power is rapidly diminishing.
The Fleming Initiative exists to reverse this trajectory. It is a global movement working to save lives by accelerating innovation, education, and action on AMR. Its vision is simple: a world where antibiotics continue to protect us.
Our Vision
A world where antibiotics continue to protect us.
Our Mission
To save lives by accelerating global innovation, education, and action on antimicrobial resistance.
We align with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
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