Irish Kidney Association - TSG Growth Marketing

Highlighting The Importance Of Knowing Your Numbers During Kidney Week

Results

Targeted Communication

Empowered the public and healthcare professionals with knowledge about kidney health and the importance of early diagnosis.

Multi-Channel Outreach

Targeted neighbouring towns to achieve 197% more link clicks.

Simplifying CKD

The use of a friendly character made addressing the topic of Chronic Kidney Disease more approachable.

About The Customer

The Irish Kidney Association is a charitable voluntary organisation founded in 1978. IKA are dedicated to meeting the needs of renal patients and their families and carers, living with and affected by end stage renal disease.

Industry

Non-Profit Organisation

Company Size

Small Medium Enterprise

Services

Brand Strategy Brand Identity DesignWebsite DesignSocial Media Campaign Display Advertising

The Challenge

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a silent and often undiagnosed condition where the kidneys lose their ability to function properly. With few symptoms in the early stages, many people remain unaware of the disease until their kidney function has significantly deteriorated. The Irish Kidney Association (IKA) recognized the urgent need to raise public awareness about CKD and encourage both the general public and healthcare professionals to prioritise early testing and diagnosis. World Kidney Day takes place in March each year and the IKA have partnered with The Smart Group for a number of years to increase awareness of the disease throughout this Month.

The Solution

To address this challenge, The Smart Group partnered with the IKA to develop an educational and approachable campaign. The campaign centered around Sidney, a friendly kidney character designed to convey key messages without relying on scare tactics. The campaign focused on educating the public about the two crucial “kidney numbers”—the albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)—which are essential indicators of kidney health, easily determined through simple blood and urine tests.

The tagline “Your kidneys are counting on you” was created to emphasise the importance of getting tested, while also reminding healthcare professionals that patients are counting on them for early detection. To ensure the message reached a diverse audience, the campaign was deployed across multiple channels, including social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, as well as radio, healthcare professional (HCP) websites, and in physical locations such as pharmacies throughout Ireland. Various PR activations took place and The Smart Group designed and printed cut-outs from the campaign to feature in photo opportunities.

The Smart Group delivery eye-catching campaigns with well thought out creative content, and always impress with their positive attitude and passion. For our most recent campaign, they delivered high-performing content that proved successful across all demographics. I highly recommend The Smart Group team for all marketing campaigns.

Finn Lyons
Marketing Manager

The Results

The Sidney campaign successfully engaged a wide range of demographics, educating them about CKD in a relatable and non-threatening manner. The multi-channel approach ensured broad reach and impact, with the message being delivered consistently across digital and physical platforms. By empowering both the public and healthcare professionals with vital knowledge, the campaign significantly contributed to increasing awareness and promoting early testing for CKD, ultimately supporting the IKA’s mission to prevent kidney disease and improve public health outcomes.

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