National Institutes of Health

Challenge

When our client came to us needing a video by the end of the year, we were tasked with a very tight deadline that needed to hold a very important message. How might we create an engaging and impactful video that effectively raises awareness of the Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity’s (COSWD) mission—championing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in scientific research—while ensuring the message resonates authentically with the scientific community, avoiding redundancy or a condescending tone?

Solution

To engage the scientific community in a meaningful way, we developed an award-winning video titled The Elephant Parable. It was based on the well-known parable of The Blind Men and the Elephant as a metaphor for the importance of diversity in scientific research. Just as each person in the parable perceives only a part of the elephant, different perspectives in science contribute to a more complete understanding of complex problems. By using the elephant parable, the COSWD video sparks reflection and reinforces the idea that diversity isn’t just an initiative—it’s essential to the pursuit of scientific truth.

Challenge

This initiative, introduced by our clients at the NIH, aimed to launch EARA through a phased approach, with the first phase centered around a video campaign. Researchers working with small, underserved populations in biomedical science often face significant administrative hurdles, including extensive paperwork, to secure funding for their projects. The challenge was to effectively communicate this new initiative to the intended audiences, ensuring clarity and engagement, while laying the groundwork for increased awareness and participation in Phase 2 of implementation.

Solution

We developed and launched a video designed to explain the EARA initiative while resonating with the scientific community. Rather than simply presenting information, we framed the video as an invitation—an open call for scientists to engage with EARA as a tool designed to streamline their path to securing funding. By acknowledging the challenges they face and positioning EARA as a solution tailored to their needs, we created a narrative that felt both compelling and empowering.

This approach ensured that the video was not only informative but also inspiring, setting the stage for increased awareness and engagement as we moved toward Phase 2 of implementation.