The Michigan Dental Association
Cool by Association
A CLIENT anthology
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Recent Results
43%
Of All Site Traffic
Since 2016 resulted directly
from our partnership.
450%
Boost in Branded Search
Since implementing new SEO
strategies just 18 months ago.
129M
Paid Searches
Connected web users to the
Find-A-Dentist tool.
50%
Of Site Traffic
In 2020 was driven by digital
campaigns created by JXM.
30MM
Campaign Views
On YouTube, Facebook, Instagram,
& cross-platform video channels.
20%
YOY Increase
In ongoing brand awareness since
we started together in 2016.
Preferred Channels
- Tik Tok
- Connected TV/OTT
- Paid Search
- Display/Retargeting
- Geotargeting
- SEO
- Email Marketing
- Print/OOH
Harmonic Feedback
Being relatively new to the MDA, I was relieved to find that JXM had our public education campaign completely handled. As I've gotten to know Laurie and the JXM team, I enjoy collaborating with them more and more.
The Michigan Dental Association
Creative archives
Ok so, there’s a lot here. Pick your year to take a shortcut to its content, or scroll and enjoy.
2015 - 2016
Driving Traffic
The Michigan Dental Association has a critical dual mission for its public education campaign. Bring value to their member dentists by driving search traffic to the ADA Find-A-Dentist tool and, simultaneously, build trust with the public of MI. In a member-driven organization, it’s essential to do both since the members want the most value out of their membership.
Butts in seats
Cutting up the Mitten
The first thing we did when the MDA notified us that we would be flying to Lansing to meet with the MDA Board of Trustees was to think asymmetrically about where their media could have the most impact.
MDA traditional media ad messages saturated the heavily populated areas, but the rest of the state was missing out. We proposed dividing the state into zones that we could use to determine how we’d weigh the spending, given the MDA’s goal of reaching more of the public of MI.
A little fun
You can't
Remove Calculus
We remixed an ad from the ’80s featuring the loveable James Whitmore for a new generation. That meant adding a little funk and adding some wild psychedelic touches here and there.
Building Trust
I am an MDA Dentist
As we started to think about bringing organized dentistry to the public in a more meaningful way, it became evident to the JXM team that there was no one better to present the initial case than the dentists themselves.
It started with a “casting call” in the MDA Journal. We showed up, cameras in tow, at their 2016 Annual Session in Novi and beautifully captured those first brave souls willing to step up and join the public campaign.
Guide on the side
The new MDA
Sometimes we roll up our sleeves and get right in the middle of a project. Other times we provide advice and guidance, fully sleeved.
The MDA faced the challenge of reimagining a brand presentation that was 12 years old. JXM helped brainstorm on direction, color theory. We built out different options to show the MDA board for a final vote.
The Value of organized dentistry
These two videos were part of a series we put together to illustrate the value of organized dentistry to non-member dentists and member dentists alike.
Why am I an MDA Member?
2016 - 2017
Raising awareness
As the MDA was launching its new brand, we were hard at work figuring out how we could raise awareness for this new brand and build trust with the people of MI. This is right around the time when we started to notice that both could work hand-in-hand. In other words, driving traffic AND building trust didn’t have to be mutually exclusive.
What makes you smile?
Connections
This project was inspired by posing the question, “What makes you smile?” A smile is a connection point, a glimpse into someone’s soul. Not like, in a creepy body-snatcher kind of way, but in a friendly, welcoming manner.
- This campaign won a Gold Circle award in Washington DC in May of 2016.
Pediatric-a-saurus
Learning from Experts
As we visited more practices in Michigan, we started understanding the topics the MDA member dentists felt strongly about. We were able to use our love of road trips,along with another presence at the 2017 annual session in Grand Rapids, to build a library of stories and advice.
Healthy Gums
DIY BRACES (YIKES!)
WISDOM ON WISDOM TEETH
Donated dental services
Making an Impact
Any association can talk, but we found the MDA walks the walk too. They practice what they promise.
We were honored (and inspired) to sit with the MDA staffers and member dentists to discuss the importance of their work around Donated Dental Services.
Close ups
Smile, Michigan
The crown jewel of 2017 was this piece, “Smile, Michigan,” an uplifting, feel-good campaign meant to make people…well…smile.
We wanted to show the state’s diversity and the unique nature of a smile. No two are alike.
Unless we’re talking about comparing your smile to your clone, which at that point cloning would be frowned upon. A frown is not a smile and therefore is not on brand for this project. Sorry clones.
Shorter form
Exploring new mediums
As a digital-first, media agnostic agency, we started experimenting and producing shorter-form, less formal content that could be created quickly and align with what people were enjoying at the time.
The re-emergence of Star Wars (The Force Awakens) and the first season of Stranger Things on Netflix were prime moments to test this theory.
2018 - 2019
Growing Education
Coming off the success of some of the softer, educational pieces we had created, it was determined that it would be wise to focus on fun, educational content as a priority over just driving traffic to the practices of MDA member dentists across the state. This adjustment was a natural shift for all of us, and the board voted in an 80/20 split – Education over Driving Traffic.
Saccharine Melodies
The Sugary Truth
Do you know what you’re ingesting when you have that sugary snack? Are you aware of how soda can pop you right into the teeth?
Well, we did the math. This animated project created quite a buzz with the younger generations (even the super cynical millennials.) It introduced Michiganders to “Mo,” a character we would use again in 2021, and it inspired all kinds of other types of content and experiences. Those included t-shirts, brochures, and coloring books for MDA members to share with their communities.
Big stories
Kidding Around
Want to know what it’s really like at the dentist’s office? Ask a kid. In this campaign (appropriately titled Big Stories from Little Mouths,) we put out a casting call for some kids to just cut loose and get real with us.
Then we animated their answers, and boy, did things get weird.
2020 - 2021
Comfort in chaos
As 2020 came along, so did the global COVID-19 pandemic. In the early months of 2020, the pandemic forced most practices to stay closed, while some were open only for emergency services. The MDA asked us to help by promoting how safe it would be to go to dental practices when they reopened and challenged us to figure out a new way of producing content that would not require onsite productions.
Shoot to thrill
Celebrating
Fluoride?
How do you celebrate 75 years of water fluoridation, share historical facts and data, and not put people to sleep? The JXM answer was to channel our classic inner rockers and build out a dynamic, easy-to-watch explainer video. This ain’t no Ken Burns documentary.
a true psa
Reopening Responisbly
As practices reopened after a mandatory COVID-19-driven shutdown, we wanted to make patients feel comfortable about coming back. An infographic-style video was a great way to do this since it limited the need to be onsite for extensive video production. On top of that, each point could be distilled down into its ad or set of ads.
Zooming in
Let's Talk.
Striking a more approachable tone and recorded on Zoom, 36 member dentists studied and delivered lines from a script to create a set of montage-style PSA ads. The focus here was urging those struggling with their oral health to reach out.
