In Romania, hospitals often cannot provide accommodation for parents whose children are in long-term cancer treatment. Many families cannot afford to stay elsewhere, leaving them with one option: living on a chair next to a hospital bed.
The goal was to raise €200,000 via SMS donations to help build MagicHome, with no media budget and little public awareness around the issue.
Instead of relying on statistics or emotional storytelling alone, the campaign focused on direct experience. The idea was simple: bring the reality of the hospital into public view and let people feel, even for a moment, what these parents live through every day.
The campaign started with an online video telling the story of these parents: months spent in hospital corridors, with nowhere to properly wash, eat, or sleep, and the quiet effort to stay strong in front of their children.
From there, people were invited to experience it themselves.
A hospital room was recreated inside an art gallery, centered around a single chair. The chair became both the symbol of the problem and the heart of the campaign.
The installation was broadcast through a continuous 24/7 livestream, where volunteers, public figures, journalists, and everyday visitors took turns sitting on the chair in solidarity. Each participant stayed until someone else replaced them, turning the act of sitting into a powerful public statement.
The campaign captured national attention, generated over 552 hours of livestream content and more than 450,000 engagements, and raised over €500,000, far exceeding the original goal. It also went on to win major local and international recognition, including a Cannes Lions Silver in Health and a Grand Effie.
Credits
Advertising Agency: Jazz Bucharest, Romania
Creative Directors: Valentin Suciu, Andreea Ghenoiu
Art Directors: Roxana Cozaru, Raluca Matei
Copywriters: Miruna Dumitrescu, Alina Varlanuta
Photographer: Andreea Goia
Additional Credits: RogalskiDamaschin PR, Saga Film, Irina Pencea, Alecsandra Roman, Georgiana Rotaru
