While scrolling through my Twitter feed last month a tweet written by US Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Aly Raisman stood out. The grammar on the post isn't perfect, but the gist is that a "Gangnam Style" spoof dance video she filmed with fellow Olympic teammates Jordyn Wieber and Gabby Douglas had her "hysterically laughing."
I clicked to view it, half expecting a shaky home video shot in the Olympic Village on a smartphone, but what I saw was an elaborate, professionally produced awareness piece by the Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, NC.
"Gangnam Style," if you've managed to escape it, is a Korean pop song that became popular in the US a few months ago, first as a joke and then as a legitimate music sensation.
The singer, Psy, has performed the song for crowds at the Today Show and taught Britney Spears the corresponding dance moves on the daytime talk show, Ellen. Parody videos have been cropping up online ever since.
After watching the song and its goofy dance moves gain popularity, the Levine Cancer Institute marketing team realized it had an opportunity to both raise awareness for the organization and put a smile on a cancer patient's face.
The team knew that the three Olympic gymnasts would be in Charlotte for the taping of Kaleidoscope on Ice, sponsored by Levine Cancer Institute. The video wound up being part of the national television broadcast on CBS. They called it "Gymnamstyle."
"The concept of 'Gymnamstyle' really grew out of the idea that when people are dealing with cancer or are a cancer survivor, sometimes just having a little fun and putting a smile on someone's face can make all the difference in the world," says Amalia Reyes, marketing director for Carolinas HealthCare System. "That is what 'Gymnamstyle' hoped to do—make people smile and have a little fun—to really celebrate survivors."
The video begins with Levine's survivorship director giving the three gymnasts a tour of the facility. "We provide cancer care to patients in both North and South Carolina," she says, walking down a corridor. "You're in one of our treatment centers now, where patients will come for chemotherapy treatments and support services, including social work, nutrition, survivorship programs, and the funny thing is it also came with this..."
Suddenly the surrounding staff members clap their hands and a man dressed as Psy—yellow jumpsuit, black wig and all—appears in a patient room. "Gangnam Style" begins to play and three minutes of dancing commences, featuring Aly, Gabby, and Jordyn, countless staff members, patients, and other community members, such as young gymnasts and a local marching band.
The video was shot at the cancer institute, a gymnastics gym, a college basketball court, and on a moving school bus.
As one can imagine, the logistics of coordinating a shoot of this size were trying, but everyone involved was eager and willing to make it work, Reyes says.
"Everyone was amazing to work with and really went above and beyond to help make this music video come together and add a little variety to the final piece," she says. "[Aly, Gabby, and Jordyn] were excited to visit the hospital and check out a couple places around the state to help bring a smile to some peoples' faces."
At publication, the video had more than 35,000 views. And while the majority of the video is fun and dancing, that means 35,000 people heard the survivorship director's message first. Quite a few traditional campaigns can't claim that impact.
"Fun, viral videos can benefit hospitals or other organizations by exposing new audiences to them and their mission," Reyes says. "It's a subtle yet incredibly powerful way to get the word out. It's no secret that more and more people are spending time online and viral marketing is more important than ever, especially for hospitals. We find that a viral video can help engage people in a fun way and also, make them more aware of what we do and how we do it."
At the end of the day it's all about raising awareness of Levine Cancer Institute as a world-class cancer institution, Reyes says.
"Overall it demonstrated the Institute's committed to celebrating cancer survivors everywhere, encouraging them to live life to their fullest each and every day," she says.
Marianne Aiello is a contributing writer at HealthLeaders Media.