While most brands are handing out candy this time of year, Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) is serving up something even sweeter: better health. The healthcare system has launched “Healthy Halloween,” a lighthearted, animated campaign reminding people that taking care of themselves doesn’t have to be scary.
Developed with its AOR, Doner, the campaign taps into Halloween nostalgia with a cast of classic characters—Dracula, witches, and other familiar frights—each learning a valuable health lesson. Through humor and charming animation, HMH delivers bite-sized messages about preventive care, wellness, and the importance of finding a primary care doctor or specialist.
Set in a horizontal 16:9 “storybook” format, the shorts were designed to feel immersive rather than scrollable. Each vignette unfolds like a modern fairy tale, inviting viewers to laugh, relate, and ultimately take action toward a healthier life. The campaign lives under HMH’s How Healthy Happens brand platform, which debuted earlier this year to connect health with everyday life moments. Watch below:
“By tapping into a moment like Halloween, we’re able to connect with people in a way that feels fun and unexpected, but still drives home the importance of finding a doctor and staying on top of your health,” said Andrea Addesso, Vice President, Brand Strategy at Hackensack Meridian Health. “Healthy Halloween is a fresh, approachable way to start that conversation and make it stick.”
“Healthcare advertising is traditionally serious in tone,” added David DeMuth, CEO of Doner. “With Healthy Halloween, we wanted to surprise people with a smile. It’s fun, engaging, and reminds us that taking care of ourselves doesn’t need to feel grim.”
A spirited mix of humor, nostalgia, and health advocacy, Healthy Halloween is proof that even Dracula could use a good checkup now and then.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Hackensack Meridian Health
- Chief Marketing Officer Opeyemi Oluwole
- VP Brand Strategy Andrea Addesso
- Brand Strategist Gina Hersch
- VP Marketing and Communications Jennifer Netzband
- VP Content Strategy Marisa Tranchina
- VP Service Lines & Hospitals Donna Sellmann
AGENCY: Doner
- VP Creative Director Brian Nelson
- VP Creative Director Anthony Karagosian
- Producer Tom Shea
- Animator Max Lazzarin
- Editor Daniel Olson
- Integrated Producer Jennie Hochthanner
- Managing Director Pete Spender
- Account Director Melissa Zelinski
- Senior Account Executive Christopher Malek
- Project Manager Jason Nummer
- Strategy Director Julie Murray
- Strategy Director Kayce Holland
- Business Affairs Director Sheryll Kollin
- Business Affairs Manager Dawn Malenfant
ILLUSTRATOR: Chris Dye
REELated:
Exclusive: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Turo “slay” car ownership
