NHS England has unveiled a new campaign called ‘The Place to Go’, to raise awareness on how pharmacists can now supply prescription-only medicines when clinically appropriate.

In partnership with M&C Saatchi, the 30-second film, directed by Andrew Gaynord at MindsEye, is part of NHS England’s ‘Help Us, Help You’ campaign.

Subscribe to Mobile Marketing Magazine

Click here to get the latest marketing news free in your inbox every Thursday

The campaign is running across video-on-demand, out-of-home, social, programmatic display and search, with media planning by Wavemaker and media buying by OMD.

As part of the campaign, signs outside of NHS England pharmacies have also been changed to reflect the inner worlds of the ad’s protagonists, with names including “It Burns When I Pee Pharmacy” and “This Earache is Getting Worse Pharmacy”.

NHS England, Deputy Director, Head of Marketing and Social Media Team, Phil Bastable, said: “People across England already value the support they receive from their local community pharmacy, and with so many living in close proximity to one, they are the perfect spot to offer convenient care for common conditions.

“With this new campaign, we want to let people know that they can now get some prescription medicines from their local pharmacy, without needing to see a GP – making it quicker and more convenient for them to get the help they need, and taking pressure off general practice services.”

M&C Saatchi, Creative Partner, Guy Bradbury said: “We’ve all been there. A condition has got worse and it can’t wait. This new extended offering provides a great solution, enabling people to get some prescription medications from their pharmacist.

“What better way to spread the word about the new service, than to take an iconic song, made famous by The Big Lebowski, and change pharmacy signs to describe some of the ailments pharmacists can help with? We’ve delivered a campaign that lands our message with clarity and charm.”