In an emergency, there’s no time for indecision. Only instinct. It’s the split-second truth felt by trauma care providers at Idaho Falls Community Hospital (IFCH) — and the spark behind the awareness campaign we launched for them this month. Newer and smaller than a decades-old institution across the street, IFCH needed a disruptive voice in a market defined by caution, convention and feel-good sameness.
That voice became Into the Fray, a campaign shaped by instinct, grit and the very human pulse of emergency medicine. With the work now out in the world, I’ve been reflecting on how it all came together: the inspirations and decisions, collaboration and chaos and every happy accident we couldn’t plan for.
1. There’s an interesting tension when a hospital defines their brand strategy around The Outlaw brand archetype.
Hospitals like being associated with safety, order and reassurance. But hitching your wagon to the archetype drawn to rebellion, disruption and risk-taking? Unusual, yes. And even more interesting as a strategic starting point.
To capture the confident, defiant tone, we looked at Outlaw-adjacent lifestyle and consumer brands like Levi’s, Harley-Davidson and Nike for inspiration. Here, we found bold expressions of freedom, strength and humanity that beautifully reflected the culture of conviction and grit by emergency care teams at IFCH. Through it all, The Outlaw was the backbone of the campaign, in addition to its beginning.
2. Pop culture was a handy creative compass as we set out to realize this campaign.
During early concepting, HBO Max’s The Pitt was all abuzz. The show gave us a touchpoint for portraying the less-than-glamorous realities of emergency medicine. Rare is the opportunity for binging a whole TV series to be considered background research for a project. And then, during production, director Alex Garland’s 2024 movie Civil War gave our team an interesting and cinematic way to leverage documentary-style still photography within our video spots. The approach enhanced the journalistic style of the campaign and helped punctuate the music, emotion and drama.
From both of these references, we drew on a sense of urgency and presence, where the camera feels like a participant, not a bystander.
3. I believe, in branding, the best work will Keep. It. Simple. Stupid.
I reminded myself often throughout the development of this campaign that it did not need spectacle. Trauma care carries its own gravity — you don’t need to manufacture it. The real intensity lives in the people who do the work. Their instincts, their stamina. The way they move, their quiet courage under pressure. The providers, their humanity, was always the heartbeat of this story.
Everything else was in service of that fact. Messaging was direct. Confident. Galvanizing. The visual narrative was energetic but human-centric. No stunts, no fluff. Just clarity and truth.
4. Finding the right director to bring the visuals of your campaign to life is a lot like dating.
We spent time meeting different directors to discuss goals, expectations and vision. And to understand them; how they approach storytelling and what we could achieve with our budget. It’s such an exercise in compatibility and chemistry. I wanted someone who understood not just what we wanted to make, but why.
With Jake from Story & Pixel, it was a match. He got it. He was collaborative, led with curiosity and knew how to turn the messy, manic middle of a shoot into something cinematic.
5. Casting real providers, not actors, is a gamble.
By selecting real people to be the centerpiece of your campaign, you instantly create a lot of pressure to choose wisely. Everything about them — their role, expertise, perspective, face, charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent — all become ingredients in a high-stakes soufflé. You prepare the best you can and hope they rise to the occasion.
Some step in front of a camera and instantly become the most natural performers. Meanwhile others — despite being asked to mimic the movements they follow every other normal day at work — freeze in fear or forget how to hold their body. But that’s how it goes. Real people come with real risk and real reward. But for a campaign built around the authenticity and individuality of real providers, there was no other way. You can’t fake it. But you can fix it in post.
6. My love language is “It’s your call to make” and yet, I still experienced decision fatigue.
On set and in the weeks to follow, questions piled up like discarded clothes on that chair in the bedroom we all have. How does this look? How was that take? What do you think? Which one is better? You become a human switchboard: redirecting, refining, approving, encouraging, troubleshooting. It’s enough to make you retreat and threaten to no one in particular, “If I have to answer one more question today…” Which I did do, I admit.
7. Good company makes great work better.
So much of what I loved about this project was the people I brought it to life with, from within Noble West and outside it. Building a genuine connection with our client, Natalie, made such a difference at every milestone. Not only did Natalie truly see and support our vision, but she challenged us and the work to its fullest potential. She pushed us to go to the edge, to take risks, to be our own outlaws in an outlaw campaign.
But best of all, we had fun. Laughter became my barometer for the behind-the-scenes experience of this campaign; and with Natalie, there was a lot. I’m so grateful for her trust, shared excitement and all the silliness that made long days feel light.
[The client] pushed us to go to the edge, to take risks, to be our own outlaws in an outlaw campaign.
In the end, Into the Fray became more than a campaign. It became a portrait of courage, individuality and the stubborn optimism it takes to walk into uncertainty every day. It pushed Idaho Falls Community Hospital into new territory — strategically, tonally, visually, emotionally. And it was a lightning rod for internal culture and pride, giving their team of providers and support staff an identity to rally around.
I love this work. I love where it ended up and the entire journey to get there. I love that it feels personal, and timeless — in the way that hard work, care and courage are also timeless. It proves that when the people have heart, the work will too.
