'Mom's Bed' breaks the silence on caregiver struggles in Seoul

In South Korea, when a child is hospitalised, a family member is obligated by love to stay with them and most hospitals regulate that legal guardians must accompany their sick children when they are hospitalized. Hospital beds everywhere are a torture, yet, shadowing a sick child sounds like a no-brainer for human parents. But when sickness is chronic, like cancer or congenital heart disease, it’s not a quick in and out from the hospital—it can be a marathon. Think years, not weeks or days, of living in cramped, uncomfortable conditions on tiny caregiver beds.

The picture above shows how tiny these caregiver benches masquerading as beds are. Generally, moms spend not just nights but seasons intertwined with the pulse of their sick child’s struggles. Yet, society is largely oblivious to the plight and silent sacrifices of mothers, let alone acknowledge or act on it.

McDonald’s, in collaboration with RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Charities), which supports families with sick children, now stirs empathy with the ‘Mom’s Bed’ campaign—a poignant call for better caregiver accommodations. Currently, South Korea has only one RMHC in Yangsan—388km from Seoul, where most children’s hospitals are situated.

Creative arm Leo Burnett Korea slapped powerful installations in Seoul—showcasing the reality of cramped confines for caregivers. From street corners to malls and McDonald’s restaurants, the installations compare the actual size of ‘mom’s bed’ with universal bed sizes, each inscribed with a real mother’s name. At the same time, QR codes link to genuine stories to inspire change and invite donations.

The result? Record-breaking donations to RMHC and Seoul’s first RMHC on the horizon. Negotiations are underway for a new hospital to open soon.

SooHee Yang, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Korea, captures their transformative journey: “Learning about the hardships faced by so many parents was an incredibly humbling experience. We hope that more parents will sleep a little easier, ready to face whatever challenges might lie ahead, as a result of this campaign.”

Talk about an ROI worth writing about—this tale of triumph is not only heartwarming but will also change lives. The campaign is a reminder that creativity and solving real-world problems even with small gestures can spark the biggest change.

CREDITS

Client: McDonald’s Korea
Chief Marketing Officer: Haeyeon Lee
Agency: Leo Burnett Korea
Chief Creative Officer: SooHee Yang
Executive Creative Director: Hyeah Nahm
Creative Director: Chungmo yang
Art Director: Hyesun Shin, Inwon Lee
Copywriter: Junseok Kang
Group Account Director: Joohun Kim
Account Manager: Chohui Kim, Seunghyun Kim
Media Planner: Jeehee Jung, Gwangsoo Yun
 

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