The public awareness campaign The Sound of COPD has received broad recognition within the creative sector. This year, the campaign has been nominated for the SAN Awards (Stichting Adverteerdersjury Nederland) and has also been shortlisted for the ADCN Awards (Dutch Club for Creativity) in six categories. This recognition highlights the societal importance of raising awareness about COPD.
Making COPD visible and audible
COPD is a serious and progressive lung disease affecting approximately 800,000 people in the Netherlands*. Despite ranking high in the national burden of disease, COPD is often diagnosed too late. Lack of awareness, misconceptions and the persistent stigma associated with smoking play a significant role in this**.
With The Sound of COPD, we aim to offer a new and powerful way to experience how limiting the disease can be. By placing the sound of different stages of COPD at the centre of the campaign, it makes tangible what patients experience on a daily basis — and contributes to the broader conversation about early recognition and better support.
A unique collaboration between medical expertise, creativity and patient stories
For this campaign, we worked closely with Dr Sami Simons, an expert in voice sound and COPD. His clinical expertise formed the foundation for accurately translating the sounds characteristic of breathing in COPD.
In addition, Roxeanne Hazes wrote the song Never Over (Nooit Voorbij) especially for the campaign. She did not do this alone: she worked intensively with people living with COPD, who shared their personal experiences and joined her in the studio. Their voices, stories and emotional input made it possible to convey the daily reality of living with COPD in an authentic and impactful way.
The creative execution was developed in collaboration with De Family, bringing together medical insights, personal stories and artistic expression.
Nominations that help increase recognition of COPD
The nominations for the SAN and ADCN Awards not only acknowledge the campaign itself, but above all contribute to greater awareness of COPD. The more attention there is for the complexity and severity of this disease, the greater the chance of timely diagnosis and appropriate support for patients.
The award ceremonies will take place on: 7 May – ADCN Awards and 28 May – SAN Awards (awards presented by communication agencies).
View the campaign: The Sound of COPD
Sources:
COPD – Burden of disease | Public Health and Care
** Regional differences in COPD care during exacerbations mapped by the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) and LAN
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