Strategic storytelling to help recruitment

Staff shortages in social care, especially among occupational therapists, demanded fast, effective recruitment solutions amid high-stakes systemic pressures. The idea of responding with films felt initially inconsequential against such a large-scale issue, but CPL One aimed to demonstrate the opposite: that storytelling can catalyse change.

CPL One launched a series of films designed to showcase the human side of occupational therapy, marketing not the job, but the impact. One film told a deeply human story: an occupational therapist learned chess in her own time to engage a young person facing mental health challenges. Through this simple act, she built trust and connection, illustrating the emotional power of personalised care. The film beautifully captures how occupational therapists, like filmmakers, are expert emotion-makers, able to inspire transformation through empathy and dedication.

The Results

CPL One’s creative approach received heartfelt praise: Alex Lamb, senior account manager and producer, expressed how proud the team was to ‘capture the very real impact’ occupational therapists have. Poonam Hyland, Deputy Regional Chief Allied Health Professional, praised the film for beautifully capturing therapists’ empathy and dedication, and called it ‘a testament to the profound impact they have’. The campaign reframed occupational therapy not just as a career but as a deeply meaningful and emotionally rich vocation.

Client

• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

Sector

• Public sector