I’m a Believer… In Clean Hands: The Parody Video AHS Ran With (Literally)

How a wild parody video for AHS became an unexpected hit

Thirteen years ago, Alberta Health Services took a risk — and asked me to help bring it to life.

The ask? A parody music video to promote hand hygiene, performed by real doctors, nurses, and staff.

The song? A rewrite of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”

The goal? Make something fun, memorable, and educational that could actually catch on.

No pressure, right?

From Script to Germ-Chasing Adventure

The Cardiac Sciences Edmonton Zone and their Stop Infections Now Collaborative (SINC) team had written new lyrics and laid out some guidelines: certain key people had to be featured, certain hospital locations had to be included, and it needed to align with funding partners like the University Hospital Foundation and the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation.

They gave me the song. I gave them the story.

Instead of just filming staff lip-syncing in hospital hallways, I pitched a full-on Scooby-Doo-style comedy adventure. In it, a sleepy doctor nods off during a hygiene presentation — and finds himself trapped in a dream where he’s being chased by germ characters through both the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and the CK Hui Heart Centre.

We filmed it over two chaotic half-days using real staff, real locations, and whoever we could pull in as extras. The whole thing was wild, fast-paced, and wildly fun — run-and-gun filmmaking at its most spirited.

Back in the studio, I had the full video edited within 24 hours.

Massive Reach, Real Impact

The result?

  • Over 50,000 views on YouTube within the first few months
  • Used by other hospitals across Canada and internationally
  • Became a memorable moment for many of the medical staff who performed in it

It was a great reminder that creativity and clear communication can go hand in hand — even when the goal is literally clean hands.

Watch the Full Video

Watch on YouTube

My Takeaway

I’ve done plenty of serious corporate and brand videos since then, but this one stands out for a different reason:

When people have fun doing meaningful work, the audience feels it.

And when you trust a creative to run with the idea, you get something people actually remember.

If you're in healthcare, education, or corporate culture, and you're ready to do something a little different, I’m all ears.