Pharma Lions: Cannes 2024 Decoded

Manchester based agency Havas Lynx has a Silver Lion in the Pharma category for its 'Airquity' campaign for Earswitch.

Airquity is a non-invasive biometric sensor that captures medical-grade health metrics directly from the inner ear canal, ensuring accurate, real-world, and racially inclusive data where all skin appears uniform.

VML Milan bagged a Bronze Lion for its 'Not a lonely journey - Travel Guide Collection for SMA patients' campaign for Biogen. To help healthcare professionals recognize the full potential of their spinal muscular atrophy patients and inspire them to challenge their perceptions, VML Health collaborated with Biogen to create a groundbreaking initiative: the "Not a Lonely Journey" collection of travel guides.

Dubai based agencies Mullenlowe Mena and McCann Health also won a Bronze Lion for its Organon campaign 'Mis[s]diagnosed' - which raised awareness of lesser-known female heart attack symptoms in the UAE with the goal of closing the medical gender data gap and saving lives.

The Pharma Lion Grand Prix was awarded to Area 23 a New York-based IPG Health Network agency for its Siemens Healthineers campaign 'Magnetic Stories'.

A total of seven Pharma Lions were awarded: one Grand Prix, one Gold, two Silver and three Bronze.

The Judges said ...

Natxo Díaz, global head of craft at VML Health , was one of the jurors and this is what he had to say...

Why did the winner win?

Magnetic Stories, our Grand Prix winner is a clear example of how brands can go beyond their own products and services to improve patients’ experience. It’s also storytelling at its best by crafting and producing a series of audiobooks for children undergoing MRI scans, transforming a frightening test into an immersive experience. The stories were fine-crafted by renowned authors and sound designers to precisely synchronize each sound of the scan with exciting story moments, turning a very scary experience into an engaging one. 

⁠Were there any trends you noticed in this years category?

Pharma Lions celebrated equity and inclusivity this year, with ideas that not only raised awareness about health inequities but also addressed them. We saw great experiential projects transforming patients' experiences and created emotional connections between them and brands. Product innovation was also highly represented, with pharma companies introducing new products and services to solve unmet needs, such as detecting diseases in early stages or democratizing access to accurate diagnosis. The selected work had a clear focus on creativity that transforms lives. 

Based on the entries you review - what advice would you give to anyone hoping to win next year?

Be brave and think beyond medicines and products. Look for unmet needs from your clients' patients and try to deliver well-crafted innovative solutions that motivate people to promote their health and take action. Also, work to save lives, drive positive change, democratize access to medicine, and improve the overall healthcare experience.

Follow Creative Salon's Cannes Lions 2024 coverage through our dedicated content section.