Industry Insight
The unbearable lightness of creativity
21GRAMS and Havas Lynx lead the charge at the PM Society Awards for pharma marketing and healthcare communications
The pharmaceutical marketing and healthcare communications community gathered in London recently to celebrate the industry’s best work at the 39th PM Society Awards.
Taking place at its traditional home of the JW Marriott Grosvenor House hotel, the ceremony rewarded work created on behalf of pharma companies such as AstraZeneca, Roche and Takeda.
Leading the medal tally was Real Chemistry’s advertising and education arm 21GRAMS with seven Gold awards. These included the agency’s work on a duo of campaigns for AstraZeneca – A Touch of Flu won the Disease and/or Health Awareness: Public or Patients and External Communications Campaign for a Pharma or Healthcare Organisation categories, while Under a Rock triumphed in Film Craft, Product Brand Campaign and Product Promotion (Single Piece).
The Under a Rock film featured an original story about healthcare professionals being unknowingly stuck in the past when it comes to their treatment of the potassium condition hyperkalaemia.
Commenting on behalf of the judges, Carrie Kenyon from Finger Industries said: “With an important objective, to guide doctors to a realisation that they may be practising outdated medicine in treating hyperkalaemia, the film itself was brilliantly conceived and executed. The storytelling is highly visual and easy to follow, with the key messages coming across loud and clear, and a very nice touch of humour as well.
“[The judges] found the superb attention to detail in the production of this film extremely impressive – absolutely everything was deeply considered to ensure that the overall effect was as authentic as possible, and it was a pure delight to watch.”
21GRAMS also took home the Creative Champion award, which was picked up by the agency’s group creative production director Simon Kemp, who earned praise from the judging panel for “delivering high quality production across a number of impactful campaigns”.
The awards’ other individual category, Pharma Marketing Pioneer, was won by Bayer’s senior director of global video content and digital media strategy – patient and scientific engagement, Dr Kishan Rees.
He devised a novel process known as D:CAM, or the Digital Content Acceleration Methodology, that gets high quality content from ‘can to customer’ in record time at a range of price points. The process covers content that ranges from that created by company employees on iPhones all the way up to full scale broadcast quality production.
Commenting on behalf of the judges, David Lyons from Chiesi said: “Kishan’s approach to disrupting and challenging the status quo is fundamentally driving greater engagement with his internal customers and achieving some impressive external engagement results. Judges were greatly impressed that he is shaking up the global-local model and switching it around to focus on the country’s needs first, providing global support to enable bite-size content in an innovative studio production style.”
Meanwhile, the Agency of the Year categories were picked up by Atomic Matter (winning the prize for a firm with a headcount under 30) and Havas Lynx in the over 30 headcount category.
Havas Lynx also won five Gold awards, with the haul driven by its work on The Unbearable Home for UCB, which triumphed in Best Use of Insight, Design Craft and Best in Show. The Unbearable Home provides a window into patients’ reality of hidradenitis suppurativa treatment through the use of a hand-crafted miniature house.
Commenting on behalf of the judges, deputy head judge Louis Paltnoi from Inspired Films said: “This was not an easy decision. Several entries were strong contenders and the quality of work this year has raised the bar. It’s inspiring to see creativity thriving in healthcare marketing, with boundaries being pushed and imaginations stretched. In an industry increasingly shaped by AI and automation, the best creative work still stands out – because it moves us.
“The Unbearable Home was an innovative yet simple concept, beautifully crafted and expertly executed, it demonstrates the extraordinary impact of authentic storytelling, a bold and engaging approach that is deeply emotive and impossible to ignore.”
Finally, the Creativity for Good was won by Syneos Health Communications for #Take5 for Acrodysostosis Support & Research. The category is an annual initiative run by the PM Society to find a pro bono agency partner for that year’s chosen charity.
• The awards also saw the PM Society remember agency stalwart Neil Smith, who passed away earlier this year. He served as chair of the society from 1999 to 2002 and led the awards for 20 years.
Gold and special award winners
Agency Self-Promotion and Internal Communication Scores Matter by 21GRAMS and Real Chemistry Agency of the Year (Headcount Over 30) Havas Lynx Agency of the Year (Headcount Under 30) Atomic Matter Best Creative Medical Education Programme or Campaign Untangling the Complexity of COPD for Roche by Atomic Matter Best Use of Insight The Unbearable Home for UCB by Havas Lynx Best in Show The Unbearable Home, for UCB by Havas Lynx Charity or Patient Organisation Including Pro Bono The Touchable Memory for Cure Usher Syndrome by
Havas Lynx Creative Champion Simon Kemp, 21GRAMS Creativity for Good #Take5 for Acrodysostosis Support & Research by Syneos
Health Communications Design Craft The Unbearable Home for UCB by Havas Lynx Disease and/or Health Awareness: HCPs The Unbearable Home for UCB by Havas Lynx Disease and/or Health Awareness: Public or Patients A Touch of Flu for AstraZeneca by 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Ignite Programme by McCann Health London, an IPG Health Company Diversity and Inclusion in Creative Communications E45 Helps Everyone Feel at Ease in Their Skin for Karo Healthcare by CAN Advertising and T&Pm Group External Communications Campaign for a Pharma or
Healthcare Organisation A Touch of Flu for AstraZeneca by 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry Film Craft Under a Rock for AstraZeneca by 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry Internal Communications Campaign for a Pharma or Healthcare Organisation Poor Relief for UCB by Havas Lynx Meetings, Events and Exhibitions
The Vitiligo Mirror for Incyte Biosciences by Flipside / Corbin Comms Patient Support Tokking Their Language for Genentech by 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry Pharma Marketing Pioneer Dr Kishan Rees, Bayer Positive Pitch and Partnership Award From Pitch to Partnership: Building Trust Through Chemistry by Takeda Oncology UK, Nominated by Salt, Skin and Blister, and Treo Strategic Consulting Product Brand Campaign Under a Rock for AstraZeneca by 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry Product Promotion (Single Piece)
Under a Rock for AstraZeneca by 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry
To view the results in full visit pmsociety.org.uk
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