South African entry moves to trophy round at Global Awards

Since 1992, the international Global Awards has honoured the World’s Best Healthcare & Wellness Advertising and has served as a touchstone for celebrating creative achievement in healthcare and wellness communications beyond the barriers of language and culture.

The Global Awards Grand Jury shortlisted 145 entries this year, submitted from 24 countries. Entries achieving shortlist status were judged by the Executive Jury in a live session in New York City to determine trophy winners. The 2016 award-winning entries will be announced at the Global Awards ceremonies on 17 November in New York City and Sydney, Australia.

The US was out front this year with 65 entries achieving Finalist status, a 25.5% increase over last year. The UK had 27 entries move on to the trophy round, followed by Australia with 13 finalists. German agencies saw six entries move forward. India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates each achieved four finalists; and Brazil, Canada, France and Japan moved forward with three Finalists, followed by China with two. Cambodia, Greece, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine each had a single entry move forward.

Educating consumer entries dominated

Entries educating the consumer on behalf of brands dominated this year’s competition. Agencies from 11 countries saw 25 entries for prominent international brands and organisations in the Educational Awareness (Advertising to the Consumer) category move on to the medal round.

Finalists’ entries utilised a robust number of trends to engage consumers including technology, crowd-sourcing tactics, cause marketing, public responsibility, experiential engagement and event marketing.

Technology-driven campaigns moved on to the trophy round. GSW Worldwide ‘The Empathy Project’ for USB used virtual reality technology to allow health professionals working with the epilepsy community to experience first-hand what a seizure is like. Sudler & Hennessey London ‘The Journey Ahead Challenge’ for Trajenta EASD Congress Activity employed a driving game linked to iPads where delegates earned ‘fuel’ by answering questions about the brand/diabetes, allowing them manoeuvre the challenging landscape within the game.

Area 23 New York ‘The Hero Gene’ utilised crowd-sourcing to increase donors for client Be The Match, The National Bone Marrow Database. The campaign recruited hero donors to find the perfect match via a DNA test administered on the floor of New York Comic Con. McCann Erickson Japan’s entry ‘Still Life’ employed cause/event marketing and raised awareness for client END ALS. Artists were invited to an urban gallery to paint an ALS patient who served as the ‘Still Life’ model; the finished portraits filled the walls of the gallery to illustrate the tragic disease.

Integrated campaigns utilised a variety of communication channels to support causes, benefit brands and engage consumers. Langland UK’s Finalist ‘AMP Shoes’ for Diabetes UK rallied support for diabetes amputees via a pop up shop. The store showcased shoes, each of which represented one of the 135 feet or lower limbs lost to diabetes every week. In-store hidden cameras recorded the reactions of consumers and a website mirrored the experience of the consumer; text and banner ads along with social media campaign drove traffic. Additional Integrated campaigns achieving Finalist status: Leo Burnett, Chicago ‘Ways In Campaign’ for United Healthcare; Area 23 ‘A Thousand Words about NTM’ for NTM Disease Education; FCB Health ‘Toe Tucker’ for Toenail Fungus; and The Bloc ‘Doing More’ for client Montefiore Health System.

Global jury

The Global Awards Grand Jury, headed by Global Awards executive committee chairperson, Robin Shapiro, group president, North America TBWA\WorldHealth, evaluated entries to determine the 2016 finalists. Ogilvy CommonHealth Sydney, Publicis LifeBrands Resolute London and TBWA\WorldHealth Chicago hosted International Grand Jury live judging sessions.

To view the 2016 Global Awards Finalists, go here.