Anlässlich des ersten Cannes Lion Health Awards 2014 haben sich Weber Shandwick mit Repräsentanten von Cannes Lion Health und Unternehmen aus der Healthcare- und Pharma-Branche zum gemütlichen Austausch zusammengefunden und mit einigen Vorurteilen aufgeräumt.

1. 1
Cannes’ call
to arms
Creativity in
Healthcare
Lunch
6th February
2014 Frankfurt

2. 2

3. 3
Applying Creativity in
Healthcare Communication
#Does NOT mean
• ‘Creative’ interpretation of results, data or content
• Bypassing codes of conduct
• Painting illusory pictures
#Means
• Creative ways to communicate content and data
• Creative communication platforms and topic links
• Creative ways to address respective target groups

4. 4
The Five Barriers to
Creativity in Healthcare
#1 Ethics seem to be the limiting factor of creativity
For consumers, the “product” of health is particularly
sensitive and deeply personal. For healthcare professionals,
there is the elevated mission of saving or improving peoples’
lives and an overlay of ethical concerns that goes with it.
But ethics and creativity can go together.
#2 There are too many rules for creativity to prosper
Regulations put many restrictions on what you can say
about healthcare products. However these rules, which are
mass-applied and impersonal, constrain free-thinking and
may hinder creativity.
There is room for creativity in a regulated space.
#3 Healthcare ‘hates’ risks
Creativity means taking risks. How can these two go
together? Embracing creativity means doing things
differently – brands need to climb out of their comfort zone
and take risks.
There are parameters we can change without taking serious
risks.

5. 5
The Five Barriers to
Creativity in Healthcare
GSMA
#4 Healthcare has its own language imperatives
Avoid trivialization, don’t make exaggerated claims or use
superlatives, support statements with data. A world of
evidence-based medicine demands evidence-based
communication. Vocabularies are altered to reflect the
boundaries of over-promise.
Yet clear and concise language is nothing to be afraid of.
#5 Creativity appears unmeasurable in a commercial
sense
Creativity in healthcare mostly has an indirect impact. Our
call to actions are not purchases but clicking on links,
making a phone call, scheduling an appointment…
We should be measuring it when we influence behaviors or
drive attitude changes through creativity.

6. 6
Key Conclusions from
the Group
• Collaborate with legal teams from the beginning. It is
essential in ensuring projects make it through internal
barriers.
• There is a lack of marketers internally prepared to take
a risk to try something new. If you are prepared to put
yourself forward and step out of your comfort zone it will
be very rewarding.
• There is a thin line to play with taboos in healthcare.
Campaigns when executed well can be life changing
and create global awareness unintentionally.
• Accept healthcare is not considered like other
businesses. Trust is hard for healthcare companies to
earn publicly but it can be achieved if well managed.
• Learn from social media. The reasons for lack of
creative enthusiasm are lack of understanding, no risk
taking internally and too many regulations - all of which
can be overcome.
• Too many PR budgets are controlled by product
marketing teams who want to see direct ROI for their
products. There must be a budget and ROI for creativity.

7. 7

8. 8
Contact:
Weber Shandwick Healthcare
www.webershandwick.de @WSGermany
Dr. Torsten Rothärmel, Managing Director
Tel.: +49-(0)69-91 30 43-551
trothaermel@webershandwick.com