Hello, hello, hello.

It’s been a few weeks since I last published a newsletter… and there is a reason for that. If you haven’t noticed already, CULTURx has both a new name and a new home.

I’ve been busy in the background migrating my content, and you lovely readers over to Beehiiv. I mentioned in the last couple of issues that this would be happening, as I needed to leave Substack’s platform following their stance on monetising extremist content. That’s a big no thanks from me.

Whilst I’ve been busy building the newsletter back up, it’s given me lots of time to reflect. And one thing that has been niggling me is the name. Is this really an accessible name? Like, how is it even pronounced? Cul-ture-x… Cul-ture-r-x… Cul-tur-rex… And does the Rx imply only the pharma category and not the broader spheres of health that I actually dive into? 

Does CULTURx sound a bit too edgy, a bit to “try hard”? One thing I am not as a person is edgy. The things I am are quirky, curious, fun and if “try hard” anything, it’s “try hard cute”. I never set out to put so much of myself into this newsletter, and yet that’s the way it has naturally evolved. And judging by your feedback, that’s exactly what you all like about it too.

POPhealth just feels like a natural fit. As a name it’s simple, accessible and reflects the broad appeal I am creating through my content; health focussed, but something for everyone. And more importantly for me,  the name captures the energy I put into the newsletter; a small homage to the first newsletter I signed up-to, over 20 years ago - popbitch, plus a look and feel that’s right at home with the pop magazines I read growing up.

CULTURx is now POPhealth.

New name, new look, new home… and still 100% the same vibes!

I’d love to hear what you think of the new name. Tell me, tell me.

And please continue to send me your suggestions and ideas to make POPhealth even better for you. 

Note to HB - I’m still contemplating your TikTok channel idea… I just need to get used to the sound of my own voice and face… here’s an attempt from me for VCCP in the meantime.

So that’s the big news… What else can I tell you? 

Work is go-go-go! This is the busiest it’s been since I joined the team at VCCP Health - in fact we have some open roles in creative and planning, so do get in touch if you’d like to hear more about that.

This week, I also had the opportunity to speak to some students at the University of Westminster about the role of planning in an advertising agency and finding insights - two highly debated topics, so the prep for this sent my head in a bit of a spin. On insights, here are parting words to the students:

That was a lot of updates, shall get on with the content then?

Health at the Superbowl

I’m sure you are all fed up of hearing about adland at the Super Bowl, but could I even call this newsletter POPhealth if I didn’t even nod to it in the issue following the 2024 Super Bowl?

From the latest movie trailers and a sea of celebrity-endorsed content to health and wellness showing up so wonderfully… there were over 70 commercials at Super Bowl LVIII, with advertisers paying an estimated $7 million for a 30-second spot!

The folks over at MM&M did a great round-up of all the brands showing up, so if you missed any, that’s the place to catch up. 

Here are a couple that really stood out for me…

Pfizer

There’s a couple of things to unpack here.

Pfizer gained that household name status during the pandemic, and to most they are just that big pharma company that got a COVID vaccination out and made loads of money. Am I right!? So now as the company turn 175 years, they celebrate this anniversary not just what the company has done, but what science has achieved, and the people driving those breakthroughs. It’s a real bid to push the brand away from what it’s known for. to what it wants to be known for. And achieved through this simple nod of looking back, in order to look forwards. 

This is exactly where Pfizer’s new mission plays - to Outdo Yesterday (lovely stuff that). Pfizer are putting this mission to work in a new focussed commitment to Outdo Cancer, the disease area that any human on this planet can rally behind.

Bravo to the team at Publicis Groupe - it’s great to see this strong body of work coming out after they picked up the global account in 2023.

OK, on to the less serious….

CeraVe

OH-MY-GOSH… I do not even know where to start with this one, other than it is so stupid and I love it so much on a massively subjective-it-hits-my-weirdo-bones level. Now that’s out of my system. I bookedmarked this for my newsletter ahead of the Super Bowl thinking this was just some massively high-produced spoof for SNL or something. Then it all clicked. Super Bowl. Of course, if you are gonna show up, show up to entertain, show up with a celeb (this seems to be the 2024 theme).

This was a long-game play. A silly idea/conspiracy that was seeded by a TikTok creator back in summer 2023, became the catalyst for CereVe’s influencer-first approach to the Superbowl. If you haven’t watched the ad, the basic idea is the star of Scott Pilgrim, Michael Cera is the secret creator of CeraVe. An idea that was fuelled by influencers across Instagram and TikTok and Michael Cera himself. Leaving a trail of breadcrumbs and conspiracy ahead of the Super Bowl.

There is an excellent write up over at Ad Age (behind paywall) on the intricacies of this awesome stunt/campaign. Well done to CeraVe for completely stepping out of the traditiona ‘derma’ box an to the team at WPP for a beautifully executed performance.

TLDR; This is more than a TVC. 

LEGO MRI Scanners

How amazing is this? LEGO are changing the game - yet again. They consistently step outside the box of toys, to tackle the real challenges that children face, even if just a few.

The LEGO Foundation has announced it will donate 600 LEGO MRI Scanners to hospitals worldwide to help children cope with the uncertainty of having a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan.

Can you imagine being a child and having that scary mammoth of a piece of hospital equipment in front of you? It’s bad enought for us grown-ups.

LEGO’s vision is a global force for learning through play. This could not be better demonstration of bringing this vision to life. Children are at their most curious through play, so enabling them to understand the ins and outs of the MRI scanner through LEGO bricks will make that journey more of an adventure of discovery.

Publicis Oxy Settlement

Am I really talking about Purdue Pharma again? Erm yes. This is kinda a big deal in this whole story.

So, Publicis Gorupe will pay $350mn to US states to settle allegations that work by its health division aggravated and profited from the opioid crisis in America. This is the first settlement prosecutors have made with an advertising agency for it’s alleged (not my words) role in the opioid crisis.

The comments section of the FT says it all right!

But look, as ad agencies in healthcare there is a responsibility that falls on your shoulder when a new brief for a new drugs lands on your desk. Let me ask this question - how much scrutiny does that brief undergo? Healthcare check. Healthy budget check. Is that all?

Do your agency leaders prioritise ethical considerations when it comes to accepting a new brief. Do employees play a pivotal role in evaluating the brief, especially for its ethical implications. Is a medical director scrutinising the trial data? 

If there’s one lesson in the whole Purdue Pharma mess (understatment), is the importance of ethical responsibility in healthcare advertising. The campaigns we make can have a significant impact on public health and wellbeing. 

🤩 Celeb Spot 🤩

Celine Dion is raising awareness of stiff person syndrome in new Amazon documentary

I cannot keep up with the amount of stories I’ve bookmarked in the past few weeks. So, lets get on to the headlines of the things that caught my eye. As always, these aren’t all health but all inspiring. Happy rabbit hole reading from me to you:

🧠 He’s finally done it, he’s chipped a real human brain, yes Elon Musk’s Nuralink has started human trials, here’s what the scientists think about it

🦁 Make emojis more biodiverse - Conservationists don’t think the current library is sufficient

⚖️ The difference between perception and perceptive - A thoughtful read from Neil Perkin

🐥 IVF patients can access more data than ever before through the new Human Fertility and Embryology Authority (HFEA) dashboard, that holds data from 1991

🚺 Andrew Tate is a symptom not a problem - An interesting take on why men are rejecting feminism

✈️ And one from my eldest who has been learning about inventions and the people that made them at school - A promising breakthrough in the Amelia Earhart mystery

OK, that’s your lot. I’m rolling out of half-term week, after a 5 hour drive home from Devon. Bed is calling, and next week is gonna be a belter.

Please do let me know what you think of all the newness… feedback is very welcome here. I just want to keep writing about the stuff that you will enjoy reading.

If it’s your first time here, please subscribe as that will guarantee every issue of POPhealth drops straight into your inbox. Or, if you’ve found something interesting or inspiring today, please forward the issue on to a friend or colleague! Your support means so much to me.

Until next time

EML ✌️