#024 · 09 June 2024

Happy Sunday POPhealth readers!

How have you been?

I’ve had a busy few weeks since I last wrote. Here’s what’s been going on.

I had my very first MRI scan. It was so weird. I just don’t know how else to describe it. The noise. Wah. So loud. And there is this little mirror so you can see out… it gave me vertigo. I was going in there because of my vertigo. The irony of that, and Faithless’ Insomnia playing through the headphones was not lost on me. My MRI scan was just precautionary to double check there is no structural damage to my inner ear. I’m seeing my ENT consultant in a couple of weeks to go through the results. So expect an update on that soon.

I’ve also been making lots of time for my social calendar. Including dinner with my old colleagues good friends, Anna and Aaron of exMadeBrave and finally meeting up IRL with my incredible mentee, Ava. On both counts there was great food and great discussions: life in London, the ever-increasing cost of living, and stories of the highs and lows of being people in Adland.

My 40th celebrations continued with one of my favourite people on planet earth. Camilla and I had a weekend in London. More excellent food, spa time… and the best part was watching the stage show of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away at the Coliseum. It was just incredible and moving and everything I wanted it to be. [There are still tickets left, so if you can afford to, I say do it, as the show has a limited run until August]

It’s safe to say that my heart and soul are feeling full. Every one of them is smashing it, and I’m immensely proud and grateful to have these wonderful people in my life.

Speaking of wonderful people… I have a guest contribution this week from Rob Estreitinho of Salmon Theory. Salmon Theory is a love letter to strategists and people working in Adland and I’ve personally found Rob’s writing to be both enchanting and comforting. So, when he suggested we collaborate on something, I pounced. We decided to swap a short piece for our newsletters, and set each other a task fitting for our content.

Rob’s task for me: “What’s a piece of practical wisdom that consistently helps you find grounding again, especially when the job gets tough?” And if you want to hear what I have to say on the matter, sign up to Salmon Theory here - the next issue will be published imminently.

And what better way to start off this week’s issue by hearing what Rob has to share with you! My ask was: “What have you seen, heard or read lately where there is a lesson for healthcare brands/marketers?”

The problem with the greatest problems

(Guest piece by Rob Estreitinho, who publishes Salmon Theory.)

I am not a pure healthcare strategist. But I am a strategist who has worked on healthcare. And one who cares about my own healthcare, mental and otherwise. To that effect, for years I've taken advice from some of the greatest mentors that I've ever met. Many of them from the realms of philosophy and psychotherapy, two disciplines that are a balm to my soul.

The problem? Most of these mentors are quite dead.

This is a(n over?) dramatic way of saying I love to read old stuff to inform new stuff. I'm talking proper last-century stuff. So, to steer this short segment, I invited my dear friend (only one of us knows about this) Carl Jung, who said this in 1960:

And it seems to me like it packs a potent lesson for brands in healthcare and beyond. You see, us strategy types love gravitating around what the fundamental problems are. Sometimes the problem isn't lack of awareness. It's an overbearing stigma attached to a product, service or medical condition. People know of it. But they can't stand dealing with it because then it makes it real. And when that happens, there is only so much we can solve with our work.

What we can do is help people outgrow their perceptions. A great ad can only do so much to reduce the stigma attached to cancer, diabetes or endometriosis. But I'm not convinced we can get rid of stigmas anyway, but we can help people outgrow them. To know yes, there is still some shame and fear, but you can learn to handle it and get others to handle it too. And while this may seem like a defeatist view, I prefer to think of it as a pragmatic one.

To stop the bad feelings around a condition is a way to deny that condition's reality. But there's power in helping people normalise those feelings, to accept them for what they are. And sure, it's not as sexy as saying we get rid of something for good. But it feels more honourable to me. Because we're helping people to relate to deep parts of themselves. Especially when those parts fundamentally sit outside of their control.

“One of the best ways to prolong your life, [is] not to worry about dying.” Jo Ellison from the FT did a wonderful dive into the world of biohacking, longevity and the wackadoodles making a killing in the sector. It’s a great read… and actually has some practical advice on small changes you could start making now. 

Rich people get Ozempic, poor people get body positivity

South Park - The End of Obesity Special

I can’t remember the last time I watched South Park, and it certainly wasn’t on my watchlist for 2024, let alone something I thought I’d ever cover in this newsletter. But here we are. Why? Because the show’s latest special is centred around weight loss drugs. How could I resist!?

_{FYI, I signed up for the Paramount+ 7-day free trial to watch it. Commitment. Right. There.}

So, what did I think? First I am wondering how to do this justice without spoilers. Maybe scroll on and comeback once you’ve watched and we can compare notes?

The creators have done an excellent job of capturing all the nuance of the weight loss drug hype within the satirical viewpoint of the show that fans of South Park will appreciate. A fave bit for me is the navigating the American Healthcare System montage and song. Scarily hilarious… especially the little homage to the 4th dimension scene from the movie Interstellar.

The middle-aged mom’s with washboard abs, Ozempic dose sharing parties and pharmacy hold up was a brilliant interpretation of the drug shortages. The Cereal Cartel brought another great twist on showing the impact that’s been reported in the media on these drugs’ influence on consumer buying habits. “Aaaaaaaah, Tony the Tiger killed Kenny!!”

The are some fantastic one-liners from Cartman: “I can have will power injected into my body” and “Rich people get Ozempic, poor people get body positivity”. Speaking of body positivity, the prescription for that is listening to Lizzo. Which comes with it’s own spoof Ozempic ad… “ask about the power of not giving a f*ck.” 

This show really had me laughing out loud, whilst also appreciating the accuracy of the socioeconomic footprint that these weight loss drugs are having on the world. And don’t take my word for it. The show currently has a score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes (our household go-to for TV and Movie ratings) at the time of writing. And if you want a deeper dive into the cultural significance of the show, I enjoyed this podcast from CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) / Commotion - listen from around 13 minutes in.

If you’ve watch it, let me know what you thought!

Can you tell the difference between a supernova and a coronavirus? The New York Times explores the beauty found under the microscope and through the telescope. Get lost in the words and images in this beautifully put-together piece.

“Purple and white “spike” proteins on this popular model of the coronavirus help it attach to and enter our cells. These might remind you of …

… the clumps of cosmic debris in Tycho’s supernova, a star that may have exploded at many points simultaneously.”

Unlock your orgasm

Flo is here to bridge the orgasm gap

I feel like there are a ton of orgasm puns to get this one off, or perhaps finish. But I’d never never stoop that low. Moving on (swiftly)… When you sign up for Flo, the brand promises that it will be more to you than just a period tracker. And by golly, this latest program lives up to that promise. On the 30th May, the brand announced a new initiative in partnership with sex therapist Casey Tanner of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (catchy), aka AASECT, called Unlock Your Orgasm. Its aim? To help women build confidence in understanding and sharing their sexual needs with their partner/s and build a personal roadmap for reaching climax.

The program has a series of features designed to spark sexual exploration from alluring videos with Casey, shame-free self-discovery exercises and fun ideas and activities for the bedroom.  

In case you are thinking this is just a spicy gimmick, let’s dive into its significance. For one, this program aligns with the World Health Organisation’s acknowledgement that positive sexual health is fundamental to women’s overall well-being.  And second, Flo has done its homework. Here are a few revealing stats about the state of women’s sex lives from the brand’s recent survey: 

• More than half (58%) can't say they are fully satisfied with the quality of their orgasms, while 62% can't say they are fully satisfied with the frequency.

• 1 in 4 (24%) women find sex shameful.

• 46% want to learn more about what turns them on.

• A third (33%) of women want to better communicate what they want to their partner.

• 7 in 10 (70%) women say they enjoy masturbation and self-pleasure, and yet 17% never set time aside for it.

Look, orgasms should be nothing to blush about in the context of better overall health and well-being. But what else can you learn from this? This is a great lesson in developing super useful experiences and relevant content that push the boundaries of where and how your product or service can reach customers. Flo has a great starting point by promising to be more than a period tracking app. It gives the brand room to widen the place it plays in the women’s health category. Take it from me, there is zero joy in my monthly period. Tracking it is a mandatory I don’t really want to pay for… And that’s not what I’m paying for with Flo - the brand continues to build gaps in my care and knowledge of life as a woman, and now it is filling another hole.

From orgasms to vulvas… It is clearly worth getting to know yourself. And I just love this stunning new campaign from the Lady Garden Foundation and the team at Havas Lynx - a clever and beautiful approach to cervical cancer education, just in time for the RSA Chelsea Flower Show. Look at those lovely blooms.

_{H/T to Amy Greenwood’s weekly “Well-Briefed Wednesdays” round-up for this one.}

The Heaviest Backpack

No child should face their mental health challenges alone

Mental Health Awareness Week was a little while ago now, but with 1 in 5 children now facing a mental health issue I wanted to share this wonderfully simple yet visually arresting campaign from BBC Creative and BBC Children in Need. The Heaviest Backpack highlights the burdens some children carry with them wherever they go, from anxiety to problems at home amongst other issues.

The initiative is backed by several resources to help parents and trusted adults relieve some of this burden and help children open up about their mental health. As a mother of a 7-year-old who struggles with social anxiety (and on the ridiculously long waiting list for a CAMHS assessment) I’m making good use of the tools and activities. Because anything that aids a conversation, or can be pulled out when we need some calm time, is welcome in this household: mindfulness colouring, word searches, the worry jar... Don’t underestimate the power of these little things.

But back to the campaign. Of course, the film is powerful, but for me, the idea’s simplicity means it cuts through in stills too. The OOH activity is just as impactful and allows BBC Children in Need to show the diverse experiences of children and the variety of reasons they may struggle with their mental health. This is all we ever want to achieve in a health campaign, but it’s easier said than done, right!? If you take one thing away from this, it is taking more time to find a visual analogy that tells the story of the people your brand is there to support. A visual so good, that it doesn’t need words.

“A lot of Gen Z and Gen Alpha are documenting their lives publicly. That is the opportunity for any healthcare brands.” Hear what else health influencers Nadya Okamoto and Doctor Mike Varshavski had to say about approaching social media in this article over at MMM.

Well that rounds us up for this week. The energy levels are fierce in the house, and I need to get these boys to the park!

Please tell me what you thought about this issue. I loved setting myself the task to watch and share some thoughts about South Park… I’m setting you that task too. Go watch it. I genuinely want to know what people think!

And, how did you find Rob’s contribution? Let me know, and I’ll pass on your feedback. As an industry, we obsess over eliminating stigma, but seeing as stigma is part of the experience Rob’s given us a thought provoking challenge on how we honour it. I’ll be taking this line of thought into the next stigma themed brief that hits my desk.

Tell me if you also feel inspired to contribute to POPhealth. I love the idea of bringing more voices and diversity of thought to this newsletter. Whether you work inside healthcare or not, if you have an idea to bring to fellow readers please holler!

Finally (and as always), if you have found anything interesting or inspiring in this issue, please do pass it on to a friend or colleague. The little community that is growing around POPhealth brings me such joy, and it’s thanks to your ongoing support.

Until next time,

EML ✌️