#037 ᐧ 15 June 2025

Hello POPhealth readers!

I’m not even sure how to start this one. I’ve come to the keyboard as I need a bit of a release. Let’s just say an especially neurospicey afternoon and early evening courtesy of child 1 after I cancelled a playdate following a very tricksy day at school. I’ve been kicked, punched and slapped. I’ve been called the worst mum to be born to. I’m hated and I’m not loved. Then, as instant as the flick of a switch, a joke that must be told to me, a question that needs to be answered. An attitude that doesn’t recognise the hurt being indulged just moments before. Thick skin? Thicker patience? It’s all wearing thin. And throwing a few period hormones into the mix doesn’t help.

Fridays. This is meant to be “my day off”. There’s no such thing, is there? Being a SEND (Special Education Needs and Disability) parent means so much unpredictability. But also so much predictability when it comes to knowing how my son will react to decisions I make, plans I change, and consequences I enforce. The current situation was of my own making; I could have taken the easy way out and just let my son go on his playdate regardless of his behaviour at school. But where will that get us in life?

I’m happy to share this little window into life at home, because I know there might just be one person reading this who can relate. And by hearing the stories of others, maybe they feel a little less alone in their own struggle journey. That’s how I felt last week after reading this piece in Campaign: Yes, things at home are hard. It's an honest read, and a real eye-opener into the hardship SEND parents deal with at home on a daily basis.

Whilst the article dates back to April, it’s done the rounds again over the past couple of weeks, as a new WhatsApp community called S.P.I.C.E. has been created for SEND parents in the creative industries. Having support that can share both the pressures of work life and the neurospicey parenting life was music to my ears. Having this kind of support can make a real difference on the harder days, from people who know, actually know.

And, if this is at all relevant to you, I encourage you to join, introduce yourself and find people like you in the industry.

👉 Join here

Ooosh, that was a heavy start, so time to bring the fun. The summer season is upon us after all… and that can only mean one thing in Ad Land! Cannes. I’ve asked my good pal and Creative Director, Jamie Axford, to lend me his thoughts on the big hitters he’s anticipating for pharma and healthcare at Cannes for 2025. So why don’t we start there? Have you got a cuppa ready?

Cannes we keep it simple?

By Jamie Axford

As we race headfirst into an unknown future, there are two pieces of work entered into Cannes Health and Pharma, that use two of the oldest known tactics in advertising.

Impact and persuasion.

Novartis - “Your Attention, Please”

A Superbowl spot, no less. 

Big, purposeful, and entertaining. Pure impact. It even says the word ‘Attention’ in it.

Serviceplan - ‘Breastmilk Money – Turning Care Into Capital’.

Ever heard of Nudge theory? A concept in behavioural economics that suggests people’s decisions and behaviours can be influenced through subtle changes in how choices are presented. Breastmilk Money starts with the Herconomy app, where mothers can calculate exactly how much they would save by not buying formula. Each month, that amount is automatically deposited from their main account to the Breastmilk Money savings account. There, it earns interest at 14.3% – a rate that mirrors the documented improvement in child development through breastfeeding: Your child grows, your money grows.

This is persuasion, or ‘convince me to buy what you are selling’.

Two of the oldest advertising tropes making an appearance at Cannes 2025. Funny, that.

In a world of uncertainty, technology, omnichannel, compliance, TIKTOK, memes, trends – it turns out the simplest, and most effective way to connect with people has always been through impact, and persuasion.

I love Jamie’s predictions for 2025. Two very different approaches that lean into the absolute basics.

Personally, I always look forward to where health and pharma show up outside of the category. Whether that’s a consumer brand leveraging health to benefit or resonate in new ways (I’m thinking Burger King -  Bundle of Joy and Asics - The Desk Break), or pharma taking a risk on an unassuming channel to reach audiences in the moment (I’m thinking Advil, Head Settings).

Thank you, Jamie, for this considered contribution to POPhealth. Jamie is now available for freelance work, and I cannot recommend him highly enough if your agency or in-house team needs a creative boost. He’s also a bloody lovely human. 

Take a look at his portfolio here. Feel free to reach out to him directly, or if you’d prefer an intro, give me a shout.

I’m sure we’ll have a healthy dose of Cannes over the next couple of weeks… so let’s look at what else has caught the attention of POPhealth the past couple of weeks.

McMigraine, Anyone?

The viral order that’ll cure your migraine

One thing I love about patient communities is that they speak their own language and they have their own culture. And with migraines affecting so many of us, it's easy to find simple hacks online from the community to get ahead of the impending onslaught. 

It’s probably nothing new to seasoned migraine sufferers, but this one’s caught the attention of the media in recent weeks - the McMigraine, all thanks to TikTok.

What’s the order?

A large, full-fat Coke and a large fries. That’s it. The perfect blend of caffeine, salt (electrolytes) and carbs. Here’s a breakdown of why this combo hits:

Now, I get that there are better, healthier ways to get salt, carbs and caffeine. And sure, this isn’t going to work for everyone. (Personally I can’t go anywhere near caffeine when a migraine hits. The thought of it makes me nauseous. My beloved Diet Coke and coffee? Dead to me in these moments.)

But there is some science to it. And it has traction. This is reactive content waiting to happen… and I haven’t seen a single pharma company bite. (Please, please tell me if I’m wrong). Where’s the Migraleve McDonald’s partnership? Where’s the Nurtec spoof migraine menu on social?

The reality is we (the royal we in Pharma) struggle to react. To be nimble. To take what culture gives us. And join the conversation. We do have a valid place here, but compliance talks us out of it every time. Meanwhile, patients? They’ll continue talking with or without us.

I’ve mentioned Neuralink in the past; well, its competitor, Paratromics, has announced it has implanted its brain-computer interface in a human for the first time. During the procedure at the University of Michigan, the company demonstrated that the system can be implanted safely and record neural activity. This is a massive milestone for the company, and next up is a clinical trial kicking off later this year to explore the long-term safety and use of this tech in humans. Watch this space!

✨🔦 Campaign Spotlight 🔦✨

Ritual leans into the fakes

I was gonna talk about Oura’s Give Us the Finger campaign, but I’m a bit fed up of seeing it now. There’s nothing more to be said. So, instead I’m gonna talk about Ritual’s attempt to lean into the hype of Google Veo, because it’s so wild, it had me gagging at the opening line…

“These psychotically well-behaved babies are simply a bundle of prompts”

Giant Spoon, the agency behind the ad, said this over on Instagram:

I get that this is super gimmicky, but I love it anyway. A great example of just reacting, doing it quickly, especially when there’s an authentic angle for your brand in it.

Ok, it’s getting late on Sunday, so I’m gonna wrap things up here. I hope you’ve enjoyed this one, and let me know what you think about having other voices behind the writing… maybe I’ll invite a few more people along?

Before I go, here’s your regular dose of entertainment. 

📺 Watch: Sirens - Netflix

🎧 Listen: Jane Goodall: 91 & Thriving - Call Her Daddy Podcast

📖 Read: When they stop selling your favourite thing - The New York Times

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Until next time,

EML ✌