#000 Coming soon

CULTURx incoming

May 04, 2023

This is CULTURx.

Read time: 3 minutes (or longer if you enter the linkbait rabbit hole)

Whilst I get my ducks in a row for issue #001, keep yourself busy with some favourites from my archives over the last year or so.

Acquisitions, mergers, divestments and demergers… just another day in pharma right? Wrong. GSK’s demerger of its consumer health business came with a new name, a new brand, and a vibrant entrance. Haleon’s much-anticipated launch didn’t let the industry down. Not a blue colour palette in sight, and I especially loved the simplicity of the core brand idea - “better everyday health”. Nailed it.

(Yes, I am pretending the “with humanity” part doesn’t exist… yawn.)

This is about as culturally relevant as they come. And for someone that used to work on the brand, this had me screaming “I wish I’d thought of that!” High-end fashion photography, striking a pose doubled over with cramps, not to mention the parallels with the stress that models face. Oh, this is bloody clever. Nice job Sanofi Spain.

When 50% of people with cancer are afraid to tell their employers about their diagnosis, how is this good enough? Publicis Group CEO Arthur Sadoun chose to be transparent with employees, clients and shareholders about his diagnosis. And what followed was a mission to eradicate the stigma of cancer in the workplace. And here lies the lesson; because this isn’t just a heartwrenching film, Publicis is leading by example to tackle stigma. The result? A global, cross-industry initiative that has some of the world’s leading businesses making a pledge.

During the peak of the pandemic, our definition of a hero shifted. We started to see everyday people and healthcare professionals on the front lines as the real heroes. But even as we fought COVID, it persisted like a villain from a comic book. That's why I'm excited to share a neat little partnership that shows how staying up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations can make everyday people heroes.

I’m a big fan of brand partnerships, so expect to see more like this in the future.

Another one from Sanofi. They are killing it with culturally relevant campaigns this year! This time. Brazil. Is there ever a good time to talk about probiotics and gut health? How about in the middle of a Minecraft session? Contextually, it’s spot on. We can’t help but snack on junk whilst gaming, but how do you deliver the message? Easy: you morph the mums of some notable gamers and crash their livestreams for maximum impact. This really is a lot of fun.

Those were the hits. Let’s hope the industry doesn’t dry up between now and issue #001.

If you like what you read, please subscribe and send it to a colleague in healthcare marketing or communications that needs a dose of inspiration for their next project.

Until next time.