Publicis Groupe Chief Arthur Sadoun’s Cancer Campaign Wins Health Grand Prix for Good

CANNES, France – The campaign launched by Publicis Groupe’s chief executive Arthur Sadoun to support people working while receiving cancer treatment has been awarded the Health Grand Prix for Good at Cannes Lions. Other Grand Prix awards have gone to a health insurance campaign and a technology solution.

Launched in Davos earlier this year, “Working with Cancer” aimed to drive progress across cultures and regions to end the stigma of cancer in the workplace. Global firms, including Bank of America, subsequently signed up to the campaign. Most recently the French government has also agreed to the pledge, which followed Sadoun’s own diagnosis and treatment for the disease.

Speaking at Cannes Lions, jury president for the category, Sueann Tannis, senior director of international communications for the United Nations Foundation, lauded the ability of the campaign to “scale across sectors,” with employers at large and small businesses all capable of signing up.

“As difficult as a subject matter as it is, this proves that real stories, collective action, and strong, brilliant creativity can help affect change in the world,” she added.

“It was deeply enlightening to help us understand what the experiences are for people who are living with cancer in the workplace. But it also was deeply inspiring because what we saw was one advertising agency giant making a bold business choice and bringing along a community of multinational corporations,” continued Tannis.

In a statement, Arthur Sadoun commented: “On behalf of the 600 companies that have already pledged, I would like to sincerely thank the jury for elevating ‘Working with Cancer’ to another level of global awareness. Receiving the esteemed Grand Prix for Good recognition further demonstrates what is possible when we come together for positive change. As an industry, there are not that many causes or social initiatives that we can wholly affect. Erasing the stigma of cancer in the workplace is one we can take on and change forever.”

Pharma Lions

Meanwhile, Brazilian company Eurofarma and Dentsu Creative’s work with “Scrolling Therapy” won the Grand Prix for the Pharma Lions. The facial recognition tool was released to aid the rehabilitation of Parkinson’s sufferers by exercising the muscles on their faces while accessing social media.

President of the Pharma jury, Joshua Prince, CEO, Professional Group for Omnicom Health Group, described the campaign as “incredibly well done.”

He explained: “The idea of harnessing technology to not only engage patients, and in this case Parkinson’s patients, but actually to materially help them is a powerful creative idea.”

Pharma Gold Winners

• American Society of Clinical Oncology | “The Most Beautiful Sound” by Grey New York (U.S.)
• The Chrysalis Initiative | “Inequality You Can’t Ignore” by Intouch Solutions (U.S).

Health & Wellness Lions

The Grand Prix for Health & Wellness was awarded to “The Last Performance,” a partnership between life insurer Partners Life and New Zealand-based crime series The Brokenwood Mysteries. In the series, each week the victim appears before the end credits, coming back to life, expressing their surprise at dying and stressing the importance of life insurance.

The recognition is “celebrating the purity of a simple idea that makes us jealous as hell,” said jury president Mel Routhier, chief creative officer for VMLY&R Chicago, who also described the work as “exceptionally well crafted.”

“It’s a product that nobody wants to think about, much less buy and spend their money on. It’s an idea that uses media in a brilliantly creative and innovative way. It’s an idea that actually finds a way to put the words entertainment and advertising side by side, you actually want to watch that thing that so many people skip,” said Routhier.

The Health category has grown to almost 1,300 entries, with 37 awards given in total, Routhier also said, adding that Nigeria had won its first ever Cannes Lions with a Bronze Lion. For the first time, Belgium and Puerto Rico won an award in health and wellness.

Health & Wellness Gold Winners

• Claritin | “Diversitree” by Energy BBDO Chicago (U.S.)
• Bodyform / Libresse | “#Periodsomnia” by AMV BBDO (U.K.)
• Dove | “The Cost of Beauty” by Ogilvy London and Toronto (U.K. and Canada)
• CALM and ITV | “The Last Photo” by adam&eveDDB (U.K.)
• Fondation Anne De Galle | “Anne De Gaulle” by Havas Paris (France)
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | “Working With Cancer” by Le Fondation Publicis, Publicis Conseil, Le Truc, Digitas, Saatchi & Saatchi Health, Publicis Groupe UK (U.S., France, U.K.) 

Follow all of Adweek’s Cannes Lions coverage  here.