Six days into Cannes Lions festival, Bastion Brands MD Simon Davies’ is ready to share his inside perspective on the future of healthcare marketing

What trends will shape healthcare marketing in 2018 and beyond? What can healthcare marketers do to help their brands stand out from the crowd? And what can we all do differently this year to make an even bigger difference for people living with debilitating medical conditions, or disease?

This year, I wanted to find out first-hand. So I packed my bags and joined the masses for the 64th annual Cannes Lions Health festival, known by many as the worlds most celebrated platform for life-changing creativity.

From Cannes, France, here are three ways healthcare brands are leading the way this year.

1. Patients Are Expecting More From Us

With a world of medical information now at patients’ fingertips, top healthcare marketers agree that it’s no longer enough to simply educate our end-patients about our treatments. Instead, we must also provide them with real-time access to support.

2. More Brands Are Living Their Purpose – and Outgrowing Their Competitors by 47%

Stepping outside of the healthcare realm, Unilever Executive Vice President Aline Santos dropped this truth bomb on a crowd of hundreds during ‘The Big Interview’ in which she shared her advice for launching successful brands in “an age of unease and disruption”.

3. Creativity Is The Best Medicine

Creative communications that simplify complex medical information and humanise the treatment journey were the clear winners at this years’ awards, as evidenced in the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation’s Gold Lion winning ‘Imaginary Friends’ campaign.

After slowly gaining ground over the last few decades, a dynamic new weapon in the fight against cancer could finally be in our hands…

And just like that, the news is out. The BBC recently broke the incredible story of a US woman with terminal breast cancer who had been given only 3 months to live – but who now, 2 years after receiving a revolutionary new treatment, has no signs of cancer in her body. None.

The biggest surprise of all? This treatment she received is not a new synthetic “wonder-drug”, but a product of her body’s own immune system – a ‘living drug’ crafted from the woman’s own immune cells and reprogrammed by scientists to destroy her cancer for good.

How did this all come about?

This incredible new treatment is the result of an overall shift in strategy for cancer treatment, with researchers turning to the body’s own disease-fighting mechanisms to combat cancer. And while the idea of using the body’s own natural defence system to fight against disease and nail those difficult-to-target rogue cells is hardly new, advances in our understanding of the human immune system and of cancer means this option is now a real possibility.

The reprogramming of a patient’s immune cells to fight cancer (called CAR-T) is just one of the many options available, with anti-cancer antibodies and cancer vaccines also being explored. CAR-T has already been approved by the FDA for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children and young adults, indicating that widespread commercialisation of CAR-T and similar therapies may be just around the corner.

So, what does this mean for healthcare marketers?

As a treatment option, CAR-T is worlds away from the standard therapies healthcare professionals and patients are used to, and it’s our view that Australia’s healthcare industry will need to adapt to this innovation quickly. Ensuring both patients and physicians understand the complexity of CAR-T will be a significant challenge for the industry – but an important one. As with all change, good communication will support a smooth transition, and ultimately allow these treatments to get to patients faster. While there are still some doubts as to how broad the application of CAR-T will be and whether the use of the word ‘cure’ is premature, the early success of this innovation gives cancer physicians, their patients and our industry as a whole great hope that the days of incurable cancer may finally be numbered.

Every day, doctors choose to prescribe one of many comparable treatment options over another. And while years of study and a detailed understanding of complex scientific data contributes to how these decisions are made, research tells us there’s something else is at play…

A few years ago, American neuroscientist Antonio Damasio conducted a groundbreaking study on patients with damage to their limbic systems – the area of the brain that generates emotion. Besides their injuries, they all had one thing in common: they each found the simplest of decisions, such as what to have for lunch, very difficult to make.

As later referenced in his seminal book Descartes Error, Damasio found that science doesn’t, in fact, have the final say. Despite understanding what is logical, his subject’s ability to make a decision at the very point of choice came down to emotion – how they did or didn’t feel.

So, if ‘fact’ or logic is the driver, and emotion is the ultimate decider, what does this mean for healthcare marketers looking to influence prescribing behaviour? It’s a question we’re asked just about every day. And after years of working closely with healthcare professionals and delivering medical education events, strategic services and creative campaigns, we believe we have the answer.

You’ve heard about our Interactive Patient Mannequins. Now it’s time to meet one. 

She’s smart. She’s engaging. She’s virtually real. A first in our nation’s healthcare industry, ‘Sydney’ is the innovative Interactive Patient facilitating peer-to-peer learning at pharmaceutical conferences around Australia. 

First launched in 2017, Bastion Brands’ Interactive Patient Case Studies represent a new and exciting era in medical education events where healthcare professionals engage in peer-to-peer learning, and where patient case studies are brought to life through ultra-real virtual Patient Mannequins.

Click here to meet ‘Sydney’ – one of thousands of ultra-real virtual patient mannequins available for your next medical education event.

New from Bastion Brands: Interactive Patient Case Studies and Peer-to-Peer Learning in Medical Education.

With an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning, Bastion Brands’ innovative Interactive Patient Case Studies are putting conference attendees in the driver’s seat, taking audience engagement levels and learning outcomes to new heights.

Imagine you’re at a medical education conference for a groundbreaking new treatment. The lights dim, and an audible cough pierces the air. Imagine looking up to find that, instead of a key speaker, a 16-year-old boy with shaggy hair and faded jumper were on stage. A patient. Imagine the emotion in his voice as he shares his family’s medical history. Then imagine being asked to turn to the people around you, and work with them as a team to decide on how to best incorporate this new treatment into his current regimen. Imagine then that your decision-making would determine how the rest of the conference – and the rest of his life – would unfold.

First launched in 2017, Bastion Brands’ Interactive Patient Case Studies represent a new and exciting era in medical education, where conference attendees are empowered to facilitate their own learning, and where ‘the patient’ takes centre stage to share their story first-hand.

‘Branching Logic’ lets Doctors Decide

Unlike conventional case study formats, Bastion’s Interactive Patient Case Studies are based on branch or ‘skip’ logic to mirror the real life diagnostic journey. At key points in the case study, teams of conference attendees vote by group consensus the next step to take, and watch the consequences unfold.

Virtual Patient Mannequins

Bastion Brands’ ultra-real Virtual Patient Mannequins lift traditional case studies off the page, bringing realism into the room.

Any age, any race: Bastion Brand’s “Virtual Patients” are crafted to reflect real life patients, warts and all…”

The new year’s break is always a time of heightened emotions.

There’s the rush of all that shopping, the stress of family get-togethers, the joy of giving – and the ‘let down’ when we don’t get the gift we expected.

There’s the anxiety of racing off on holiday; the disappointment when ‘batteries aren’t included’; the excitement of the children and the sheer bliss we get when we finally relax with a good book and a quiet sip of our favourite beverage!

It’s a roller coaster of emotion that’s compounded because we’ve broken from our work routines. For a while we let our guard down and think about what really matters in our lives – moments with family and good friends and time spent doing the things we really want to do.

And even though we may not want to, inevitably we find ourselves ‘talking shop’ as we answer the question ‘how’s your year been?’

As was the case over my break, at a relaxed barbeque hosted by a friend who happens to be a highly experienced and well regarded urologist.

He asked how my year had gone, as he’s genuinely interested in the creative process and my role in helping pharmaceutical companies in their marketing to doctors across all therapy areas.

And because I’m genuinely interested in what motivates an experienced doctor to choose one medicine over another, we got to talking about the decision making process of doctors prescribing potentially life changing medicines to their patients.

When I mentioned that Bastion Brands specialize in using emotion to add a human connection to the scientific evidence, he questioned how this would work.

I explained that in the ‘non-pharma’ world, neuro-imagery has shown that consumers base their choices more on emotions, feelings and experiences rather than product features and facts; and that research has proven emotional response to a simple print ad, for example, has over 200% greater influence on a purchase decision than the actual content.

He argued that, as a doctor, he actually tries to ‘block out’ the emotion when it comes to his patients, particularly in his line of therapy where he often deals with highly sensitive, life threatening illnesses such as prostate cancer. He concluded that if he allowed himself to make an emotional connection with his patients he would struggle to cope.

Not being a doctor and living with this day to day, I could only agree with him. However, I still pushed the idea that surely he was swayed by and emotional argument when it came to advertising or information?

Surely as a consumer he too had purchased purely on emotion, not because his decision made sense? Otherwise I would have to question the whole notion of our brand platform ‘where science and emotion collide’!

It wasn’t until later in the evening, when I was relating some detail about a new campaign we are about to launch for one of our clients, that his ears pricked up again. As I got to the end of my description of the campaign – for a drug that is a last line treatment for a terminal condition – and the emotional triggers behind the key messaging, I noticed tears actually welling in his eyes. (And it wasn’t because he’d gone back to chopping onions!)

What caused the reaction was simple – I’d recounted a truth he could identify with, and it resonated in a deep way.

So whilst it may not change his focus when face to face with some of his patients, it did reaffirm to me the power of a message charged with emotion to drive change, cause a reaction and create change. To make someone stop and think and engage in a personal way.

It reaffirmed to me that a message that leads with emotions – and touches on personal feelings and experiences is actually stronger than messages based on pure science, brand attributes, features or facts. It’s a way that goes beyond the features of the medicine. Beyond the data of trials and research, and into the very heart of the matter – what it means to the patient.

And that’s a connection we can all relate to.

Bruce Williams
Creative Director
Bastion Brands

“Australian men aren’t exactly lining up to see their GPs, but health marketers can meet their communications objectives if they’re willing to meet them halfway,” writes Simon Davies.

Sorry guys, but the stereotype stands: While women are diligent as ever about their healthcare needs, men still can’t seem to find the time (or the courage) to get down to the doctor. So, what gives? And what can healthcare marketers do to ensure their messages get through?

This week, I had the privilege of presenting on this very topic at Mumbrella’s Health & Wellness Marketing Summit, and sharing few things I’ve learned over the years about making a direct connection with ‘doc dodging’ men and communicating the benefits of your brand with us – even when we’re nowhere to be seen…

1.      Meet us in the middle

When 22% of men ‘don’t have time’ to get to the GP, it might just be time to bring the ‘GP’ to us. Healthcare services that reach men in their natural habitat (such as This is Beard Season’s pop-up skin cancer clinic at the Australian Open of Surfing) or direct to their door (like Bowel Cancer Australia’s home testing kit) are two ways healthcare brands have done just that, with great success.

2.      Get technical with us

Mobile technology brings a world of information to our fingertips. Crafting mobile-friendly communications provides men with preliminary avenues to explore their health concerns in a way that’s both personal and private.

3.      Tell us a joke  

There’s nothing like a good laugh to break the ice and build affinity. While many healthcare brands are on the side of caution in this area, a little humour, when used appropriately, can help men get comfortable about talking to doctors about our bodies.

4.    Don’t forget the ‘emotion’

At Bastion Brands we believe the most effective communication is when
‘science’ and ‘emotion’ collide. Presenting men with the scientific data behind what you’re selling and an emotionally compelling ‘why’ for buying, from their own quality of life to that of their loved ones, has the power to influence men’s decision-making – and maybe even get us to start taking better care of ourselves.

For more information about Mumbrella’s Health & Wellness Marketing Summit 2017, including the full list of speakers head to Mumbrella Health & Wellness.

Science and creativity collided with explosive results at Cannes Lions Health 2017, the world’s most celebrated platform for creative bravery in healthcare communications.

Taking home the coveted Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Good was ‘Immunity Charm’, a campaign dedicated to helping Afghani HCPs keep tabs on a child’s immunisation history. The Ministry of Public Health’s campaign took inspiration from a traditional Afghani cultural practice of protecting children from curses through charm bracelets, making immunisation a new, life-saving tradition in a nation where infant mortality is a tragic (yet often preventable) reality. Check it out here.

Taking home a Gold Lion was Brazil’s VR Vaccine, the nurse-administered virtual reality experience placing soon-to-be vaccinated children at the centre of an immersive adventure, transforming a moment of pain into a moment of fun. Experience it for yourself here.

Another tech-driven campaign that caught our agency’s eye was Chinese web company Baidu’s ‘Know You Again’. Supported by Alzheimer’s Disease China, the campaign fused AI technology with infrared sensors and an image stabilising camera to create a pair of glasses that showed Alzheimer’s patients who’s who in their line of vision, and ultimately help them see that they’re not alone here.

By bringing science to life with the power of human emotion, this years’ Cannes Lions winners were a perfect demonstration of our collective ability to not only engage in ground-breaking creativity, but to use it as as a driving force for business, for change and for good.

Find the full list of Cannes Health gong-getters here.

In an industry fraught with complications, regulations and life-impacting decisions, ‘simplicity’ is an underrated virtue.

So while many marketers tend to get caught up in engaging the latest tactics (or gimmicks, as is sometimes the case), experience tells me that, every once in a while, it pays to get back to basics. To distill what it is you offer people beyond the all-important safety and efficacy data, and simplify their spectrum of choice.

At Bastion Brands, we understand that decision-making in healthcare is often an inexplicable collision of science and emotion. So we’ve harnessed it to deliver a simple formula for creating strong, healthy pharma brands from the inside out. Giving them the unshakeable platform they need to develop strong, healthy relationships with the people that matter most, from internal sales teams and doctors to the patients in their care.

It all starts with ‘SSS’ – Stand, Story, Strategy.

What does your brand Stand for?

Whether you know it or not, your brand has a unique ‘reason for being’. An intrinsic motivator that gets you out of bed in the morning, and underpins everything you and your team do, every day.
To find it takes time, teamwork and maybe even a few arguments. But when you do, it’s truly transformative.

What’s your Story?

Your brand started somewhere to get where it is today. In healthcare, that place very likely came from a desire to help people in need. Crafting a story that encapsulates your unique reason for being, and tells the journey from where you began to where you are today serves not only as a written reminder of where you came from, but an emotionally compelling reason for people to believe you when you tell them where you’re headed in future.

What’s your Strategy?

In the fast-moving world of healthcare, it’s critical to have a detailed understanding of your brand’s positioning in the market. Mapping out your brand’s strategy, from channel and media selection to recruitment and talent selection efforts, becomes all the more meaningful when based on a shared belief in what your brand stands for and why.

In an industry where people are fighting their way through complex information to make what can ultimately be life-changing decisions, your brand must simplify their spectrum of choice by being clear not only on what you ‘sell’, but what you stand for. By telling a unique story with conviction. And by doing what it does best even better, with a smart, measurable strategy. Simple.