1

Cannes’ call

to arms

Creativity in

Healthcare

Lunch

6th February

2014 Frankfurt

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Applying Creativity in Healthcare Communication

#Does NOT mean

• ‘Creative’ interpretation of results, data or content

• Bypassing codes of conduct

• Painting illusory pictures

#Means

• Creative ways to communicate content and data

• Creative communication platforms and topic links

• Creative ways to address respective target groups

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The Five Barriers to Creativity in Healthcare

#1 Ethics seem to be the limiting factor of creativity

For consumers, the “product” of health is particularly

sensitive and deeply personal. For healthcare professionals,

there is the elevated mission of saving or improving peoples’

lives and an overlay of ethical concerns that goes with it.

But ethics and creativity can go together.

#2 There are too many rules for creativity to prosper

Regulations put many restrictions on what you can say

about healthcare products. However these rules, which are

mass-applied and impersonal, constrain free-thinking and

may hinder creativity.

There is room for creativity in a regulated space.

#3 Healthcare ‘hates’ risks

Creativity means taking risks. How can these two go

together? Embracing creativity means doing things

differently – brands need to climb out of their comfort zone

and take risks.

There are parameters we can change without taking serious

risks.

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The Five Barriers to Creativity in Healthcare

GSMA

#4 Healthcare has its own language imperatives

Avoid trivialization, don’t make exaggerated claims or use

superlatives, support statements with data. A world of

evidence-based medicine demands evidence-based

communication. Vocabularies are altered to reflect the

boundaries of over-promise.

Yet clear and concise language is nothing to be afraid of.

#5 Creativity appears unmeasurable in a commercial

sense

Creativity in healthcare mostly has an indirect impact. Our

call to actions are not purchases but clicking on links,

making a phone call, scheduling an appointment…

We should be measuring it when we influence behaviors or

drive attitude changes through creativity.

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Key Conclusions from the Group

• Collaborate with legal teams from the beginning. It is

essential in ensuring projects make it through internal

barriers.

• There is a lack of marketers internally prepared to take

a risk to try something new. If you are prepared to put

yourself forward and step out of your comfort zone it will

be very rewarding.

• There is a thin line to play with taboos in healthcare.

Campaigns when executed well can be life changing

and create global awareness unintentionally.

• Accept healthcare is not considered like other

businesses. Trust is hard for healthcare companies to

earn publicly but it can be achieved if well managed.

• Learn from social media. The reasons for lack of

creative enthusiasm are lack of understanding, no risk

taking internally and too many regulations - all of which

can be overcome.

• Too many PR budgets are controlled by product

marketing teams who want to see direct ROI for their

products. There must be a budget and ROI for creativity.

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Contact:

Weber Shandwick Healthcare

www.webershandwick.de @WSGermany

Dr. Torsten Rothärmel, Managing Director

Tel.: +49-(0)69-91 30 43-551

trothaermel@webershandwick.com