Weber Shandwick Celebrates Grand Prix Award, Five Cannes Health & Wellness Lions with Clients, Agency Partners at Lions Health 2016 

The “Project Literacy” campaign from leading education company Pearson won the Grand Prix and a Gold Lion in Health & Wellness, Fundraising & Advocacy for an Integrated Campaign. The integrated campaign led by Interpublic (IPG) sister agency FCB Inferno raised awareness of illiteracy as a root cause for many of the world’s biggest problems, including poverty, radicalization and inequality. A provocative idea and an expansive PR effort by Weber Shandwick boldly helped bring to life the risks and consequences of illiteracy, urging consumers and policymakers to take action.

 

GSK Consumer Health earned three Lions for the Excedrin “Migraine Experience” campaign, featuring the world’s first migraine simulator, developed in partnership with DDB Remedy. Weber Shandwick led the public relations efforts for the campaign. This includes one Silver Lion in Health & Wellness, Education & Awareness for Use of Technology, as well as one Bronze Lion in Health & Wellness, OTC Oral Medicines for PR, and one Bronze Lion in Health & Wellness, OTC Oral Medicines for Use of Technology. The augmented reality experience was designed to unlock a new level of understanding around migraines and the impact they have on the daily lives of the millions of people who suffer from this condition around the world.

Laura Schoen, President of Global Healthcare, Weber Shandwick, noted, “Creativity is essential in healthcare. As health communicators, we’re tasked with breaking down complex issues and engaging people with information that leads to better understanding. This recognition from the Lions Health organization is indicative of the commitment our client partners have made to continue to raise the bar, break through barriers and make an impact in health and in people’s lives.”

 

Leading Important Discussions on Creativity in Healthcare

Weber Shandwick led several thought-provoking conversations at Lions Health around creativity’s role in healthcare communications. In partnership with Genentech, Weber Shandwick hosted a main stage panel titled “The Slippery Slope to Bias” that addressed the impact that bias in healthcare can have on patients. Alan M. Blassberg, director and producer of the documentary “Pink & Blue: Colors of Hereditary Cancer” and Ed Lang, senior director, Genentech, Inc., founding sponsor of The Lung Cancer Project, joined Weber Shandwick’s Laura Schoen on stage to expose the challenges with empathy and bias, and chart a path where no one gets left behind.

 

Peter Matheson Gay, executive creative director, Global Health, Weber Shandwick, was a member of the Health & Wellness Lions jury and shared insights from the judging process during the “Inside the Jury Room: Health & Wellness” session at Lions Health.

 

Weber Shandwick Chairman Jack Leslie moderated a conversation with client UNICEF, exploring the link between early childhood development and creativity, why it’s important and what can be done to support it. Leslie was joined on stage by several experts in childhood development, including Deepa Grover, chief of early childhood development, UNICEF CEE-CIS Regional Office, Sherrie Westin, EVP of global philanthropy at Sesame Workshop, and Al Rice, chief knowledge officer at the Harvard University Center for the Developing Child.

About Weber Shandwick

Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications and engagement firm in 78 cities across 34 countries with a network extending to 126 cities in 81 countries. The firm’s diverse team of strategists, analysts, producers, designers, developers and campaign activators has won the most prestigious awards in the world for innovative, creative approaches and impactful work, including being honored as PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year in 2015 and 2016, an Ad Age A-List Agency in 2014 and 2015, and The Holmes Report’s Global Agency of the Year in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015. Weber Shandwick and its Prime unit have won a combined 31 Cannes Lions since 2009. Weber Shandwick was also named a Best Place to Work by Ad Age in 2014 and 2015 and PRWeek in 2013 and 2014. The firm deploys deep expertise across sectors and specialty areas, including consumer marketing, corporate reputation, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate social responsibility, financial communications and crisis management, using proprietary social, digital and analytics methodologies. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit https://www.webershandwick.com.