Sponsored by Deloitte Digital
Gold
Genentech and 21Grams
“Zero”
Aware that 51% of hemophilia patients can’t remember important treatment information from their physicians, the team behind Hemlibra knew it had heavy lifting ahead: It had to improve education about a drug that works differently than any other medication.
Music emerged as the best way to aid memory. It triggers a part of the brain that recognizes patterns and associates them with memories. That’s why ads so often rely on jingles. While that might seem obvious, creating the right branded song wasn’t easy.
Knowing that rap music is a favorite genre among its male target audience, aged 18 to 45, the team set to work on a branded song that delivered all of the core information. It translated every single bit of critical clinical trial data, dosing, unique administration, safety details and government requirements in a fun and memorable way. Once all those details had been transformed into song lyrics, the resulting work was sent off to the FDA to guide a never-been-done-before piece of content.
Tamar, a member of the hemophilia community who knows firsthand what it’s like to be treated with Hemlibra, recorded the track, filling it with honest emotion. In early 2023, Genentech released the song, titled “Zero,” on Spotify. There was no video, no visuals, no on-screen disclaimers, just pure audio — the way music was meant to be.
The judges loved the groundbreaking effort. And the hemophilia community adored it. “Zero” became an anthem, with people posting videos of themselves dancing on social media, singing along and reciting every word.
Silver
Bayer and Twelvenote
Midol: The Real Reason
Following up on a 2022 effort focusing on millennial women, this campaign took an even broader aim at normalizing period conversations. It asked menstruators to “call out” of social commitments due to period symptoms instead of using a fake excuse. This effort “had the authentic tug social truly requires,” said a judge. And 24.7 million impressions led to a 5.4% increase in ad recall. “Midol” searches on YouTube rose 380%.
