Writing Excellence

Summary of work

With the combination of a well-crafted and compelling argument, painstaking research and an irrefutable proposition, the Brain Emoji Unicode Submission demonstrates writing excellence in its truest sense.

In a bid to get people talking more openly about brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS), our client had a vision to put a brain on the desk of every neurologist.

However, we wanted to go one step further, and put a brain in every person’s pocket. Because, despite the global prevalence of neurological and mental health issues, the brain was painfully absent from conversation. So we thought, let’s get the world talking about their brain in the one language we all speak. Emoji.

To achieve this ambitious feat, we had to put our case to Unicode, presenting concrete evidence that the world did indeed, need a brain. Because every new addition to the emoji keyboard must be based on a strict set of criteria, reasoning and validation.

We wielded the power of words to complete our mission. And the brain emoji is now here, helping spread the word about brain health on a global scale.

Judges' comments

This was an excellent idea to support mental health and brain health conversations, and was supported by in-depth research and use of social listening. H4B and Sanofi Genzyme put together a beautiful way of communicating a scientific argument. A clear, conversational and intelligent way to write – a model of how to make a well argued persuasive case through writing. The entry employed a whole catalogue of evidence to back up its claims, and did so with great skill and clarity. The swift response of Unicode is proof of its effectiveness.