Have you seen Dove’s latest Self-Esteem Project advert, The Cost of Beauty? If not, it’s well worth a watch and to reflect on how you feel afterwards. Whether it’s the relatability to my own daughter who just turned 18, or the soundtrack that matched the message so perfectly, it was so emotional and thought-provoking. I found myself asking what can I do to be part of the change? That’s the power of creativity.
Despite my sphere of influence on toxic beauty being relatively small, this campaign and associated content makes me want to act. Isn’t that largely our reason for being in healthcare communications too? We design programmes to change behaviour or stimulate specific action among a defined group of people – whether that’s healthcare professionals (HCPs), carers, patients, the public – in a quest to leave the world that little bit healthier and wiser.
So why, when it has the potential to provoke the emotional response and action from our target audiences that we pursue, does creativity in healthcare still, in many ways, lag behind other industries?
The most logical answer is regulations. We operate in a highly regulated environment and that’s necessary to guarantee the highest levels of safety, transparency and trust. But we’ve been here before, haven’t we? Take a look at digital. Despite initial varying appetite for the perceived risk of dipping a toe in the water, how many clients today don’t expect digital communications, in some form or another, to form a part of any relevant, integrated healthcare proposal? Regulations serve a purpose. Early adopters of innovation will often break the mould, not the rules. As long as we keep principles and intentions at the front of our minds, can’t creativity be the next digital?
I’d argue that the answer is yes; creativity in healthcare is no longer a choice.
We’re all looking for new, innovative ways to make authentic connections with ever-more diverse audiences in an era that has come to be characterised by the everyday influencer, misinformation and crises. As humans, we connect and relate to stories we find interesting, that have a bearing on our life or those around us and, increasingly, that help us to see our role as good social citizens. Creativity taps into that psyche. It makes us believe in our potential to make a difference, no matter the scale.
But all too often it falls by the wayside – the result of any number of barriers, of which regulatory hesitancy is just one. In this context, as responsible communicators we need to be really clear, not only on the compliance of our creatively led campaigns, but also on what success looks like and how we will measure impact.
So, beyond demonstrating value, how else can we nudge at the outer edge of what’s possible for creativity in healthcare?
For me, it comes down to knowing your audience. We’re not talking creativity for its own sake, but to genuinely serve a purpose. To drive meaningful human connection we need to understand our audiences deeply: how they consume information; how invested they are in their own health; what matters to them; what makes them tick; what will resonate.
Furthermore, the value of true integration and collaboration across disciplines is undeniable – there’s power in partnership and much we can learn from each other. For example, in advertising we see creativity flourish from the seed of a singular, powerful insight. How can we translate this approach to our communications strategies? It takes investment in research but should demonstrate why our campaigns are likely to succeed.
Finally, we should all be inspired by people. As an agency, this ethos drives everything we do, every decision we make. I believe it holds true as the key to success for our industry as a whole, not only in an unequivocal focus on our audiences, but also in embracing the talent and sometimes untapped creativity and potential of the individuals that make up our teams. Inspiration can come from anywhere and anyone; we just need to keep our eyes and ears open and create a culture in which people feel safe to share those bold ideas.
As an industry we have real power to make a difference to the lives of many. It’s almost unconscionable to not back creativity’s role in this. But until we all do so routinely, and make hearts and minds the norm, the real-life impact of our work will fall short of its potential.
Find us at gcihealth.com or Instagram: gci_health_eu.
