Explained: Why health care failed to click for India at Cannes ad fest

This year, TBWA's 'One Mindful Mind', an interactive tool kit that helps parents turn counsellors for children suffering from mental health problems, was the only winner in health care

India took home only one bronze Lion in the coveted health care category at the ongoing Cannes Ad Fest, making it the worst haul in four years for domestic agencies in the segment. In 2016, Mumbai-based Medulla Communications had bagged seven Lions and the Healthcare Agency of the Year trophy, while in 2017 it was the turn of McCann Health to strike it rich in the category. McCann had won four golds and four silvers as well as the Grand Prix for Good award for 'The Immunity Charm' campaign, created for Afghanistan's Public Health Ministry.
 
Last year, TBWA India had bagged a gold Lion and a Grand Prix for Good award for its 'Blink to Speak' campaign for Asha Ek Hope Foundation, where patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which weakens muscles and impacts speech, could use eye language to communicate.
 
This year, TBWA's 'One Mindful Mind', an interactive tool kit that helps parents turn counsellors for children suffering from depression and other mental health problems, was the solitary winner in health care. So why did health care fail to click for India?

Kanchana TK, head and board member of apex body Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, who is participating at the Cannes Ad Fest this year, says agencies are struggling to find the sweet spot between science and art. "There are not many agencies who specialise in health care communication in the country. It is a technical and regulated industry, targeted largely at doctors and health care practitioners. Simplifying communication for the lay consumer, therefore, is a challenge,” she says.
 
Barring Medulla, McCann Health, and TBWA, who have been consistent in their health care wins over the past four years, most other mainline agencies, say experts, have not been as successful. Grey and DDB Mudra, for instance, bagged silver each in health care in 2018. Ogilvy and Taproot Dentsu, on the other hand, bagged a bronze each in 2017 and Rediffusion got a bronze in 2016.
 
Experts also say companies need to devote more time to health care communication, encouraging their agency partners to move beyond the confines of the category. The Grand Prix-winning ad campaigns this year in health care, for example, were for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and IKEA respectively, who gave McCann Health, their agency partner, a free hand to come up with out-of-box solutions.