The 2022 Outcomes Creativity Index: Pharma companies aren’t afraid to go there

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Outcomes Creativity Index

The 2022 Outcomes Creativity Index: Pharma companies aren’t afraid to go there

The top pharmaceutical companies and brands in this year’s Outcomes Creativity Index elevated their messaging by breaking down barriers, debunking myths and giving patients a stronger voice. 

By Maria Fontanazza • [email protected]

From raising disease awareness by figuratively burning the message into a physician’s brain, to empowering women by boldly telling the story from inside the vagina, the pharmaceutical companies and brands that made the top 10 in the 2022 Outcomes Creativity Index (OCI) continue to push boundaries with their ingenuity. Now in its fourth year, the OCI ranks pharmaceutical companies and prescription brands according to creativity and innovation. It is based on aggregate points achieved from the following leading U.S. and international healthcare awards shows: The Outcomes LLC/Med Ad News Manny Awards; Cannes Lions; London International Awards (LIA): Health & Wellness; Clio Health; The One Show; The MM+M Awards; and The Creative Floor Healthcare Awards. The top 10 companies and prescription brands are shared annually in the October issue of Med Ad News. This year the timeframe for the OCI rankings ranges from the MM+M Awards held during October 2021 through the Creative Floor Healthcare Awards held during September 2022. 

Novartis, AstraZeneca, and Horizon Therapeutics were the top scoring pharma companies, respectively, in the 2022 OCI. Novartis (UK) gained significant traction in the ranking as a result of the awards it received for “Slow the Burn”, a campaign aimed at educating UK healthcare professionals about secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), a disease that is not only hard to diagnose but can also take several years to identify – and all the while symptoms progressively get worse as diagnosis flies under the radar. The campaign used real, lit wax candles integrated with patient photography to demonstrate brain deterioration. Novartis also scored points for the “Do U Challenge”, a social media dance campaign that featured music producer C.P. Dubb and hip-hop dancer Stephen “tWitch” Boss, for its prescription brand Adakveo (crizanlizumab), an FDA-approved IV infusion treatment intended to reduce the frequency of pain crises (vaso-occlusive crises) in patients 16 years and older with sickle cell disease. 

AstraZeneca came in second place thanks to the company’s campaign “The Big Sneeze”, an interactive experience initially launched in UK movie theaters to encourage parents to have their children vaccinated against the flu. 

Horizon Therapeutics came in third place among the top pharma companies and also ranked among the top 10 prescription brands for Tepezza (teprotumumab-trbw), an FDA-approved infusion treatment marketed as the first medicine that addresses thyroid eye disease at its source, and Krystexxa (pegloticase), an FDA-approved infusion treatment for chronic, uncontrolled gout. Also noteworthy, Horizon Therapeutics won a significant amount of the aforementioned awards for Eyedar, a free (non-prescription) app that uses the principles of echolocation to allow people hard of sight to “see” using sound. Non-prescription apps were not included in the scoring for the 2022 OCI ranking. 

Boehringer Ingelheim and Evofem Biosciences tied for fourth place in the 2022 OCI top companies ranking, with Evofem also taking first place in prescription brands for the company’s non-hormonal contraceptive Phexxi.  

Med Ad News spoke with Horizon Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Evofem Biosciences about the recognition they received for their respective campaigns, and the strategies and challenges faced on their road to success. (Access the interviews via the links below)

Horizon Therapeutics: Removing barriers, breaking down misconceptions

Evofem Biosciences: Phexxi – Where women call the shots

Boehringer Ingelheim: Communicating the physical and emotional patient burden

 

Top Companies

  • 1. Novartis
  • 2. AstraZeneca
  • 3. Horizon Therapeutics
  • 4. Boehringer Ingelheim
  • 4. Evofem Biosciences
  • 6. Pfizer
  • 7. Daiichi Sankyo
  • 8. Johnson & Johnson/Janssen
  • 9. Sanofi
  • 10. Insmed

Notes: 

  • Repeat ranks represent a tied score
  • Medical devices and non-prescription apps are not included in the final tally of top companies
House Rules, Evofem, Phexxi

Phexxi, Evofem Biosciences

Top Prescription Brands

  • 1. Phexxi (Evofem Biosciences) 
  • 2. Injectafer (Daiichi Sankyo) 
  • 3. Krystexxa (Horizon Therapeutics) 
  • 4. Livmarli (Mirum Pharmaceuticals) 
  • 5. XGEVA (Amgen)
  • 5. Crysvita (Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical)
  • 7. Hemlibra (Roche)
  • 7. Tepezza (Horizon Therapeutics)
  • 7. Allerject (Kaléo)
  • 10. Adakveo (Novartis)
  • 10. Annovera (TherapeuticsMD)
  • 10. Cabenuva (ViiV Healthcare)

Notes:

  • Repeat ranks represent a tied score
  • Non-branded campaign work is not included in the prescription brand scoring

 

ABOUT THE AWARD SHOWS

Manny Awards

For more than 30 years, the Manny Awards have paid tribute to the creative work of agencies serving the healthcare market, their people, and their contributions to the industry. Each year at this black-tie gala, Med Ad News and agency professionals come together to acknowledge those making significant contributions to, and celebrate creative excellence in, healthcare communications. On this special evening, hundreds of peers join Med Ad News to honor winners in an extensive range of award categories. The accolades include three Agency of the Year categories, Industry Person of the Year, Agency on the Rise, Most Creative Agency, and the Heart Award for philanthropic/social causes. The 2022 Manny Awards event was held at the Lighthouse, Pier 61, Chelsea Piers in New York on April 21. The 2023 event will take place at the same location on April 20. 

Cannes Lions: Pharma and Health & Wellness

Cannes Lions: The International Festival of Creativity has been championing creative excellence since 1954 with the goal of providing a global destination and the definitive benchmark for creativity that drives progress. The Health Track, which consists of Pharma Lions and Health & Wellness Lions, recognizes creativity in branded communications with the unique power to truly change lives. Pharma Lions celebrate creative communications from pharmaceutical clients and services surrounding the highly regulated industry, and Health & Wellness Lions celebrate creativity for personal wellbeing that demonstrate an inspired approach to consumer healthcare. The 2022 event winners were announced in June.

Clio Health

Clio Health was founded in 2009 as an extension of the Clio Awards competition. The program was established to celebrate and reward excellence in the expansive and ever-evolving global health industry. It recognizes creative marketing, advertising and communications in the fields of physical, mental and social well-being. Award winners are determined by an industry-specific jury of creative leaders who determine which entries earn the Grand, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Shortlist distinction annually. The 2022 winners were announced on June 15. 

Creative Floor Healthcare Awards

The mission of the Creative Floor Awards is to recognize the world’s best creative work and people in healthcare communications, and to inspire more diversity and untapped talent into health and wellness communication agencies. It is the only health and wellness award show to donate a percentage of profits to help more diversity and help underprivileged talent break into the healthcare communications industry. Winners of the awards decide how the money is spent. The 2022 winners were announced on September 8.

LIA: Pharma & Medical and Health & Wellness

The London International Awards (LIA) is a creative awards festival honoring various industries. LIA started in 1986 and was the first worldwide competition to judge all entries, regardless of the entering country, against each other in their respective categories. The festival now accepts entries into 27 unique competitions. The 2021 winners were announced on November 17.

MM+M Awards

The MM+M Awards celebrate excellence in all facets of healthcare marketing and communications within the life sciences industry. The MM+M Awards are the result of deep analysis and expertise amongst esteemed panels of leaders and thinkers representing a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds within healthcare marketing communities. The winners of the 18th annual MM+M Awards show were announced on October 7, 2021.

One Show

The One Show is one of the world’s most prestigious awards shows in advertising, design and digital marketing that celebrates excellence in creativity of ideas and quality of execution. Established in 1973 and produced by non-profit organization The One Club for Creativity, The One Show is recognized for the high level of integrity in the event’s judging procedures and processes. The 2022 awards were announced on May 20. 

Maria Fontanazza

Maria Fontanazza is the director of content, Med Ad News and PharmaLive.com