Jury Checkup - Amy Fortunato

As this Cannes 2025 roars into full swing, we sit down with Pharma juror Amy Fortunato, VP, Group Creative Director of Klick Health to discuss her experience of judging the toughest category at the toughest awards show.

CR: What was the most challenging aspect of evaluating the diverse range of Pharma entries, and how did the jury navigate those complexities to reach consensus on the shortlists and winners?

AF: In pharma, the causes behind campaigns are often incredibly worthy since they’re rooted in health and well-being. But a great insight alone isn’t enough, so we made a conscious effort not to let the cause sway our judgment and instead focused on recognizing great ideas and execution.

CR: Beyond the obvious creative brilliance, what specific criteria or subtle nuances in the campaigns truly resonated with you personally, and perhaps surprised you, as you were judging?

AF: One of my key criteria was simple: content I genuinely wanted to watch. The “Friedrich’s Back” campaign for Skyclaris delivered on that. It was a humorous and kinda ridiculous social series that brought back the 1800s German researcher who originally discovered the disease Friedrich’s ataxia and followed him as he tried to make sense of today’s world. But beyond the humor, it was built on the powerful insight that there hadn’t been innovation in Friedrich’s ataxia since it was first identified. I was also impressed with how the team seamlessly incorporated the brand messaging into the story. I remained engaged, even during the more technical parts, like explaining the trial design.

CR: Were there any emerging trends or innovative approaches in pharmaceutical communication that particularly stood out to you this year, and do you believe these indicate a significant shift in how the industry is engaging with its audiences?

AF: Humor was a trend this year. We are living in a time dominated by a lot of bad news, so joy and levity can go a long way. Brands that leaned into humor created content that felt more like entertainment, earning audience’s attention.

Another trend was craft serving a deeper purpose and reinforcing your message. The stop-motion animation “Don’t Stop Motion” for Cenabast was a great example of this. Patients with RA helped shape the clay characters themselves, promoting the benefits of molding clay physiotherapy in a tangible, creative way. In this case, the therapy became the artwork, which is such a great example of craft with a purpose.

CR: Considering the strict regulatory environment of Pharma, how did the jury balance the need for compliance and scientific accuracy with the desire for groundbreaking creativity and emotional impact? Can you give an example of a campaign that achieved this balance exceptionally well?

AF: Regulations should never be an excuse for weak creativity, and “Make Love Last” for Viagra proved that brilliantly. Through the clever use of long-exposure photography, the campaign outsmarted censorship and regulatory constraints to transform a medical claim into a striking piece of visual art. Its creative brilliance transcends the pharma category.

CR: What was the most rewarding or enjoyable part of your experience as a Cannes Lions Pharma juror? Was there a particular moment, discussion, or campaign that left a lasting positive impression on you?

AF: Hearing diverse, global perspectives firsthand was an awesome part of being in the jury room. The jurors with international experience brought valuable cultural context to the work, often helping me see ideas in a new light. For example, one juror offered insight into how prescriptions are typically filled in Indian pharmacies—which gave us a deeper understanding of the relevance and impact of the DawAI Reader campaign.

CR: Looking back at the winning work, what do you hope the broader pharmaceutical industry takes away from the campaigns that were celebrated this year? What message do these winners send about the future of effective pharma marketing?

AF: The winning campaigns showed that pharma can be both creative and compliant. They proved that storytelling, emotion, and humor have a place in this space.