Jury Checkup - João Camacho
This year saw 1165 entries into Health & Wellness Lions, a mammoth task awaited the jury in judging every single entry across the vast category. We checked in with juror João Camacho, Executive Creative Director at Saatchi Wellness ME, KSA & Turkey to get his take on this years work.
CF: What was the most challenging aspect of evaluating the diverse range of Health & Wellness entries, and how did the jury navigate those complexities to reach consensus on the shortlists and winners?
JC: It was all about spotlighting the kind of work that cuts through the clutter — rising above the healthcare noise and dodging the daily misinformation pile-up. Not just shouting "awareness" into the void (because let’s face it, everyone's already aware of everything), but actually putting education front and center. Awareness sparks fear; education flips the switch. People move toward light — and for me, that was the clearest place to begin. That along with craft of copy and visual. Work that brought that same light and joy into the craft either visual or tonality.
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?
JC: I was genuinely impressed by the creative guts showing up in the health space — the bravery to make people smile about health without scaring them into submission. Using humor and entertainment? That’s not just refreshing, it’s revolutionary. A tiny step for advertising, but a moonwalk for health, wellness, and pharma. Watch brands and disease education efforts (yep, I said education — not awareness) are daring to be funny, joyful, even playful... sometimes while tackling the heaviest, darkest stuff. And honestly? That kind of nerve is exactly what the space needs.
CR: Were there any emerging trends or innovative approaches in healthcare 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?
JC: Yes! Humor and positivity — now that’s a power move. Agencies are finally ditching the fear playbook and showing up with their A-game: sharp humor, real entertainment, and a dose of optimism. Another game-changer? Actionable data. Not just numbers for the sake of numbers, but data and tech actually doing something — turning health from a diagnosis into a plan. I’ve seen it happening, and honestly? Awareness: 0. Education: 1.
GROUP THERAPY / AXA / VML
CR: Considering the conversations around brands trying to hijack purpose, and brands truly wanting to solve problems for people, how did the jury balance the need for brands to do work for good, whilst staying core to their values. Can you give an example of a campaign that achieved this balance exceptionally well?
JC: I don’t hate purpose — and no, I don’t think brands ever really ditched it. Thankfully. What some of them did do right was make purpose actionable — which, let’s be honest, is just another word for relevant. These are brands building real moments of trust in science, sparking positive (and sometimes hilariously honest) conversations about health and treatment. The kind that get shared, break stigmas, and push health education forward.
Case in point: the Health Grand Prix for Good — “Let’s make New Zealand the best place in the world to have herpes.” Now that’s purpose with punch. And when you educate people globally — getting them to spend hours upon hours watching videos about herpes — you know you’ve done something right.
THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD TO HAVE HERPES / FINCH / NEW ZEALAND HERPES FOUNDATION
CR: What was the most rewarding or enjoyable part of your experience as a Cannes Lions Health & Wellness juror? Was there a particular moment, discussion, or campaign that left a lasting positive impression on you?
JC: Definitely a highlight — watching health finally become approachable. Suddenly, it’s not this cold, clinical thing; it’s human, it’s hopeful, it’s even… friendly and funny, yes funny. Leading with hope instead of fear? Big win. And hey, it didn’t hurt that I got to choose the Health Grand Prix for Good alongside David Oona from the UN. #LegendStatus
CR: Looking back at the winning work, what do you hope the broader healthcare industry takes away from the campaigns that were celebrated this year? What message do these winners send about the future of effective healthcare marketing?
JC: Honestly, I hope we can nail three (okay, four) big things to truly shift the global health landscape:
1. Make health entertaining.
Let’s make it so compelling, people want to learn about how their bodies work — not out of fear, but curiosity. When education clicks, people stop being passive patients and start becoming active participants in their own health. Less “wait and worry,” more “know and go.”
2. Be bold.
It’s not about just informing anymore — people are drowning in information. What they need is guidance: clear, inspiring, and actually doable. Let’s stop making health feel like an unclimbable mountain and start offering the elevator.
3. Bring on the tech and data.
We’ve seen how powerful tech can be in diagnosing, educating, and improving treatment paths. Now’s the time to double down. Fear and delay have cost too much — smart tools are finally making early diagnosis and action easier than ever.
4. Clean up the content mess.
Health misinformation is a global emergency. It’s time we treat it like one. Certifying health content and steering people away from dodgy digital “experts” isn’t just helpful — it’s lifesaving.
