Checkup - Rituja Ghadge - Ogilvy Health UK
As part of our ongoing Checkup series, we are asking emerging talent across the globe their hot takes on healthcare, what keeps them ticking, and what they’d like to see more of in the industry.
This week we spoke to Rituja Ghadge, Senior Art Director at Ogilvy Health UK.
CF: Can you tell us about your career journey so far? What led you to pursue a role in healthcare advertising?
RG: I worked in advertising in India for the past 5 years, mostly on consumer and lifestyle brands with agencies like Famous Innovations, Mullen Lintas, and Leo Burnett. While I was at Leo Burnett, I worked on a sanitary napkin brand called Whisper, and that’s when I realized there’s so much scope to create good content in the healthcare space. It made me see how you can make health topics interesting and help people learn more — it feels more real and meaningful than just selling a pack of chips. And now, I’m working for OgilvyHealth UK, continuing to explore that space and learning how creativity can genuinely make a difference in people’s health journeys.
CF: Was there a particular project, campaign, or moment that made you realize this was the right industry for you?
RG: It was when I worked on The Missing Chapter campaign for Whisper. That project made me realize how much potential there is to create meaningful work in the health and wellness space. It showed me that wellness campaigns don’t have to be boring or clinical — they can be engaging, culturally relevant, and actually make a difference. That’s when I knew this was the kind of work I wanted to do more of.
CF: What makes healthcare advertising different from other industries you've worked in or considered?
RG: I think the biggest difference is the impact. In healthcare advertising, you’re not just selling a product — you’re often helping people understand their health better or encouraging them to take action that could actually improve their lives. The insights are more real, and the work feels more meaningful. For instance, we’ve just launched a campaign helping young children with a rare disease learn more about their condition — projects like this really help make health information easier to understand and deliver it in a more creative, human way.
CF: How do you approach storytelling in healthcare campaigns, especially when dealing with complex or sensitive topics?
RG: For me, it’s all about keeping it real and human. If the story feels honest and people can see themselves in it, they’re way more likely to listen and engage — even with tough topics. You can’t just throw big words or stats at people and expect them to connect. It’s about making them feel understood.
CF: What’s been the most rewarding campaign or project you’ve worked on so far, and why?
RG: It was definitely The Missing Chapter by Whisper for me. It was really interesting to see how awareness can be made so engaging, especially by bringing in local crafts and culture. There was so much to learn from that project — not just about the topic itself, but also about how you can use creativity to make people actually want to listen and be part of the conversation. Especially when it comes to topics that are seen as taboo or hard to talk about because of cultural boundaries — finding ways to open up that conversation is really rewarding.
CF: What advice would you give to other emerging creatives looking to break into healthcare advertising?
RG: I’d say, don’t overthink the “healthcare” part — at the end of the day, it’s still about people and stories. There’s plenty of space to be creative, even with serious topics. If you’re curious and like finding human insights and if you’re with the right people who don’t see healthcare as boring, you’ll actually enjoy it.
CF: How do you stay inspired and continue to grow as a creative in such a specialized industry?
RG: I feel there’s always something new to learn, whether it’s about people, behaviors, or the science behind things. The more you understand, the more creative you can be, even in a specialized space like this. I try to look beyond just healthcare for inspiration. Good ideas can come from anywhere — culture, films, design, even random conversations. That helps keep things fresh.
CF: If you could change one thing about the perception of healthcare advertising, what would it be?
RG: Healthcare is just not about pills and hospitals. I want people to stop seeing healthcare advertising as boring or too technical. There’s actually so much room to be creative and tell meaningful stories which genuinely can make a difference in people’s lives.
CF: What’s your favourite campaign ever in healthcare?
RG: This list is definitely big! But one of my all-time favourites is Fearless Girl. Technically not pure healthcare, but it’s often referenced in wellness and societal change conversations — the cultural impact it had around gender equality and mental empowerment is just incredible. From this year, Vaseline Verified really stood out to me. I also love The Last Barf Bag, ThisAbles by IKEA, Meet Graham, and Sweet Kills by Ogilvy Brazil. All of them show how healthcare and wellness can be approached in such bold, unexpected ways.
