Pharma Lions revamped for Cannes Lions 2023

It’s important to champion the work that drastically changes lives. Since 2014, the Pharma Lions have celebrated work that brings science and innovation to life.

In recognition of this progressive, ever-evolving category, we've made improvements to our judging criteria for 2023. The refreshed Pharma Lions now make a clear distinction between work covered under Pharma and work in Health & Wellness, as well as a number of other refreshes to accurately reflect the current industry.

The Phexxi “House Rules” campaign was born out of the idea that women deserve to be in full control over their bodies and decisions — especially when it comes to birth control.

Starring Emmy winner Annie Murphy, Phexxi's campaign aimed to empower women by imagining a world where they made all the rules. No judgment, no settling, just an understanding that when it comes to something as important as pregnancy prevention, Phexxi is the brand that lets women call the shots.

6 weeks following the campaign's launch, there was a 94% increase in new prescriptions and 82% increase in dispensed units of Phexxi. Over 19,000 prescriptions were filled in Q3 2021, a 48% increase from the prior quarter. Phexxi total brand awareness hit 19% in October 2021.

Over 80% of people with motor neurone disease (MND) will experience slurred, quiet or complete loss of speech. 'Voice banking' helps those with MND by digitising their voice, so as the disease progresses they can still sound like themselves. But only a fraction have done so — most put it off because they find the process difficult and impersonal.

VMLY&R New York worked with Dell Technologies & Intel to create "I Will Always Be Me". Working with author Jill Twiss and artist Nicholas Stevenson, they created a story book that could be read aloud for people with MND to express what they’re going through. And the story contains all the syllables needed to accurately bank their voice in less than 30 minutes — turning the cold, solitary process of voice banking into an experience that’s full of life.

"I Will Always Be Me" has become the most popular choice for voice banking in the UK today. Over 72% of those recently diagnosed with MND are now using the book to bank their voice. The launch campaign generated over 1.2 million social media engagements and 200 million PR media impressions, driving more people to bank their voices and raising awareness around MND.