Photo credit: Cannes Lions
The Pharma category at Cannes Lions is one of the most nuanced and demanding spaces in creative communication. Bold ideas must navigate strict regulation, scientific complexity and deep human emotion. During the jury deliberations, Franklin Williams, Pharma Jury President and Executive Director, Experience Design, AREA 23, led with clarity and conviction, challenging the room to identify work that was not just technically sound but truly purposeful.
"The work must tell a story that motivates action," Franklin said. For him, effectiveness is measured not just by reach or awards potential, but by whether an idea improves lives without compromising ethics. "It must elevate the industry, not damage it."
His philosophy of "brilliant basics" resonated strongly across the room. Franklin repeatedly emphasized that true excellence in Pharma lies in mastery of execution. Work that may appear simple is often incredibly difficult to pull off. Craft, clarity and courage, he insisted, are essential.
One example that sparked debate was a film addressing a condition that causes severe itching. Its visual craft was subtle at first glance, but the team had painstakingly scratched each frame by hand to simulate the feeling of discomfort. "That’s incredible," Franklin noted.
He reminds us that, "Craft should speak clearly, without needing an explanation."
Other Pharma Lions jurors agreed and added that sometimes the most powerful work is invisible in its cleverness. But if the audience misses it, we have failed in communication, stressing the need for clarity. In this space, if people do not understand what you are trying to say, the work does not move.
A campaign that stood out in the jury room was one that embraced regulation not as a barrier but as a creative brief. Through metaphor, sound and storytelling, the piece managed to communicate its message with impact while carefully navigating legal constraints. “This was craft as a loophole,” Franklin said. "It showed how you can play within the rules and still create something emotionally resonant and culturally sharp."
Another Pharma Lions juror highlighted a campaign about a rare disease, which reached over ten million viewers through a clever comedic approach. What impressed him most was how the tone expanded awareness without trivializing the topic. "If something is rare, it does not mean it should be quiet."
Franklin also underscored the importance of regional relevance and real-world impact.
Franklin closed the sessions with a challenge: "Can you stand on stage and defend this work? Not just because it is emotional or clever, but because it is meaningful and true?" That question, he argued, should guide every idea in pharma today.
Because in this space, more than any other, creativity is not just a discipline. It is a responsibility.
