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For Kate Torrance, VP and head of brand at SickKids Foundation and one of Canada’s shortlist jurors in Health & Wellness, one of the biggest trends was the rise of unexpected collaborations, with commercial brands teaming up with charities, NGOs and health-care organizations. Some of the category’s most compelling work brought together organizations that wouldn’t normally work together to create something neither could have built alone, she says.

Torrance also noticed a surprising shift toward humour. In a category long defined by emotionally charged storytelling, several campaigns used wit and levity to address serious health issues. For her, it reflected a growing recognition that younger audiences, in particular, are increasingly resistant to traditional awareness messaging, making humour a powerful way to disarm, engage and start conversations that might otherwise be ignored.

For Canada, Adidas’s “Supernova Adaptive” by TBWA\Canada struck Gold. Developed with and for athletes with Down syndrome and members of the adaptive community, the running shoe was designed to address the specific needs of adaptive runners. The country also landed two Silver and one Bronze Lions in the same category.

What themes emerged across this year’s Health & Wellness entries?

One of the biggest themes I noticed was that the strongest work wasn’t really advertising in the traditional sense. It wasn’t a brand film, a campaign or even a communications idea. It was a product, service, innovation or intervention created to solve a real health problem. In many cases, the creativity wasn’t in how the story was told – it was in the invention itself.

I also saw a rise in unexpected partnerships between commercial brands and charities, NGOs or health-care organizations. Some of the most compelling entries brought together organizations that wouldn’t normally work together to create something neither could have built alone. The partnership wasn’t a sponsorship – it was the creative idea.

How are brands and organizations approaching health-related storytelling differently than in previous years?

I think we’re seeing a move away from organizations leading with the story of their impact and toward organizations creating impact first and telling the story second. The most effective work wasn’t saying, “Look what we did.” It was creating something genuinely useful and then allowing the results to speak for themselves. Consumers are increasingly sophisticated when it comes to purpose and social impact. The work that resonated most wasn’t trying to convince people that a brand cared; it demonstrated it through action.

For Canadian health-care organizations, specifically, there’s an opportunity to think beyond fundraising campaigns and awareness efforts. Some of the most powerful work in the category came from organizations that reimagined products, services, partnerships or systems.

What separated the most effective Health & Wellness work from the rest of the field?

Interestingly, I saw two very different approaches to storytelling. Some work seemed to stretch for attention – trying to be provocative or disruptive for its own sake. Other work trusted the power of the human story. The latter tended to be far more effective because it felt honest. In health and wellness, especially, authenticity is incredibly difficult to fake.

Another trend that stood out was the use of humour in places where, historically, we’d expect emotional storytelling. Particularly among charities and advocacy organizations, there was a willingness to tackle serious health issues with wit, irreverence and cultural relevance. Humour (when done well, which isn’t easy) appeared to be a powerful way to engage younger audiences and people who might otherwise tune out traditional awareness campaigns.

What lessons can Canadian marketers and health-care organizations take from the strongest entries you reviewed?

My biggest takeaway is that impact has become the creative brief. If you’re tackling a health or social issue, start by asking what meaningful change you can create in the real world. Too many marketers are more interested in the halo impact on their own brand – but if you start with an authentic interest in driving change, that halo will come with less effort, and be so much brighter.

For Canadian health-care organizations, specifically, there’s an opportunity to think beyond fundraising campaigns and awareness efforts. Some of the most powerful work in the category came from organizations that reimagined products, services, partnerships or systems. They solved a problem first and marketed it second.

And finally, never underestimate the power of humanity. Whether through humour, empathy or a simple story well told, the work that cut through was the work that made people feel something.