21GRAMS

This billboard is from June 21, 2018. The day 21GRAMS was born. Tomorrow, we turn 6. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t get us a card. It’s never too late. In full transparency, we started this agency because we were underwhelmed by what was out there. The ingenuity of medicine was dampened by out of touch advertising. If you wanted creativity, you had to look to award shows. And even those had become cliché. An open secret of agency-funded work that isn’t as real as you’d like to believe, done by teams who will never work on your actual business. Making you believe they'd bring that magic to you, only to deliver campaigns worthy of SNL parody, on paying brands. Early on, we decided our best work would be for our clients. We knew it would be harder, because it would be real and regulated. We knew it would take trust and validation, because we’d do things pharma doesn’t. We knew it would be more rewarding because the purpose would never be trophies (though sometimes they’d be an outcome). But rather, a (long overdue) better experience with healthcare. Where we don’t treat medicine like it deserves to be less interesting (or more annoying) than fast food, soda or sneakers. Because it's more important. These weren’t just words or intentions. We did the work. In 6 years, we’ve spent the time getting to know our audiences every way we can (pushed to another level, with the help of Real Chemistry). We’ve cracked the code on humor and levity in health. We’ve done branded & balanced work on platforms like Twitch and TikTok that feel like they belong there. We’ve made safety entertaining to watch, rather than something to speed through. And at every turn, prioritized being consistently creative over “playing the game” for glory. Or worse, being fine with the status quo. We still aren’t close to where we want to be. We've done a lot in 6 years, but we're just getting started. Thank you to everyone at 21GRAMS who continues to put their heart (and yes, soul) into everything we do. Happy Birthday, us.

On the surface, this last podcast episode is about Cannes. But really, it's 4 friends from 21GRAMS talking about why creativity for clients is the only way to move our industry forward, how making us (and our parents) proud drives great work, and the case for making awards an outcome vs the goal. All while occasionally making fun of each other. *Also available on Spotify*

In health, CMOs don't typically have a platform to talk about creativity. We'd listen to that podcast, so we created it. Hear our conversation with Erica Taylor, Ph.D., the first CMO of a company that consistently has branded work (real and regulated) recognized at Cannes and elsewhere. In this episode, Erica does more than Cannesplain. She lends some wisdom, perspective and levity about topics that go well beyond the festival. While explaining why scientists and creatives have more in common than you think. *Also available on Spotify*

Some Clio Health Innovators get posts. Mandy Rexroat gets her own personal anthem. And as the kids say, "It kinda slaps." So turn the volume on. Maybe even sing along. Or wish you never saw this post because Mandy, GOATs, and Clio Health Innovator could get stuck in your head. There are two words that sum up Mandy: She cares. About everything. If you knew her, she'd care about you too. Sincerely. She cares about our clients. She cares about her team. She cares about our audiences. And as the account lead on so much industry-changing work (from gaming to music to social platforms, that benefit brands and people) she turns caring into real-world impact. How? People that care the way Mandy does don't check boxes. Or think details are unimportant. Or stop themselves from pushing for better. Ask Mandy why creativity matters. She'll probably tell you, "It says a brand cares." It's true, it's simple, and on a human level - what we all want. Mandy represents why we love what The Clios have been doing with Clio Health Innovators. It recognizes people for innovative work, who typically don't get recognized for it. Yet, it wouldn't happen without them. So who knows, maybe Mandy's song starts a trend where agencies try to top each other every year, to celebrate their Clio Health Innovators. Seems fun and says we care (like Mandy does). From everyone at 21GRAMS and broader Real Chemistry, congrats to all the winners. To read Mandy's feature in Muse, click the link below. https://lnkd.in/e3X_yw8p

Oh no. Not an awards post. Not from you, 21GRAMS. You've... changed. Well, dear industry, you've changed (in a good way). Because this year at D&AD, you awarded real, regulated, client-funded work for an actual pharma brand (that incorporates safety information and all). Not the kind that ran one time, but was viewed 99,000,000+ times. That you can actually show your clients, to make a case for how social can (and should) be done in our industry, to better serve audiences. So we'll be a little cliche, and brag about how 5 of 15 shortlists for the first-ever pharma category at D&AD were ours. All for top 10 pharmaceutical clients. Because recognition is a lot harder when you're aren't making things up. And if juries aren't going to be cliche by awarding irrelevant work - we may as well be cliche and post about it. Congrats to all the teams at 21GRAMS who's work was recognized. It's not easy doing it the hard way. But it sure is worth it. (See the link to view the work.) https://lnkd.in/gxD2qDki

Rule #1: Pretend you don't watch "The Bachelor". Rule #2: Know The Bachelor has bunions (but also, refer back to Rule #1). Rule #3: Premiere a TV spot about bunions on the season finale, that looks nothing like pharma. From ASMR to a doctor with rhinestone toenails - this isn't just a well-placed 30 second spot, directed by Super Bowl commercial legend Harold Einstein (no big deal). It gets back to what advertising is meant to do: Entertain the audience into remembering everything the brand needs you to know. *Thanks to the Real Chemistry media team, the great clients at Treace, and the 21GRAMS team on this (and throughout the agency) who constantly find a way to make healthcare something it's not known for: being likeable.  Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. #lapiplasty #healthcare #creativity #thebachelor

At a time when words like "efficiency" and "omnichannel" have come to dominate one too many conversations, make "creativity" your buzzword in 2024. When all is said and done, that's what makes brands mean something. That's what makes the work we do worth people's time. And that's what makes us love this business.

Life is pretty magical. From the big things to the little things, in good times or bad. It's always worth celebrating. Happy holidays to you all. JoinTheHopefall.com

In partnership with the American Cancer Society, we're making a little holiday magic, in the physical world and the digital world. If you're in Manhattan today, swing by the New York City Hope Lodge, for an experience called "The Miracle on 32nd Street". It's part of a bigger campaign to celebrate cancer survival called Hopefall (which you'll be seeing and hearing more about in the days to come). Everyone is welcome: 4:30-6:30 PM 132 W 32nd Street (between 6th and 7th)

When it comes to creativity, people sometimes say, "It isn't a matter of life or death." Except in healthcare, pretty often, it actually is. If you are in this industry (client-side, agency-side, in a creative discipline or otherwise) and aren't waking up every morning, even on Friday, asking yourself how the brand you're responsible for can be every bit as interesting or inspiring as the ones you love most (whether its in fast food, footwear or otherwise) you may be missing the purpose of what it is that we're here to do. We work in a category where every project is an opportunity to affect someone's life. That privilege would be a shame not to take. The creative standard shouldn't be lower because this is health, it should be higher because there's more at stake.