Each year, the Global Awards recruits some of the world’s most prominent award-winning industry creatives and thought leaders to serve on the Global Awards Grand Jury. David Yang is a Co-Founder of TOM, DICK & HARRY.
Global Awards: As you make your way through life, you encounter inevitable health issues with friends and family. Are there any diseases, issues, conditions that you have a yearning to work on? Why?
David Yang: I would want to do my part in helping fight cancer. Both my moms who are in their 80s have been battling it the past year. It really rocked me to the core. It’s a frightening and humbling to see your family members fight for their lives. The human spirit and perseverance is inspirational.
Global Awards: How about Pharma – has the landscape of Pharma advertising changed in the last few years and where do you see it going moving forward?
David Yang: Who would have thought medical cannabis would be considered as Pharma. In the past year medical cannabis marketing is being accepted and becoming more prevalent. We were fortunate to have been the first agency to win a pharma award for medical cannabis with our work for Cresco Labs.
Global Awards: What creative work on behalf of brands both wellness and/or pharma have you seen recently that are breakthrough in creative and effective?
David Yang: I really like the experiential work our creative team of Stacey Chapman and Joel Thomas did for Cresco Labs. Opioid is an epidemic that needs to be stopped. We wanted to express how you can exchange your opioid prescription for medical cannabis. The program was called COPE. We placed a vending machine stocked with pill bottles and information about the legislation outside the State of Illinois building. When you went to pull from the vending machine a pill bottle kicked out with a note inside that explained the entire program. When it comes to effectiveness, even if one person gets rid of their opioid addiction it’s a success.
Golbal Awards: This is more of awards and advertising question. There seems to be varying opinions about the nature of the content awarded top honors at Healthcare Awards show 5-10 years ago, and what tends to win in today’s competitions. There are some people that believe the bar is being raised, and there are some in the industry that believe the everyday work is getting outshined by causes. What are your thoughts?
David Yang: Based on the most recent Adweek’s Small Agency of the Year conference, the agencies doing cause marketing with bigger budgets typically win. The creative bar should be raised as we’re in a society driven beyond traditional media. To win in today’s world it’s going to have to be like my wife’s meatloaf. It’s a mix of content, social, experiential and PR. Did I mention my wife makes a mean meatloaf?