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.

2019 Grand Jury member Shinsuke Sawasaka, Creative Director, Beacon Communications k.k./ Publicis Groupe Japan is a seasoned creative talent experienced in many major global brand's campaigns in his career at global agencies. He strongly believes that a great idea has the power of advancing the world by involving people‘s participation.

Global Awards: What new trends in healthcare advertising have you seen emerge in the past year?

Shinsuke Sawasaki: In recent years, I feel that the trend for award winning ads is shifting away from traditional way brands convey their message or educate the audience, but more towards helping solve real life problems and obstacles  that people face in their lives. This feels especially true in the health care category.Today, as technology is rapidly advancing faster than ever, it is becoming increasing more important for us to not only deliver advertising ideas, but to provide wisdom to all people so that they can live a richer and healthier lives.

Global Awards: How has mobile affected the advertising and marketing mix in the health sphere?

Shinsuke Sawasaki: I feel that since mobile devices has become essential to our lives, we cannot separate health care communication from our mobile devices. Not only can we sync to wearable devices and share the necessary information to maintain a healthy life, but utilizing mobile devices can help support people with disabilities through examples such as Huawei’s ‘Story Sign’ or Wavio’s ‘See Sound’. With the advancement of technology, I believe that the role of mobile devices in the health care category will only going tobecome more vital to our health care.

Global Awards: Is Wellness advertising increasing, if so, how has the market changed within the last few years?

Shinsuke Sawasaki: In Japan, where I live, there has been an increase in awareness and importance toward to health care,and healthcare advertising has reflected this trend as it continues to grow. Until recently, there was a perception that caring for your body and health behavior were things that mainly middle aged people did. However, in the last 10 years, people’s perception has changed, especially in the younger generation.It has become more reasonable, even becoming cool and trendy. For example, diet, yoga, gym, are becoming a big trend in the health care market and will continue to grow.

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?

Shinsuke Sawasaki: I love simple ideas, and Purina’s “Street Vet” impacted me greatly. (This is an example of animal health and not human health.)This idea takes advantage of dogs’ habit of urinating on a lot different things/places by changing an OOH into an effortless and efficient dog urine testing spot. Also this is also a great idea as that enables dog owners to capture a moment they cherish and share with their dogs. Above all, this idea is super charming!