Health Realism

Medical advertising delivers true-to-life portrayals of illness

Implications - Medical advertising experts are embracing an honest approach to health-related campaigns. Avoiding the sugar coating of chronic illnesses serves the interests of an influential subset of consumers desiring transparency. This is largely tied to the information age, which encourages contemporary culture to seek out the truth in all matters.
Workshop Question - What sugar-coating goes on in your industry? How could you stand out by "cutting through the noise"?

Trend Themes

  1. Realistic Health Campaigns — Medical advertising is embracing an honest approach to health-related campaigns that avoids sugar coating of chronic illnesses.
  2. Gruesome Visuals — Campaigns using gruesome visuals and harsh messages to communicate the severity of health issues and to potentially encourage behavioral change.
  3. Humorous Death — Campaigns that use humor and satire to get people to think, talk and plan for death and may open opportunities for alternative funeral options.

Industry Implications

  1. Healthcare — Realistic and unambiguous visual and audio campaigns that show the true state of ailments can promote better health awareness and early detection.
  2. Advertising — More researched and data-driven campaigns that move away from the over-saturation with happy and comfortable depictions of disease can add value to the industry.
  3. Entertainment & Art — Movements in both mainstream/ pop culture and art that promote the truth about health and illness while striving to lessen the societal taboos could create educational impact.
3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
6 Featured, 54 Examples:
477,423 Total Clicks
Date Range:
Sep 14 — Sep 15
Trending:
Mild
Consumer Insight Topics:

Featured Examples

Deathly Diet Campaigns
Deathly Diet Campaigns
Warwick Thornton Presents Kids with Fast Food Bombs Strapped to Them
Artist and filmmaker Warwick Thornton has created an eye-opening photography project that presents children who have fast food items strapped to them like bombs. This artist is presenting the... MORE
Gruesome Diabetic Ads
Gruesome Diabetic Ads
These Diabetes Association Ads Show How 'Sweet Kills'
For most people, the most harmful thing that might come from eating cakes and brownies is a stomachache from overindulging, but these ads from the Diabetes Association of Thailand prove that... MORE
play_circle_filledHair-Raising Cancer Ads
Hair-Raising Cancer Ads
The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation Shares a Hair-Raising Message
This ‘Hair-Raising Message’ from The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation takes inspiration from a shampoo subway advertisement that went absolutely viral earlier this year. The... MORE
play_circle_filledLonely Cancer Campaigns
Lonely Cancer Campaigns
Macmillan's Cancer Campaign Simulates the Disease with an Isolation Box
In order to simulate the kind of seclusion that people with cancer often face, Macmillan Cancer Support set up an isolation box in Paddington Station. This stunt was part of the group’s Not... MORE
play_circle_filledDeathly Wearable Campaigns
Deathly Wearable Campaigns
The Mount Pleasant Group's Funeral Home Ad Mocks Wearable Devices
The messages in a funeral home ad are generally something that most people would prefer not to have to think about. Knowing this, the Mount Pleasant Group went about creating a unique commercial for... MORE
Terrifying Wellbeing Commercials
Terrifying Wellbeing Commercials
This Life Alert Commercial Takes a Dark Approach to Advertising
Since the “Help I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up” Life Alert commercials have seen a surge in popularity once again thanks to Vine, the company rolled out a disturbing new ad... MORE

Related Examples

Inhaled Insulin Ads
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Celebrity Pharmaceutical Campaigns
Celebrity Pharmaceutical Campaigns
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Dangerous Food Charts
Dangerous Food Charts
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Die-Cut Juice Labels
Die-Cut Juice Labels
The Jamu Kitchen's Turmeric Juice Boasts Inner & Outer Beauty Benefits
Pop-Up Salad Bars
Pop-Up Salad Bars
Subway's Outdoor Salad Bar Encourages Healthy Eating on the Street
Holistic Airport Saunas
Holistic Airport Saunas
The Finnair Lounge at Helsinki Airport Boasts a Unisex Finnish Sauna
play_circle_filled24-Hour Test Drives
24-Hour Test Drives
Buick's '24 Hours of Happiness' Test Drive Encourages Wellness on the Road
Drinkable Salad Beverages
Drinkable Salad Beverages
SaladPower's Beverage Helps You Drink Your Vegetables
Gourmet Soup Mixes
Gourmet Soup Mixes
Gourmet Bistro Soups Were Created with the Busy Young Professional in Mind
Booze-Infused Wing Menus
Booze-Infused Wing Menus
The Buffalo Wild Wings Eatery & Boston Beer Company Launch a Boozy Menu
Health Awareness Installations
Health Awareness Installations
This Ontario Pharmacy Marketing Stunt Informs Consumers
Charitable Fitness Bands
Charitable Fitness Bands
UNICEF's Kid Power Bands Empower Kids to Do Good for Others
play_circle_filledBlogger Cancer Campaigns
Blogger Cancer Campaigns
The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation's Blog Battle Helps Everyone Win
play_circle_filledTearjerker Tissue Ads
Tearjerker Tissue Ads
Scotties Has Remarkable Women Share Their Cancer Survivor Stories
play_circle_filledTanning Funeral Pranks
Tanning Funeral Pranks
This Campaign Reveals the Dangers of Indoor Tanning and Health
Contactless Donation Shops
Contactless Donation Shops
This Interactive Display Window Collects Contactless Payment Donations
Mastectomized Barbie Dolls
Mastectomized Barbie Dolls
DDB's Breast Cancer Campaign for ALCC is Ethnically Eye-Opening
Anime Herb Packets
Anime Herb Packets
Arctic Warriors' Healthy Herb Remedy Packaging Takes Cues from Anime Cards
play_circle_filledHunger-Curbing Pacemakers
Hunger-Curbing Pacemakers
VBLOC Therapy by EnteroMedics Involves an Electronic Surgical Implant
Cute Testicular Cancer Campaigns
Cute Testicular Cancer Campaigns
Furballs by DentsuBos Likens Guinea Pigs to Testes
Charitable Soup Contests
Charitable Soup Contests
Campbell’s Chunky Wants You to Create a Soup for a Good Cause
play_circle_filledStreaking Cancer Campaigns
Streaking Cancer Campaigns
This Campaign for Cancer Encourages Canadians to Bare It All
Feminine Coffee Packaging
Feminine Coffee Packaging
Oquendo's Coffee Packaging Designs Support Breast Cancer Awareness
Comical Cough Ads
Comical Cough Ads
Ricola's Cough Medicine Ads Show Sickness Getting in the Way
Ruined Surprise Ads
Ruined Surprise Ads
These Pink October Ads Remind to Check for Cancer So It's Not a Surprise
play_circle_filledVirtual Mastectomy Tattoo Apps
Virtual Mastectomy Tattoo Apps
This Breast Cancer Too App Digitally Imagines Post-Mastectomy Ink
play_circle_filledCamera-Embedded Bras
Camera-Embedded Bras
Nestlé FITNESS' Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Involves a Hidden Camera
Grabby Cancer Ads
Grabby Cancer Ads
These Breast Cancer Ads Disguise Themselves as Social Media Logos
play_circle_filledCancer-Fighting Nanobots
Cancer-Fighting Nanobots
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Cancer Patient Tattoo Sleeves
Cancer Patient Tattoo Sleeves
LympheDIVAs Creates Stylishly Deceptive Garments for Customers
Mathematic Medicine Ads
Mathematic Medicine Ads
Ricola's Feel Better Ad Does Simple Math to Represent Wellness
Cancer-Hunting Nanorobots
Cancer-Hunting Nanorobots
Nanorobots Could Be Able to Isolate and Destroy Cancerous Cells
Healing Music Infographics
Healing Music Infographics
The 'What is Music Therapy' Infographic Unveils Music's Benefits
Aging Athletes Photography
Aging Athletes Photography
This Series Shows That a Wrinkled Body Can't Stop Human Determination
Bizarre Geriatric Photography
Bizarre Geriatric Photography
Harry Griffin's Old Age Photography Sees Aging in a Different Light
Beach-Going Senior Photography
Beach-Going Senior Photography
June Canedo Photographs Bikini-Clad Honeys at the Beach
Dessert-Urinating Ads
Dessert-Urinating Ads
The Janssen Invokana Diabetes Treatment Campaign is Strangely Sweet
Guilt-Tripping Lighters
Guilt-Tripping Lighters
The Quitbit Smart Lighter Will Help You Quit Smoking
Singing Senior Ads
Singing Senior Ads
This Vodafone Red 4g Commercial Celebrates Discovering New Music at Any Age
play_circle_filledAge Group-Connecting Ads
Age Group-Connecting Ads
A Speaking Exchange Brings English-Learning Teens and US Seniors Together
Anti-Childhood Obesity Applications
Anti-Childhood Obesity Applications
The Kurbo Health System Helps Kids Combat Health Issues
play_circle_filledTech Ad Parodies
Tech Ad Parodies
The Walley POS-86 Makes Fun of Today's Technology Ads
Child-Friendly Fitness Trackers
Child-Friendly Fitness Trackers
The Leapband by Leapfrog Aims To Fight Childhood Obesity
play_circle_filled3D-Printed Condiment Caps
3D-Printed Condiment Caps
This 3D-Printed Ketchup Cap Will Make Your Condiment Mess Free
Tattooed Senior Photography
Tattooed Senior Photography
Reddit User 'clevknife' Captured Photos of Tattooed Seniors
Belly Ice Cream Ads
Belly Ice Cream Ads
The French Ministry of Health Campaign Addresses Child Obesity Concerns
play_circle_filledGraceful Ageing Ads
Graceful Ageing Ads
Time Flies by Age UK Celebrates Getting Old
Outdoor Play Infographics
Outdoor Play Infographics
Let The Kids Run Infographic Shows Playing Outside is Important for Kids
play_circle_filledInteractive Hair-Blowing Subway Ads
Interactive Hair-Blowing Subway Ads
This Interactive Ad Recognizes When Trains are Coming & Reacts
Plus-Sized Doll Makeovers
Plus-Sized Doll Makeovers
Plus Size Modeling's Plus-Sized Barbie is Stirring Controversy
Harsh Truth Logos
Harsh Truth Logos
Universal Unbranding by Maentis is a Series of Satirical Art
play_circle_filledThe Epidemic of Childhood Obesity
The Epidemic of Childhood Obesity
Michelle Obama Discusses Health in This Nutritional Speech
Dangerous Dessert Ads
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The Unimed Curitiba Campaign Brings Awareness to Diabetes
Perforated Portrait Ads
Perforated Portrait Ads
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