Health & Wellness Category — The New Age of Advertising Is Now

This week at Cannes Lions, the Health & Wellness category showed that impactful marketing doesn't have to follow the typical formula of somber piano music and heartbreaking stories. Instead, this year’s winners challenged expectations by meeting audiences where they are, both emotionally and digitally. Vaseline’s “Verified” campaign (a continuation of their “See My Skin” initiative) turned viral TikTok hacks into something meaningful. Rather than fighting misinformation, they leaned into it, bringing creators into their labs to test internet claims and stamp them as “verified” or “busted.” It was funny, unexpected, and perfectly positioned for a Gen Z audience that values transparency and social-first content. This approach helped a legacy CPG product feel modern, relevant, and trustworthy—ultimately earning Vaseline the Grand Prix in Health & Wellness.

On the other end of the emotional spectrum, CALM’s “Missed Birthdays” campaign tackled youth suicide with heartbreaking creativity. The installation featured 6,929 balloons suspended from the ceiling in a London mall, one for every young life lost to suicide in the past decade. Through QR codes and audio messages from grieving families, CALM encouraged the public to confront the often-silenced topic of mental health. Their free C.A.R.E. kits provided tools to help parents talk with their children about emotional well-being, turning passive viewers into active participants in the conversation. As client lead Helen Oakley noted, “We prioritized viewing environments that allow us to tell the longer story.”

What connects both campaigns is their ability to build community through culturally resonant storytelling. Whether through humor or heartbreak, both brands listened to what people were already talking about and responded. Vaseline tapped into everyday conversations about skincare hacks and turned them into education. CALM brought visibility to an invisible crisis and created space for families to take action. In a digital world overloaded with information and noise, these campaigns stood out by leading with empathy, creativity, and purpose. They didn’t just market products or causes, they created movements rooted in human connection.