Why “Make Love Last” Matters: A Creative Wake-Up Call for Pharma Marketers

It’s easy to forget that pharma marketing was once known for great storytelling. Somewhere along the way, in the race for data, tech integrations, and compliance-safe messaging, the creative core of our industry got quieter. But this year, at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Viatris reminded us what’s possible when pharma gets brave—and human—again.

Their Grand Prix-winning campaign, Make Love Last, didn’t just impress jurors. It reignited a conversation that’s been missing from our industry: how to connect emotionally in a world where regulation often forces us into safe, sanitized corners.

Ogilvy Health’s Shanghai team didn’t break the rules. They played within them—and turned them into creative constraints that actually unlocked more impactful work. In a market like China, where direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs is strictly off-limits and topics like sex are considered culturally sensitive, they found a new language. Instead of words, they used symbols. Instead of a product name, they showed a blue diamond. Instead of actors, they featured real couples in moments of genuine intimacy, captured through delicate time-lapse photography.

This wasn’t a gimmick or a workaround. It was a campaign that respected its audience, honored local norms, and still moved the needle. It wasn’t trying to go viral with shock value or drown itself in jargon. It simply made people feel something.

And it worked. The campaign launched on Valentine’s Day as an art initiative, sparking open conversations online and racking up hundreds of millions of impressions. But more than that, it moved the industry. Because it challenged a long-standing belief: that creativity in pharma must always come second to caution.

What Viatris and Ogilvy achieved wasn’t just a beautiful film or a savvy regulatory sidestep. They gave us a blueprint for how the rules can be the reason a campaign succeeds—not the excuse for why it doesn’t. As Pharma Jury President Franklin Williams put it, “This was craft as a loophole.”

For marketers who’ve grown used to pitching apps, building VR demos, or hiding behind mechanistic safety claims, Make Love Last is a wake-up call. It shows that simplicity, when executed with care and courage, can be more powerful than any tech platform. It reminds us that the best pharma marketing isn’t about the drug. It’s about the people we’re trying to reach. Their fears, their hopes, their lives.

Maybe it’s time to stop asking how to say more and start asking how to say less—more meaningfully. Viatris didn’t win because they had the biggest media buy or the most cutting-edge platform. They won because they told a story people remembered. One that slipped past regulations and straight into the heart.

If you're wondering what will resonate in this next chapter of healthcare marketing, maybe start there. Not with the specs. Not with the script. But with the story. Let it be real. Let it be brave. And above all, let it be human.

G-Med excels in HCP marketing by blending digital innovation with data-driven insights, creating an effective platform for reaching healthcare professionals, offering various advertising solutions. By using G-Med to engage HCPs, share data reports, and explore innovative channels, marketers can deliver targeted, impactful messages that foster strong connections. G-Med’s approach ensures that each campaign is tailored, scientifically rigorous, and effective, aligning perfectly with the best practices for successful HCP marketing.   

Contact us today to learn more: Contact@g-med.com