New York, NY – October 28, 2016: The Global Awards℠  has announced the 2016 Finalists. Since 1992, the international Global Awards has honored the World’s Best Healthcare & Wellness Advertising℠ and has served as a touchstone for celebrating creative achievement in healthcare and wellness communications beyond the barriers of language and culture.

The Global Awards Grand Jury shortlisted 145 entries this year submitted from 24 countries. Entries achieving shortlist status were judged by the Executive Jury in a live session in New York City to determine trophy winners. The 2016 award-winning entries will be announced at the Global Awards ceremonies on November 17^th in New York City and Sydney, Australia.

Entries educating the consumer on behalf of brands dominated this year’s competition. Agencies from 11 countries saw 25 entries for prominent international brands and organizations in the Educational Awareness (Advertising to the Consumer) category move on to the medal round.

2016 Finalists entries utilized a robust number of trends to engage consumers including technology, crowd-sourcing tactics, cause marketing, public responsibility, experiential engagement, and event marketing.

Technology-driven campaigns moved on to the trophy round.  GSW Worldwide “The Empathy Project” for USB used virtual reality technology to allow health professionals working with the epilepsy community to experience firsthand what a seizure is like; Sudler & Hennessey London “The Journey Ahead Challenge” for Trajenta EASD Congress Activity employed a driving game linked to iPads where delegates earned ‘fuel’ by answering questions about the brand/diabetes – allowing them maneuver the challenging landscape within the game.

Area 23 New York “The Hero Gene” utilized crowd-sourcing to increase donors for client Be The Match, The National Bone Marrow Database. The campaign recruited hero donors to find the perfect match via a DNA test administered on the floor of New York Comic Con. McCann Erickson Japan’s entry “Still Life” employed cause/event marketing and raised awareness for client END ALS. Artists were invited to an urban gallery to paint an ALS patient who served as the “Still Life” model; the finished portraits filled the walls of the gallery to illustrate the tragic disease.

Integrated campaigns utilized a variety of communication channels to support causes, benefit brands, and engage consumers. Langland UK’s Finalist “AMP Shoes” for Diabetes UK rallied support for diabetes amputees via a pop up shop. The store showcased shoes, each of which represented one of the 135 feet or lower limbs lost to diabetes every week. In-store hidden cameras recorded the reactions of consumers and a website mirrored the experience of the consumer; text and banner ads along with social media campaign drove traffic.  Additional Integrated campaigns achieving Finalist status: Leo Burnett, Chicago “Ways In Campaign” for United Healthcare; Area 23 “A Thousand Words about NTM” for NTM Disease Education; FCB Health “Toe Tucker” for Toenail Fungus; and The Bloc “Doing More” for client Montefiore Health System.

The United States were out front this year with 65 entries achieving Finalist status, a 25.5% increase over last year. The United Kingdom had 27 entries move on to the trophy round, followed by Australia with 13 Finalists. German agencies saw 6 entries move forward.  India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates each achieved 4 Finalists; and Brazil, Canada, France and Japan moved forward with 3 Finalists, followed by China with 2. Cambodia, Greece, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine each had a single entry move forward.

The Global Awards Grand Jury, headed by Global Awards Executive Committee Chairperson Robin Shapiro, Group President, North America TBWA\WorldHealth evaluated entries to determine the 2016 Finalists. International Grand Jury live judging sessions were hosted by the following agencies: Ogilvy CommonHealth Sydney, Publicis LifeBrands Resolute London, and TBWA\WorldHealth Chicago.

To view the 2016 Global Awards Finalists please visit: HERE.

The Global Awards will celebrate the 2016 award-winners with celebrations in Sydney, Australia at the X Studio and in New York at The New York Academy of Sciences. All winners and attendees are invited to jet to the show of their choice on Thursday, November 17, 2016. For ceremony details and to purchase tickets to the 2016 Global Awards celebrations visit: HERE.

For more information, please visit the Global Awards at www.theglobalawards.com.