Thoughts from Andrew Spurgeon, ECD at Langland UK who is judging at the inaugural Lions Health awards in Cannes.

It’s been a long day, so I’ll keep this short. Right now, the jury is picking through all shortlisted entries. Giving the work a final sense check, and shaking down the categories to make sure that only the best of the best moves onto, what must be seen as the absolute measure of all that is great in healthcare communication. Three days in, and there’s an easy familiarity developing between the judges. The friendliness, however, does not mask the seriousness with which each of us is taking this task. Today was spent reviewing several hundred more entries, and I will say that there is some beautifully conceived and executed work. Alongside the health and wellness juries, we’ve seen a steady influx of creatives arriving at the Palais to pore over Cannes Lions. This is high class creativity on an industrial scale, and the organisers are clearly very practiced at managing so many creative egos. Speaking of which, I must report that my fellow judges have been decidedly ego-free. Whether we can remain sane and focussed through the metal-giving round tommorrow remains to be seen. But somehow I suspect we will.

Andrew Spurgeon is Executive Creative Director at Langland. He is a jury member on the inaugural Pharma Jury at this year’s Lions Health.