Pharma > Regulated

UNDER A ROCK

21GRAMS, New York / AstraZeneca / 2023

Awards:

Shortlisted Cannes Lions
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Overview

Credits

Overview

Please provide an FDA code or regional equivalent in relation to your submission.

The Veeva code for this work is GB-41700.

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

This film is an original story about healthcare professionals who are (unknowingly) stuck in the past. Still using treatments from the 1960s to manage hyperkalaemia, while unaware of a more modern medicine, because they've been living under a rock. Literally.

It follows a 3 act structure:

SETUP: We open on what first appears to be a period piece, set in a 1960s hospital. Shirley Ellis's "Nitty Gritty" sets the tone, pace and year (released in 1963, when the standard of care was introduced.) Suddenly, there's a mysterious quaking.

CONFRONTATION: The quaking builds intrigue and tension. A rolling pea, from a hospital food plate, navigates the viewer through the disruption.

RESOLUTION: In a twist, we find that the source of the quaking is a "peer" from modern times, rolling away the rock they'd been living under. She reveals that there are "new ways to manage hyperkalaemia". Making a straightforward message unforgettable.

Background:

Hyperkalaemia is a condition that can lead to hospitalisation or death. The standard of care hadn't advanced since the 1960s and were full of tradeoffs, including quality of life and drug interactions that made the treatment of other common conditions for these patients (like heart failure) less effective.

But in 2018, Lokelma was a decades-overdue advancement. Those who prescribed it almost unanimously had a great experience; from better results to patient satisfaction. But the rest were "living under a rock", so to speak. Still treating hyperkalaemia the same way it was treated 60 years ago.

The brief: Create FOMO (fear of missing out). Save lives.

Our objective was to help doctors realise that they are practicing outdated medicine, in a way that charms rather than offends. Driving them to see what they've been missing, by hearing from others who've experienced Lokelma firsthand, by visiting a peer to peer portal.

Tell the jury about the production design / art direction.

We studied UK hospitals from the early 1960s and painstakingly replicated a 1963 cardiology wing, from a hospital that had been abandoned.

From colours (a palette of mint greens, blues and grays that matched the era) to signage (redesigned to replicate the period), vintage wardrobe (including the patient's sock garters, predating elastic), antique props / medical instruments (100% authentic) and use of products still in market from the 1960s to style the cast (Brylcleem and Aqua Net hairspray), no detail was too small to bring the viewer back in time.

The film was shot using Kowa anamorphic lenses for authenticity, and vintage film grade added grain and warmth to offset the pristine look of digital.

The modern world was shot against the rolling hills of Bowland Knotts. The 10 foot diameter rock was handcrafted (wire, foam, paint), as was the hole - using organic materials sourced from the moor.

Is there any cultural context that would help the jury understand how this work was perceived by people in the country where it ran?

1. In English-speaking countries, the phrase or concept of "living under a rock" translates to not being aware of something most people know about.

2. The location super ("Royal Albion Hospital") is an Easter egg. A subtle reference to a hospital in the British cult-classic Doctor Who, a series about a time traveller.

3. In the production design / art direction writeup, there is a mention of the hole being created by organic materials from the moor. Common to northern England, a moor is a tract of open country that may be either dry with heather and associated vegetation or wet with an acid peat vegetation.

Why is this work relevant for Pharma Lions?

The film "Under a Rock" was created in partnership with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, on behalf of the prescription treatment Lokelma (for a condition called hyperkalaemia). The audience is healthcare professionals.

Describe any restrictions or regulations regarding Healthcare/RX/Pharma communications in your country/region including:

This film appeared in the United Kingdom and adheres to the rules and regulations of MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulations Agency) for advertising to prescribers. It underwent mandatory legal, medical and regulatory review within AstraZeneca to assure compliance.

Describe the target audience and why your work is relevant to them.

This film is for healthcare professionals who treat hyperkalaemia, primarily cardiologists and nephrologists.

It is relevant because medicines used to treat hyperkalaemia hadn't advanced since the 1960s; changing in 2018 with the introduction of Lokelma. "Under a Rock" is for doctors who still hadn't heard of or prescribed Lokelma yet.

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