Thinking holistically is easy to say, but hard to do, especially when designing strategies to change behavior within a specific role like patient, HCP, or caregiver. In this episode, Sonika and Gabe unpack how they disrupt their own thinking to uncover culturally resonant insights and drive more impactful behavioral strategies.

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The biggest health story of the year has been how GLP-1s like Ozempic are reshaping everyday life. As the holidays approach, we take a closer look at an unexpected cultural shift—the shape of Santa Claus. For nearly a century, Santa has been celebrated as a holly jolly figure with a long white beard and a big round belly. But this year we've seen depictions of Santa hitting the gym, counting calories, and even taking Ozempic.

In this episode, we explore what Santa’s transformation says about society. Why are people so invested in changing Santa’s iconic image? What does it mean that even Santa cares about his weight? And what’s gained—and lost—as Santa transitions from "fat and jolly" to "Hot Santa"? We are joined by Jennifer Tsitsopoulos, Practice Lead of the Medical Anthropology team, to explore these questions through the lens of medical anthropology and holiday traditions.

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In this episode, we are joined by Eirásmin Lokpez-Cobo, EVP of Brand Strategy at República Havas Health, to dive into the insights from her team's recently published white paper, Equity in Action: Mapping the Multicultural Patient Journey for Inclusive Strategies (link below). This insightful paper sheds light on the systemic barriers and health-related behaviors that shape the experiences of diverse U.S. audiences throughout their patient journey.

This is part one of our two-part series focusing on the multicultural patient experience. We start by building a shared understanding of the barriers that prevent engagement with health systems. From there, we uncover overlooked elements of their journey, such as the unique health priorities of multicultural patients and the sources of trust they rely on. Disengagement isn’t solely rooted in mistrust, nor does the desire to achieve better health simply fade away. To truly "meet patients where they are," we must understand the where they are willing—and able—to go.

Here's the link to the team's whitepaper: 24_RHH_WHITEPAPER_2_EQUITY-IN-ACTION_MAPPING-THE-MULTICULTURAL-PATIENT-JOURNEY-FOR-INCLUSIVE-STRATEGIES_LONG.pdf

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Women's professional sports are "having a moment", but this did not happen in a vacuum nor did it happen overnight. In a highly anticipated episode (for us), we finally got a chance to sit down with Claire Knapp (CEO of Havas Lynx) and Denise Melone (Managing Director of Havas Life San Francisco) to discuss the implications of the growth of women's sports, both as a business and as an opportunity. Both of these female leaders are accomplished athletes, and we discuss the role of things like teamwork, coaching, and mental fortitude, learned on the judo mats and tennis courts, in their successes as corporate leaders at Havas.

The growing interest in the competitive aspects of women's sports has coincided with the appearance of women in a variety of hitherto-denied spaces, such as the boardroom, the judging panel, and even just full-court basketball (looking at you, Sue Atkins--my mom). While this shift is notable, both Claire and Denise express the sentiment that disparities in treatment, compensation and conversation are still as important as ever to address and overcome. What's important is how we talk about women, not as bodies but as humans, and, in the case for this episode, as fierce, aggressive, badass athletes.

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With the advent of GLP-1 drugs, it was only a matter of time before Brad and Gabriel dove into a discussion about this controversial drug class and the equally contentious disease, obesity. In this episode, they explore a range of topics—from the history of obesity and its recognition as a disease to how GLP-1s like Ozempic are influencing the conversation around the legitimacy and stigma of obesity beyond just Body Mass Index (BMI).

One of the most compelling ideas from this thought-provoking episode centers on control—how we perceive our own health and judge others, assuming people have more control over their health outcomes than they really do. This theme cuts to the heart of the obesity debate: are we excusing unhealthy habits, or are we acknowledging that the issue is far more complex than we originally thought?

The inspiration for this episode: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/19/opinion/obesity-disease-ozempic-weight-loss.html

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Our fascination with neurodivergence continues as we are joined by PsyD, Dr. Matt Zakreski to breakdown the semantics of giftedness, and inclusive design for neurodivergent people in a variety of public spaces. The term "gifted" was of particular interest of us and our guest because at one point in each of our lives we had been called out of the classroom to take an exam that would ultimately label us as gifted. While it does make some complex topics clear, some seemingly simple topics are much harder to resolve for gifted children - the mistake lies in assuming that exceptional skills make them exceptional at everything.

One thread that connects this episode to our previous conversation with Kathryn Parsons, was this idea that neurodivergent people may consciously modify behavior to receive the expected response from the world. To varying degrees, they anticipate their settings, surroundings, and (most importantly) the people they come into contact with in order to socially adapt and make it through the day. This gives meaning to the phrase "meeting someone where they are" especially important as something to stive for, but it's also clearer why it can be hard to do: people habituate to their circumstances and can end up suffering in silence.

Purchase Dr. Matt's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Neurodiversity-Playbook-Neurodivergent-People-Neurotypical/dp/195336036X

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In this episode, recorded right before the Labor Day weekend, Brad and Gabe have one thing on their minds... barbecuing! More specifically, they're thinking about barbecuing as a ritual, a set of behaviors with rules, inversions of norms, specific settings and a meaning that goes beyond its function.

In health, rituals are overlooked, but they're are a desired part of the human experience, even if patients and consumers don't articulate it. Think about where you'd be comfortable getting a shot from your HCP. In a parking lot? The elevator? The waiting area? The doctor's office? A successful health experiences hinges on an individual's comfort, familiarity and trust, so rituals play a crucial role in making procedures feel safe and making recipients feel dignified.

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The term "neurodiversity," introduced 25 years ago by autistic Australian sociologist Judy Singer, marked a milestone in our understanding of autism and the appreciation of "difference, not deficit" in how brains work. More than a buzzword, neurodiversity describes a growing population whose brains work differently from the "neurotypical," and whose historic separation from social engagement has been replaced with a social inclusion that allows them to share their unique talents and perspectives. These differences go beyond functional tasks like working in an office or completing an exam. Their unique interactions with the world inform their fascinating worldview and their day-to-day challenges. For us in advertising, knowing how your audience interacts with the world is crucial to creating communication that speaks to them.

In this episode, Brad and Gabe are joined by Havas' own, Kathryn Parsons, a digital marketing expert and an advocate for neurodiversity. Kathryn has autism, and she shares multiple anecdotes describing how she's adapted to a neurotypical world. The three of them also discuss what brands can be doing better to reach their neurodiverse audience - which is 1 in every 5 of us.

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