Winner
The Astellas Innovation Debate
Summary of work
With the recent launch of three new medicines and a fifth of sales invested in R&D, innovation is a major priority at Astellas. But as a young business, awareness of the company and its focus on advancing medical science is not always high. The Astellas Innovation Debate was designed to change that – a profile-building event bringing together top experts to discuss a topical issue linked to innovation in front of a live audience of healthcare, business and industry leaders. The debate was webcast and promoted through media channels to widen its reach. It was a simple concept that allowed engagement across corporate stakeholders while putting innovation at the heart of the company's story.
A live audience of over 400 people watched Lord Robert Winston chair a panel of high-profile experts at The Royal Institute of Great Britain as they discussed the role of innovation in population ageing. With the webcast now viewed over 20,000 times and media activity resulting in 270 million OTS, the campaign put Astellas on the innovation map and enthralled public and professionals alike. As one leading health expert observed: "To fill that size of room with such senior, influential people was a real coup."
Judges’ comments
A good, solid, traditional corporate meeting agenda that matches Japanese corporate culture with webex and social media. The impressive speakers and attendees generated discussion and put Astellas at the heart of the innovation debate. An effective, beautifully simple, well-executed idea – and you can’t argue with the results.
