This year at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, WPP’s health community, Health@WPP teamed up with the World Woman Foundation to host a number of panels to highlight the need for greater equity, innovation and empowerment across women's health.

As we look for ways to drive meaningful change when it comes to women’s health, here are some key insights and actionable takeaways for advertisers and brands to consider.

Accelerating equity and creativity in women’s health across life stages

For too long, women's health has been underrepresented in research, funding and public discourse. This session highlighted the emerging shift, driven by a new generation of female entrepreneurs and innovators pioneering progress in healthcare solutions tailored to women's specific needs.

Wendy Lund, WPP’s Chief Client Officer for Health@WPP, emphasised the crucial link between creativity and equity: “If we’re going to achieve progress in women’s health we have to gain more momentum, accelerate and drive impact.”

Wendy urges listeners to:

• Champion inclusive research: Advocate for clinical research that accurately reflects the diversity of women's experiences across all life stages and backgrounds.
• Invest in innovation: Support the development and adoption of innovative technologies that help women take control of their health.
• Amplify women's voices: Ensure that women are equally represented in decision-making roles within the healthcare industry and beyond.

Girls, girl culture – self-esteem and health

In a conversation led by Rachel Lowenstein, Global Head of Inclusive Innovation at WPP’s Mindshare, panellists Aayati Dash Kar and USA TODAY’s Jenny Huang explored the transformative power of girlhood in modern culture, discussing its evolution from a simple demographic label to a significant cultural force.

"The idea of girl as a descriptor – it opens up all of the doors of multiplied expressions of girlhood, rather than the very singular framing of what it means to be a woman and a girl." – Rachel Lowenstein, Mindshare

Lowenstein described how girlhood has transcended traditional gender roles and age, becoming an expansive identity that enhances self-esteem and social interactions.

There’s a clear need for increased investment in female-driven initiatives, recognising the current "season of girlhood" – led by figures like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, and amplified by phenomena like the Barbie movie – as a powerful catalyst for cultural and economic innovation.

What women want: turning reproductive health right-side up

Moderated by Vox/Pop Sugar’s Amanda Kludt along with panellists Nextdoor’s Jennifer Starr, Mindshare's Rachel Lowenstein and Ogilvy Health’s Renata Maia, this session explored the vital role of community in reproductive health, highlighting how local support networks and safe spaces for open dialogue can empower informed choices.

"The more we talk, the more we can normalise and remove the bias." – Renata Maia, Ogilvy Health

The discussion stressed the need for authentic corporate advocacy when it comes to women’s health, urging companies to implement substantive changes that foster genuine consumer trust.

Global maternal healthcare inequities revealed

“We are at Cannes Lions, which is this amazing place where we get to celebrate this intersectionality between creativity and health, and the power creativity has to solve some of the largest problems in the world.” – Jill Mastroianni, Grey Health

In this next panel, global maternal health experts Dr. Leslie Mancuso, Chioma Oduenyi and Dr. Prabha Chandra examined the significant disparities in maternal healthcare access and outcomes around the world, and how these disparities are exacerbated by poverty, lack of education and inadequate healthcare infrastructure.

Cultural norms and gender-based violence are key factors impacting maternal health outcomes, and the panellists stressed the importance of community education and policy advocacy to promote gender equality.

We should be asking how we can how we can provide women with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing. Government leadership and education plays an important role in improving maternal health globally, as do healthcare workers who are better trained and robust public health education.

Government leadership and education plays an important role, and with better-trained healthcare workers and robust public health education, we can improve maternal health globally.

Not ‘just’ a hot flash: let’s get real about menopause

This session saw health leaders discussing a natural transition experienced by half the population, though one often shrouded in silence and stigma.

There’s a need to shift the perception of menopause from merely a collection of physical symptoms to a nuanced understanding of its profound impact on general and mental health, productivity and overall quality of life.

The panellists called for empowering women through education and resources, enhancing their understanding of menopause and encouraging open discussions.

They also advocated for cultural and corporate changes to support menopausal women, including flexible workplace policies and improved health benefits to ensure women can openly manage their health without facing professional disadvantages.

Are we invisible? How society sees women over 40

In this final discussion led by Mindshare’s North America CEO Nancy Hall, panellists including Google's Darline Jean, Audigents' Gina Cavallo, NCM's Catherine Sullivan and Disney’s Becca Vodnoy talked about the inadequate portrayal of women aged 40+ in media, noting they are often depicted in stereotypical roles and only constitute 8% of TV screen time.

The group highlighted the need for more inclusive and realistic media portrayals that reflect the diversity and vitality of older women.

It also addressed ageism in the workplace, emphasising the importance of mentorship and leadership roles for women to support gender equality and diversity in professional settings.