We know the 'cost of dull', but the question is: what is the 'cost of average'?

That's what we asked at our recent RISE Health and Wellness summit.

Culture is shifting. Demographics are changing. People are rewriting the rules of how they live, what they value and how they look after themselves.

We asked: who are you missing? What unmet needs are hiding in plain sight? And what is the cost of not seeing them?

The takeaways:
👉 Health as identity: Samira Brophy and Eleanor Thornton-Firkin from Ipsos lead with the insight: health is becoming part of 'who we are'. It's something we live, share, belong to and build communities around.

👉The values-led mindset: Susan C. Allen Augustin with Jason Edwards gave a masterclass in building a brand with community. And, holding on to that consumer obsession as the business scales, based on their value 'the authentic self is the only self'.

👉The ancient wisdom: with outstanding panel host, Richard Robinson🔥 two 'challenger' brands led with their shared roots on how they are harnessing ancient cultural traditions and practices to redefine their category.

Game-changer Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu of The Turmeric Co. got us thinking about the link between what we eat and how we feel: 'functional, unprocessed food is the new medicine'.

Trail-blazer Niall McKee of innovative brand Vivobarefoot talked about the simplicity of solving a need: most people wear shoes not shaped around the human foot: 'Really think about what your business is there to do for people.'

👉The Cannes Lion insight: Annie Smith blew the house down with examples of creativity driving health outcomes: for example, the increase in sales of hearing aids around Valentine's Day with Specsavers 'Relationship Aid' campaign.

👉The unmet need: Meredith Kelly from Škoda showed what happens when cultural understanding, bold leadership and brand strategy come together with their life-saving innovation for cyclists, Duobell. Outstanding.

🔥The trust insight: Haleon's Vicky Edmonds left us with a powerful call to arms. Misinformation and disinformation are eroding people's ability to make informed health decisions. Her challenge? This is not a problem they can solve alone: she calls for a coalition to make urgent change.

And Nicola Kemp of Creativebrief, editor and curator of the RISE Trends report, summed it up: this morning was about having the curiosity to question our assumptions, the courage to challenge conventions and the imagination to build something better. For each and every 'one'. Not the 'average'.

That's where inclusion becomes innovation. And innovation becomes growth.

At @Creative Equals, we call that the 'Return on Inclusion’.