As an agency, we have a huge responsibility when it comes to what we produce. It’s not just about being compliant with Australian standards and regulations. There comes a moment where you realise that after the copy is written and the artwork is developed and the material has been produced, eventually a person will be reading your work on what could be the worst day of their life. That’s a monumental responsibility to hold.

We all have insight into experiences that we’ve lived through, whether we realise it or not. These unique perspectives can help shape the branding, initiatives and copy that gets developed and ultimately lands into the hands of the very people we were writing for.

At Ward6, we strive to amplify the lived experience in our work by centring diverse voices, stories, and opinions from those who have been or are currently on their journey. For many of us here at the agency, working on our brands is not only a professional endeavour, but a personal one too. The Ward6 CEO, Stuart Black, can attest to this. In 2018, Stu’s mother was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and given only days to live. She was then put on a trial for a new drug that Ward6 had just launched. Twelve months later she was cancer free and remains so to this day.

There is a myriad of ways to incorporate lived experience into agency and branded work. This can include active consultation before, during and after strategic and creative development; fostering initiatives with patient advocacy groups; embedding the voices of the consumers and their carers into professional education pieces and integrating these lived experiences into the experiences of internal stakeholders.

Ultimately, humans are social creatures who are always looking to relate to each other. A relatable story is a memorable story. When it comes to creating work that resonates with an audience, infusing a piece with lived experience can be the difference between “just another piece of information” and something that cuts through. We live in a time where there is a seemingly endless stream of information and smarter technology vying to replace us. Communication that authentically conveys an understanding of lived experience are going to be differentiators - a unique voice that stands out. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what all brands want?