During the later stages of the pandemic, social listening revealed a shared discomfort: people felt watched, judged, and embarrassed for doing something universal, coughing in public.
Normalizing the Cough
The brand’s initial platform responded with humor as relief. Rather than correcting behavior, it focused on normalization, easing tension and restoring people’s confidence in coughing in public. Rolled out consistently across more than 30 markets, the platform was recognized with Sanofi’s first Effie Europe award, proving that cultural sensitivity can shift perception at scale.
Don't hide, fight it
As the idea gained traction, we observed how people themselves were processing the situation through memes and everyday jokes. Building on that cultural response, the platform later expanded into music.
Collaborations with musicians transformed the insight into a shared, light-hearted expression, extending the campaign’s role from observation to participation.
