The fifth annual HealthFront from Publicis Health Media (PHM) sought to help health marketers navigate a rapidly shifting landscape shaped by AI, regulation, and evolving consumer behaviors. In our fourth year as PHM’s dedicated production partner, DH once again helped transform their thematic vision, ‘The Human Behind the Experience,’ into a vibrant, people-first environment for around 600 attendees at The Glasshouse—cultivating real connection through immersive design, interactive programming, and an atmosphere that brought humanity back to healthcare marketing.
“This event offers a rare moment for us to step away from our day-to-day and together consider the forces affecting our industry. We’ve had no shortage of disruption recently, but over the next two days we’ll see how opportunity can come from that change.”
At its core, HealthFront is a first-of-its-kind healthcare upfront designed to give marketers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and media leaders a dedicated forum to explore emerging ideas, products, and services shaping the future of health. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve in complexity and scale, PHM recognizes the opportunity to help brands navigate change and rediscover the power of human connection. With that said, the challenge for this year’s HealthFront was to inspire a deeper level of engagement by shifting the focus from advertising to authentic connection.
Centering on their theme of ‘The Human Behind the Experience,’ DH needed to work in tandem with PHM to translate that vision into a live environment and content-driven program that celebrated the people at the heart of every story—and set the foundation for a human-centric creative strategy. Every design decision, from scenic and lighting to content flow and spatial layout, was driven by one question: how do we make human connection the centerpiece of the experience? Visually, it was imperative for the experience to embody the concept of “radiant energy.”
Our solution focused on establishing a platform for curiosity and connection—in other words, an environment that encouraged authentic participation over passive immersion. We designed the attendee journey to easily allow them to step into meaningful exchanges with peers, partners, and industry leaders. Set within The Glasshouse—a clean, modern space surrounded by soaring views of the Hudson River and Midtown Manhattan—sunlight and skyline became part of the storytelling, illuminating an environment designed to feel open and inviting. Our design philosophy drew from three creative touchstones: the Human element, zooming in on data through the lens of individual stories; the Interactive layer, highlighting the influence and ripple effect of every exchange; and the Communal spirit, shaping shared spaces that inspired discovery together. That same ethos guided the visual identity, defined by a sense of "radiant energy"—vivid street photography capturing people in motion, reimagined through animated compositions that turned everyday moments into art. The outcome was an atmosphere reinforcing PHM's message that health, and the stories within it, remain deeply human.
DH's production process centered around working in tandem with PHM’s team, culminating in an environment designed for connection and forward momentum. The spatial journey began curbside and moved through a branded entry corridor lined with radiant, textural graphics that eased attendees out of the rush of NYC and into HealthFront's thematic world. Inside, we co-developed an integrated layout that linked general session seating, the Masterclass stage, sponsor activations, and terrace spaces in a way that felt cohesive yet fluid. Scenic elements throughout the space were refined in collaboration with PHM, from the immersive keynote canvas on the LED wall—set behind notable speakers like Selma Blair, Sophia Bush, and Chelsea Handler—to the "internal square" that acted as the hub between content and conversation. The Step & Repeat became a deliberate visual anchor, and the Sponsor Lounge centered around a living tree installation and featured modular vignette seating, inviting organic interaction. The Masterclasses themselves offered compact instructional deep dives led by industry experts, giving attendees opportunities to explore topics such as patient pathways, data integration, healthcare trust, and audience behavior in between main stage sessions.
Innovation also served as a through line in how the forum wove entertainment and interaction into professional programming. Snapchat, as the primary technology sponsor, offered two large-scale, app-powered activations allowing attendees to explore personalized "future selves" through AI filters; this connected playfully to the broader discussions on technology's role in health media while creating an experience that was both memorable and shareable. Other interactive activations bringing mixed-reality moments to life came from LG's branded installations, which brought a tactile, tech-meets-wellness sensibility to the Sponsor Lounge. To guide audience transitions, DH introduced playful “false start” videos—short, humorous cues that momentarily took over screens to signal that programming was about to resume without relying on traditional chimes or announcements. Across every touchpoint, the process remained collaborative, ensuring the final experience felt innovative, human-centered, and intentionally crafted at every scale.
The 2025 HealthFront concluded with resounding enthusiasm, widely regarded as the most successful edition yet by client leads, sponsors, and attendees alike. As Lannise Galbraith, PHM's VP Programming & Events, put it: "2025 was by far the best iteration of HealthFront that we've done so far. The design, the room, everything just came together in a way that we'd always dreamed it could." The forum achieved a 96% registration-to-attendance rate, delivering record engagement across sessions and Masterclasses and serving as a reflection of both the event's draw and the efficiency of PHM's audience engagement strategy. Furthermore, it earned more than 100,000 organic social impressions—amplified by 36 press articles generating an estimated 575 million potential impressions. Sponsors praised the layout as a major "glow up," noting the networking flow and overall setup drove their strongest ROI to date, while attendees celebrated the elevated stage design, warm-yet-dynamic atmosphere, and the highly polished Masterclass space as standout elements.
In measurable outcomes, visual storytelling, and human connection, the 2025 HealthFront surpassed expectations. It was an experience that reaffirmed PHM's vision for a more human, interconnected, and forward-looking future in health media.
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