Arthur Sadoun, Maurice Lévy and Michael Douglas star in Publicis Groupe HPV appeal
French holding company has used its Christmas ‘Wishes’ message to boost awareness of HPV – aided by a special guest star.
Publicis Groupe has launched a seasonal campaign to drive awareness of the human papillomavirus (HPV), with company figureheads Arthur Sadoun and Maurice Lévy starring alongside Hollywood legend Michael Douglas.
The holding company used its annual ‘Wishes’ Christmas message to promote take-up of the HPV vaccine and drive awareness of the impact of the virus.
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HPV, which has over 100 variants, is linked to a higher risk of cancers in both men and women; though the vaccine is available to younger people in several countries, awareness remains low. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80% of adults will become infected by the virus at some point in their life.
Douglas, who makes a special appearance in the film, was treated for HPV-related cancer in 2010. Arthur Sadoun, chief executive of Publicis, was diagnosed and treated for HPV-related cancer earlier this year.
In the film, Sadoun interrupts Lévy’s recap of the company’s fortunes in 2022 with statistics about the threat of the virus. “Maurice, 80% of adults have this virus, which can cause cancers like the cancer I had,” he says.
The debate is derailed by a visiting Douglas, on a mission to “spread the word about the importance of this vaccine.”