Emota Wins Gold and Silver at The Drum Awards 2025 for AstraZeneca at ASCO 2025
Two award wins across two nights for one unforgettable experience
Emota’s work with AstraZeneca at ASCO25 has been recognised with two major honours at The Drum Awards 2025:
- Gold in Responsible Activation at the Experiential Awards
- Silver in Healthcare at the B2B Awards
These awards celebrate not only creative and strategic excellence, but a significant step forward in immersive, sustainable brand experiences.
Setting a new standard for responsible innovation
At ASCO25, AstraZeneca partnered with Emota to reimagine what a congress booth could be. The result was a purpose-built platform designed for meaningful engagement and measurable impact, built on principles of sustainability from the ground up.
The booth was conceived as a modular system to be reused across more than 300 congresses globally. The materials, layout and technology all reflected a commitment to circular design, from FSC-certified plywood and structural cardboard to recycled PET panels and zero-tox upholstery. Transparency was key, with a dedicated sustainability zone that put the story of the materials and their impact front and centre. The booth achieved an 85% sustainability score and earned the “Potential for Positive Change” accreditation under the BOSS system.
Translating science into storytelling
This was also an experience rooted in scientific clarity. A particle-based avatar helped delegates navigate the booth, which was wrapped in a 360-degree AV environment. Delegates could interact with AZ’s oncology portfolio using 77-inch transparent OLED touchscreens, Apple Vision Pro headsets, and a suite of RFID and touchscreen tools.
Visitors were empowered to explore content at their own pace, building personalised content baskets and accessing deep-dives or high-level views depending on their preference. From the flow of the architecture to the logic of the tech ecosystem, every detail was designed to support a clearer, more human way to engage with complex science.
The results reflected this. More than 18,000 visitors engaged with the booth, representing 41% of total ASCO attendance. Of those, 87% converted from footfall to interaction, 11% returned for repeat visits, and average dwell time exceeded seven minutes. Online, AstraZeneca generated 50% more LinkedIn mentions than the next closest competitor.
Add in AZ montage here (take from C&IT news page: Emota triumphs with FOUR wins at the 2025 C&IT Awards – Emota)
Recognition across the industry
The two Drum Award wins reflect different but equally important aspects of the project. The Gold in Responsible Activation celebrates Emota and AstraZeneca’s commitment to environmentally conscious design and measurable sustainability outcomes. The Silver in the B2B Healthcare category recognises the strategic clarity, creative execution, and industry impact of the experience overall.
The booth onsite was truly outstanding – every aspect: design, content, technology, film, digital, coffee, all of it. I received (with no exaggeration) hundreds of remarks on how incredible the booth was. It was called ‘best of show’ and, by some, the best they’d ever seen.
– Bobby Pierro, Senior Manager, Oncology Exhibitions at AstraZeneca
Legacy beyond the show floor
The booth at ASCO25 was never intended as a one-off. It now serves as a central asset within AstraZeneca’s global exhibitions programme, scaling across regions and formats while maintaining its visual and strategic integrity.
This success story demonstrates that meaningful engagement and measurable sustainability can be designed hand in hand. For AstraZeneca and Emota, it sets the tone for what comes next: smarter, more responsible, and more resonant experiences across the global healthcare landscape.