2023 Creative LIAisons Coaches
Frank Mazzola
Founding Partner/CCO21GRAMS
New York
Some say they take risks, others actually do. Following a highly successful run as ECD of McCann Health NY, helping it become one of the most awarded offices in health, Frank decided to take his career in a different direction. He joined a small group of entrepreneurs, left the holding company life and started a small independent agency called 21GRAMS. The name, based on the 1907 experiment to uncover the weight of the soul, defined the agency’s philosophy and approach, singularly focused on what makes people (patients and HCPs alike) tick. The goal: Make advertising less of an interruption and a lot more welcome, because it actually “gets” you.
Success came quickly. 21GRAMS became one of the fastest growing agencies in the world, going from around 40 people in 2018 to close to 500+ in 2023. Acquired by W2O Group in 2020, in a partnership that added world class AI, data, analytics, and a global presence to 21GRAMS’ capabilities – the parent company became Real Chemistry. Recently, Frank was asked to extend his remit as Co-Global CCO of 21GRAMS to become Real Chemistry’s creative lead as well.
A believer in the mantra “medicine should be more inspiring than sneakers”, Frank has maintained that the creative bar in health is no different than the brands we love. Under his leadership, 21GRAMS has created a comedy/reality show series for hemophilia, a technology that turns art into music for non-verbal children with severe epilepsy, the most successful Twitch event in healthcare history, and so much more. 21GRAMS has been ranked the #3 most creative health agency in the world by Cannes in 2022 (and in the top 5 for all but the first 2 years of its existence).
As pretentious as a bio of this length sounds – he doesn’t own any interesting hats, capri pants or whatever creative people are supposed to wear. But he does own too many pairs of sneakers which, by definition, is pretentious. He can’t remember the point of this last paragraph and probably should have mentioned his family. He has one. They’re mostly people, but one is a dog. It’s so hard to end these things.
Success came quickly. 21GRAMS became one of the fastest growing agencies in the world, going from around 40 people in 2018 to close to 500+ in 2023. Acquired by W2O Group in 2020, in a partnership that added world class AI, data, analytics, and a global presence to 21GRAMS’ capabilities – the parent company became Real Chemistry. Recently, Frank was asked to extend his remit as Co-Global CCO of 21GRAMS to become Real Chemistry’s creative lead as well.
A believer in the mantra “medicine should be more inspiring than sneakers”, Frank has maintained that the creative bar in health is no different than the brands we love. Under his leadership, 21GRAMS has created a comedy/reality show series for hemophilia, a technology that turns art into music for non-verbal children with severe epilepsy, the most successful Twitch event in healthcare history, and so much more. 21GRAMS has been ranked the #3 most creative health agency in the world by Cannes in 2022 (and in the top 5 for all but the first 2 years of its existence).
As pretentious as a bio of this length sounds – he doesn’t own any interesting hats, capri pants or whatever creative people are supposed to wear. But he does own too many pairs of sneakers which, by definition, is pretentious. He can’t remember the point of this last paragraph and probably should have mentioned his family. He has one. They’re mostly people, but one is a dog. It’s so hard to end these things.