The black-tie gala event, held at Pier Sixty in New York, named GSW as Agency of the Year, Category I. The award honors the US healthcare communications agency with annual revenue of more than $50 million. Eighteen additional awards were bestowed throughout the evening to agencies achieving excellence in a variety of categories.
Beginning the evening, Charlene Prounis, CEO and managing partner of Flashpoint Medica, was named Med Ad News’ Industry Person of the Year. The honor recognizes Prounis’ business leadership and commitment to the healthcare communications industry. Charlene was chosen as Person of the Year based in part on the testimonials of current and former employees, agency peers, and industry clients who praised her leadership skills, mentoring, passion, commitment, sharp intelligence, down-to-earth practicality, and strategic decision-making abilities. Charlene has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to our industry.
GSW was recognized as Category I Agency of the Year for the second time, formerly winning in 2007. For GSW, 2013 was one of the most dynamic in the agency’s history, marked by major milestones such as the merger with Blue Diesel, creation of a new brand platform built on an extensively remodeled mission, and the development and launch of multiple health content technology products. It was a year in which GSW formally restructured its strategy, creativity, and technology disciplines and recruited new talent to accelerate the agency’s vision to become the healthcare communications leader in building human connections.
Category II Agency of the Year honor went to McCann Torre Lazur. This category recognizes agencies with annual revenue between $25 million and $50 million. McCann Torre Lazur was also a winner of Category II Agency of the Year in 2007 and 2010. For McCann Torre Lazur, 2013 was a year of “audacious firsts.” For the first time ever, the agency exceeded 20 new account wins, 12 active launch accounts, and more than 30 percent year-end revenue growth – even more staggering considering many of the new business wins happened late in the year. At the same time, the agency reached a global milestone, with 40 percent of revenue driven by outside- U.S. business. Digital revenue more than doubled in 2013 – another first – with nearly half of McCann Torre Lazur’s creative awards coming from interactive engagements.
Category III Agency of the Year consists of agencies recording less than $25 million in annual revenue. In its second year as a finalist in this category, Fingerpaint has been recognized as the 2014 winner. The agency saw explosive growth, strategic expansion, award-winning creative,and numerous product launches. The agency’s client roster continued to grow steadily to 33 clients, including agency of record accounts for Ikaria, Upsher-Smith, Aerocrine, CSL Behring, Alimera Sciences, and Vernalis. This new business helped drive a 50 percent growth in revenue, exceeding forecasts, and a staff increase of 57 percent.
Klick Health was the recipient of Med Ad News’ 2014 Heart Award. The award is designed to recognize agencies’ social responsibility and agency cultures that embody a high commitment to philanthropic and social causes. Klick Health donated more than $150,000 to various charitable organizations, of which $88,620 was donated through its Klick It Forward Program, which enables employees who come in under budget on a program to donate the difference to a charity of their choosing – conferring a personal touch to corporate philanthropy. In 2013 alone, employees used their Klick It Forward dollars to buy a total of 265 malaria nets in Africa, fund 386 microfinance loans through Kiva, and donate almost 1,300 goats, pigs and chickens. As the winner of this award, Klick Health is receiving a check for $3,000 to donate to a charity of its choosing. Remaining finalists, Natrel and Neon, each will receive a check for $1,000 to
donate to a charity of their choosing.
Med Ad News’ Vision Award is given for the idea, concept, or initiative that best exemplifies the healthcare communications agency of the future. In deciding the winner of this award, the Med Ad News editorial staff reviewed what new idea, concept, or initiative launched by an agency in the past year could have the greatest potential to transform the industry in a positive way and what was the most interesting and insightful step forward of the year. With a goal to revolutionize the healthcare industry, Greater than One for BioDigital Human is this year’s Vision Award recipient.
New this year, in partnership with MDLinx, Med Ad News announced the winner of the inaugural Primary Cares Challenge for Charity Contest, selected by a panel of 1,000 primary care health professionals, awarding a first prize of $500,000 in advertising exposure for the winning campaign’s charitable organization. This year’s winner is GA Communications.
GSW also took home awards for Best Professional Campaign for Humulin R U-500 and Best Self-Promotion Campaign for “We Speak People.”
The Brand Team of the Year Award recognizes brand teams demonstrating exceptional passion, dedication, and teamwork as well as the ability to meet challenges, effectively communicate with clients, and implement new concepts. This Manny Award went to CAHG for Sovaldi. Aiming for “The Greatest Pharma Launch of All Time,” the Sovaldi brand team developed the “Advancing What’s Possible” campaign, which has helped drive the brand to sales projections of more than $5 billion in 2014, its first full year on the market.
The Most Admired Agency honor was awarded to AbelsonTaylor for the sixth time. AbelsonTaylor also won this category in 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, and 2013.
AbelsonTaylor additionally received awards for Best Consumer Campaign for Aczone and Best Nonbranded Campaign for Teva Oncology.
Area 23 was recognized as the Manny Award recipient for Best Philanthropic Campaign for the Movember Foundation. The agency created a humorous awareness campaign focused on the absence of mustaches from famous personalities easily identified by their follicular fashion statements, actively helping to change the men’s health conversation among family, friends, and colleagues.
Most Creative Agency was awarded to Dudnyk. The agency was also recognized as a finalist in the Best Medical Device Campaign and Best Self-Promotional Campaign categories.
Intouch Solutions, 2012’s Agency of the Year Category II winner and now a Category I member, received an award for Best Medical Device Campaign for PillCam SB.
The Best Interactive Physician Campaign statuette went to The CementBloc for Giazo. The CementBloc built the arresting “Mr. Butt” campaign for Giazo across print, web, and iPad-based materials.
FCB Health grabbed the Best Interactive Patient Campaign for Gilenya. FCB Health discovered through interviews that MS patients are a very vocal bunch and refuse to be defined by their disease. This helped inform the campaign’s spirit and rallying cry — “Hey MS, Take This!”
The evening concluded with the Best Video Submission of the Year winner, which was voted on via text messaging by the Manny Award attendees. This third-time award was presented to Concentric Health Experience.
Med Ad News also bestowed gratitude to this year’s event sponsors – Platinum sponsors: Calcium, ICC Lowe, Intouch Solutions, and McCann Health; and Gold sponsors: The CementBloc, Concentric Health Experience, Dudnyk, and Fingerpaint.
