This week we spoke to Peter to get a view on life and advertising from up and coming young talent 30 and under.

AH: Would you mind telling us a little about your background?

PC: The relentless pursuit of knowledge – it’s how I live my life. My career started off with an undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Marketing and has progressed into an MBA. Beyond the education track, I have focused my time on developing client service skill-sets by taking on lead account roles for a number of different pharma brands. The way I look at it, I’ve spent the last several years constructing an orchestra, learning how my skills and ideas work together, in the hopes that I will someday conduct a symphony of my own.

 

 AH: How did you get into the industry?

PC: I was fortunate to have a college professor who recognized my talents and helped guide me towards a marketing oriented career. I was originally on track to become a pharmacist, but instead I listened to his advice (and my gut instincts) and focused on roles that would work well either on the client or agency side. One day, the decision came down to a sales rep position versus an agency….the charm of agency life won me over!

 

AH: Tell us a bit about your company and what you are doing now

PC: I am currently a Group Account Supervisor at H4B Chelsea (member of the Havas Health family). H4B Chelsea is all about removing “fear” – being able to speak our minds and embrace the unknown. Many times, organizations get stuck behind processes and best practices turn into the status quo. Here, it’s about fresh thinking and celebrating a culture focused on being passionate. My current role is helping to lead the charge in the cardiovascular arena. Can’t go into much detail, but it’s very exciting to witness the potential of innovative thinking.

 

AH: Tell us about a piece of recent work that you are proud of?

PC: I can’t narrow down a specific piece of work; however the totality of the undertaking at my current organization is quite marvelous. No project is too small or too big. The creative work is strong and I’m happy to say that it’s more than having a clever headline or beautiful artwork – it’s about finding the connection between the brand and the customer, while defining a masterful experience.

 

AH: Are there any projects you are working on that we should keep an eye out for in the coming months

PC: Nothing as of right now, but hopefully will have some amazing creative by year end.

 

AH: If you could win any award for your work this year what would it be and why? PM Award / IPA Best of Health / Creative Floor / MM&M / PMEA / Lions Health / Globals / Clio Health etc

PC: I am a personal fan of the MM&M Awards because they cover the entire breadth of the industry. From creative to industry recognition, it’s always great to see our colleagues achieving new levels of success. Recently, MM&M added some personality awards, so I will be aiming for the “Young Marketer of the Year.”

 

AH: Do we really need award shows? What value do you see them offering?

PC: Award shows help recognize our colleagues, so I definitely see the value in making sure the industry is aware of the hard work that takes place. Time and again, I have seen agency teams going above and beyond to ensure the brand is successful. All of this dedication comes at a price, whether it is stressful deadlines, late nights without sleep, or countless miles spent on road away from families – all of their hard work should not go unnoticed and we should continue to admire our colleagues for their dedication and brilliance.

 

AH: How would you see the work other agencies are making if award shows didn’t exist?

PC: The answer to this question depends on the individual. Meaning, I am always curious to know who is doing what. In order to think strategically, you need to be able to spot creative trends and most importantly, see the bigger picture. For some folks, they may not see the work of others without award shows. As mentioned previously, this is an area where award shows offer great value – we can see the work AND be inspired by the creative of our coworkers.

 

AH: Do you think Digital work often struggles to be recognized in the big award shows? Is there a need for specific digital awards with digital specialist judges?

PC: I don’t see it as a struggle because we are witnessing a change in the industry. As with any paradigm shift, it will take some time to see digital work at the forefront of award shows. As categories increase, for example “best user experience”, digital initiatives will become important, but then…who knows…another shift might occur. As long as the industry moves forward, we should all be recognized!

 

AH: Should healthcare advertising still be regarded as separate from the wider Advertising community?

PC: I don’t believe so. If we look at the definition of advertising, it speaks to the notion that we are here to persuade an audience to take action. We are trying to configure behavior in the hopes of profit. That being said, we should recognize that healthcare may have different “boundaries”, but nonetheless, it is still advertising.

 

AH: Do you consider yourself as someone who works more in advertising of more in pharma?

PC: I consider myself as someone who works in pharma. To be really entrenched in our clients work, we need to be true partners and for that to happen, I need to be deep-rooted in pharma (thus my background).

 

AH: Do you think we sometimes use regulation an excuse to make work that doesn’t live up to standard consumer advertising?

PC: It will always be difficult to compare healthcare advertising to standard consumer advertising, but we shouldn’t be comparing in the first place. Regulation is there to protect the patients, so if we are using regulation as an excuse, then we must stop. We should continue to focus on what is best, given the parameters, and continue to find talent that produces amazing creative.

 

AH: Do you think healthcare agencies should start planning their own media to get the creative control they need?

PC: Creative control is tricky and I would like to see healthcare agencies pushing the boundaries a bit. However, I don’t believe owning the media is the solution. Perhaps we need to just start breaking the rules in order to gain more control.

 

AH: What is the single change you’d like to see in the industry this year?

PC: This year, I would love to see agencies and technology companies come together to forge partnerships. Often times, everyone is trying to take on work in house. Conversely, if we are able to collaborate by focusing on the skill-sets each industry is known for, perhaps we can deliver amazing products to patients around the world.

 

AH: Where do you look for inspiration?

PC: My wife, she is my guiding star for all matters.

 

AH: Do you look at other healthcare agencies around the world? Who do you think is making the best work at the moment?

PC: I am always curious to see what is happening in developing countries. Advertising has come a long way and there are many more highly-contextualized cultures which will not follow the path forged by more developed countries – they are ones breaking all the rules! As of recently, I’m seeing some great ads coming out of Thailand. They may not be solely focused on healthcare, but will leave you remembering their messages.

 

AH: What is the best piece of work you’ve seen this year?

PC: There isn’t one piece; however I see a lot of creative ideas from the biotech sector. This is where healthcare meets innovation and they are creating a path of simplicity from highly complex situations, which I admire.

 

AH: How do you compare the quality of creative work in healthcare Advertising vs Consumer advertising?

PC:It’s a matter of qualitative vs quantitative. Healthcare advertising is about subjective interpretations and consumer is about numerical analyses. Each has its merits and cautions, and therefore, should never be directly compared.

 

AH What one thing would you want to say to someone new to the industry? That you wish someone has said to you when you started?

PC: If you are an individual who is motivated to succeed, then find an organization with a culture that will embrace and build upon who you truly are. Coming straight out of college, it was nice to have a job and I was fortunate enough to find a great place. However, I have heard my share of horror stories about “not fitting in” and being subjected to awful situations.

 

AH: Who do you look up to and why?

PC: My mother and father. They came to America with nothing and somehow have provided me with everything. Without their courage, hard work, and determination, I would not be where I am today. I use their stories of fortitude as motivation and their stories of sacrifice to remain thankful. I am forever in their debt.

 

AH: If you could read an interview on advertising health from anyone in healthcare advertising who would it be with? And what would you want to know?

PC: I would love to read (and possibly meet) content from any of the global CEOs. Healthcare is changing, we all know this. How does an individual with so much responsibility, continue to lead in a competitive, constantly changing environment? I would love to know what the future holds and I suspect that the global CEOs are helping to forge some of those paths.

 

 AH: Did you see the Advertising Health ‘World Top 10’? Did you find it interesting?

PC: Yes and yes. I love the fact that an algorithm was used to collect and calculate points from numerous award shows – very clever.

 

AH: What do you think about Advertising Health, how often do you read it? Anything we could do better or different?

PC: Advertising health is great; it sheds light on topics that are otherwise not discussed on public platforms. I do read as many articles as possible.