GCG Marketing: 2017
GCG Marketing
2421 West 7th Street, Suite 400
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Telephone: 817-332-4600
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: gcgmarketing.com
Accounts
Account wins 11
Active business clients 40
Brands by 2016 sales
Brand-product accounts held 25
$25 million or less 2
$25 million to $50 million 3
$50 million to $100 million 13
$100 million to $500 million 2
$500 million to $1 billion 1
Products yet to be approved/launched 4
Services Mix
Sales collateral 31%
Interactive 22%
Professional advertising 18%
Consumer advertising 10%
Medical education 8%
Relationship 6%
Public relations 5%
GCG Marketing is a 43-year-old agency owned and managed by CEO Scott Turner and President Neil Foster. According to its leadership team, Foster has been the visionary behind the agency’s healthcare focus, which began during the 1980s but grew throughout the years and was formally defined in 2003.
The Year’s Accomplishments
In 2016, GCG continued a pattern of record-setting years and significant year-over-year growth. Agency management attributes this success to the quality execution of new and innovative ideas, as well as a focus on maintaining long-term client relationships.
“At GCG, we want clients to hire us because we help move the needle for the business and brands,” Foster says. “We’ve found that there is no magic formula for marketing success. Instead, we excel at delivering results the old fashioned way – by rolling up our sleeves, digging into our work, innovating as a team, and ensuring that solid strategy is applied to every creative execution.”
Existing client growth is an example of how this approach works, according to GCG execs. Four clients yielded greater than 100 percent growth in gross income in 2016 versus 2015. At the same time, the company added a host of new accounts in support of its growth strategy.
During March, GCG unveiled a comprehensive engagement experience for Aqua Pharmaceuticals titled, “The Future of Dermatology” at the American Academy of Dermatology. The experience featuring two “unreality windows” was designed to drive traffic into the Aqua booth with a mix of real-life and science fiction portrayals of activity inside the exhibit space. Later in the year, GCG managed the post-acquisition launches of Altabax Ointment and Veltin Gel for Aqua, execs say.
Throughout the year, GCG also continued an expanding agency-client relationship with Merz Pharmaceuticals, according to agency leaders. After demonstrating great success with U.S.-based marketing efforts for Cellfina, Merz enlisted GCG’s help to develop international marketing materials for the brand. In August, Merz relaunched Ultherapy in the United States with new professional and consumer marketing materials developed by GCG. This relaunch featured a new logo, a new professional messaging strategy and completely redeveloped creative executions with a new theme titled “Guess Who Got a Lift.” At the same time, Merz announced the introduction of its customer loyalty program, My Merz Select, developed by GCG and its sister agency Ratio Digital Media, management says.
At the close of 2016, GCG executives say employees were managing several launch projects planned for 2017, including products with indications for acne, rosacea, and superficial skin infections.
Structure & Services
GCG has three major departments: Account Service, Creative, and Marketing. Account Service is managed by Account Director Lindsay Hendon and features three specialized teams based upon client focus. The Creative department is led by Executive Director of Creative Services Pat Gabriel and Creative Director Kris Copeland. The Marketing Department is led by Executive Director of Marketing Allyson Cross, who is additionally responsible for business development. Services offered include marketing, branding, market research, advertising, public relations and digital.
GCG has three sister agencies: 7West Communications, a medical communications company owned by Foster and GCG Chief Scientific Officer Lori Johnson, Ph.D.; Ratio Digital Media, a digital development firm owned by Foster and Bruce Natale; and Forward Digital, an inbound digital marketing agency owned by Foster and Ryan Cormier.
According to GCG management team members, “GCG Marketing exists to serve as a strategic and creative partner that values ideas above all else. GCG operates off the concept that its value lies in the power, scope and range of solutions that are consistently provided to clients. As a result, the agency lives by the philosophy that quality execution is the natural fulfillment of the team’s ideas, craft and reputation. GCG is uncompromising when it comes to the delivery of marketing solutions for its clients.”
Future Plans
In living out its vision statement, GCG Marketing seeks smart growth in line with its own business model and capabilities. “This means that GCG pursues an expansion model based on growing business with existing clients while pursuing strategically focused opportunities with new clients based upon a variety of qualification criteria,” executives say.
“While we have demonstrated the capacity for rapid growth based off inbound demand, GCG seeks business development in line with a carefully designed and proven business development strategy focused on key areas of agency and staff expertise and knowledge,” Foster says. “We want to grow, but we also want to grow in a manner that works in the best interest of our clients, the agency and our employees.”
As the agency grows, GCG will continue to add personnel and resources to meet client demand, executives say. Key specialties of focus are medical dermatology, aesthetic dermatology/plastic surgery, wound care, and devices but the team has experience within a variety of specialties and remains committed to work in related areas.
Philanthropy/Citizenship
Team GCG believes strongly in supporting advertising education with a goal of advancing the profession and expanding the base of young talent available from the agency’s hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, and surrounding areas, according to management.
“For more than 10 years, GCG’s paid internship program has provided dozens of students with exposure to healthcare marketing,” executives say. “At the same time, the agency dedicates significant resources to support students in projects and other assignments.”
GCG employees have served as guest lecturers at the University of North Texas (UNT), Texas Christian University (TCU) and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). CEO Scott Turner is on the board of a committee seeking to develop a new design school at TCU. The agency hosts classes, student-run agencies, and student organizations for tours and shadowing, and several senior members of GCG’s creative team have participated in portfolio reviews for students prior to college graduation.
“We believe in investing in the future of marketing and advertising by providing educational opportunities in our local community,” Foster says. “By doing so, we believe that we are developing the GCG employees of the future.”
