Carling Communications: 2017
Carling Communications
2550 Fifth Avenue, Suite 150
San Diego, CA 92103
Telephone: 619-269-3000
Website: carlingcom.com
Accounts
Account wins 6
Active business clients 14
Brands by 2016 sales
Brand-product accounts held 31
$25 million or less 10
$50 million to $100 million 8
$100 million to $500 million 4
Products yet to be approved/launched 10
Services Mix
Promotional advertising 86%
Peer to peer advertising 14%
Client Roster
Acerus Pharmaceuticals
Alcon Canada
Alcon EURMEA
Alcon Global and Novartis
Bausch & Lomb
Charleston Labs
Dermira
Merz Pharmaceuticals: Aesthetics
Mynosys
Pernix
Roche
Santen
ThromboGenics
Valeant
Carling Communications continued to bring its “IT CAN BE DONE” philosophy to client relationships with the result being another year of unprecedented growth, according to agency management.
The Year’s Accomplishments
Carling Communications added seven new clients with nine new brands, and hired nine new employees during 2016.
“In 2015 we took a hard look at what clients face daily regarding the shifting marketplace, strict FDA regulations, and increased industry competition,” says Didi Discar, principal. “We determined that we could best serve clients when we act as the mission control – guiding clients to ensure that ‘IT CAN BE DONE’ gets done in the most efficient and financially responsible manner possible. We built upon this thinking in 2016 as we found that it really resonates with our existing and recently onboarded clients. And, it led to a second year of incredible growth.”
When describing what differentiates Carling from other agencies, employees will refer to the scene in the Apollo 13 movie where the NASA staff was challenged to find a solution using only the items available on the spacecraft. According to agency leaders, new and existing clients are drawn to Carling’s mission control approach of being there with each client every step of the way: calculating, assessing, building, constantly innovating, and implementing the best strategy to help the client reach its business goals.
Executives say Carling continued to expand its client roster by fostering new relationships with companies working in the United States and abroad. Roche tapped Carling to develop a nurse engagement program outside the United States for a new multiple sclerosis product. Recognizing the agency’s expertise in ophthalmology, Alcon, a Novartis company, signed with Carling to provide strategic development for an over the counter line of artificial tears.
Dermira, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to identifying, developing, and commercializing therapies for people with dermatologic diseases, awarded Carling agency of record status for the 2018 launch of its injectable TNF inhibitor for psoriasis.
In anticipation of this year’s launch of its first product for opioid induced nausea and vomiting (OINV), executives say Charleston Labs asked Carling to act as “mission control” for the rollout of a new disease state awareness website for patients with OINV.
The client roster was also bolstered with the addition of two brands from Pernix Therapeutics, a specialty pharmaceutical business with a focus on acquiring, developing, and commercializing prescription drugs primarily for the United States market.
Acerus Pharmaceuticals also joined the Carling roster with its request for marketing support for the first and only FDA-approved intranasal testosterone replacement therapy.
Assignments also came from current client Valeant Pharmaceuticals for an additional four brands.
According to agency executives, 2016 was the year of awards for Carling. Discar was recognized for her industry and business accomplishments.
“In six years, she has built Carling into one of the largest privately held healthcare advertising agencies in Southern California, with more than 70 employees and a vibrant culture,” executives remark, adding that Discar was named to the inaugural class of Medical Marketing & Media’s Hall of Femme, which honored 16 female leaders from across all sectors of the healthcare industry who have made a significant impact in marketing and communications.
The National Association of Women Business Owners bestowed its highest honor, the National Woman Business Owner of the Year Award, on Discar.
Additionally, Carling was included in the 2016 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies.
Structure & Services
Carling Communications is a full-service healthcare communications agency specializing in pharmaceutical advertising, medical education, and meeting services. Executives say agency expertise includes market assessment and opportunity identification, product positioning and value proposition creation, strategic business planning, lifecycle management, and commercialization and launch strategy.
Agency growth led to an expansion in agency leadership. Jennifer Redmond joined the agency as senior VP, Medical Strategy after 20 years working on the client side with Merz Aesthetics and Elan Pharmaceuticals. While at Merz, Redmond headed up the overhaul of the marketing strategy of Belotero Balance. She later built on this success by developing a highly effective sales team as the National Sales Director. Executives say Redmond’s keen knowledge of facial aesthetics and its myriad products and devices have given her wide renown and a strong reputation within the dermatology and plastic surgery communities.
VP Ellen Schneider, a 14-year agency veteran, relocated from the East Coast to provide leadership in the editorial and corporate communications departments and to implement internal strategies that will enable the agency to keep pace with its explosive growth.
Future Plans
2017 is shaping up to be another transformative year for the agency, according to its management, as Carling continues to expand and diversify its offerings, recruit key talent, and support clients who make a difference in patients’ lives. “Maintaining the agency’s unique culture and employee benefits will also be crucial to the continued success of the agency,” executives note.
Philanthropy/Citizenship
The agency remains committed to supporting organizations that benefit the United States military and families of service members by encouraging volunteerism with paid time off throughout the year. Holiday activities benefited the Armed Services YMCA San Diego Military Families Holiday Party and Toy programs. Traveling Stories, an organization that encourages a love of reading in children, additionally benefited from Carling Communications’ commitment to philanthropy in the San Diego area.
