CDMiConnect LLC: 2016
CDMiConnect LLC
200 Varick Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10014
Phone: 212-798-4400
Facsimile: 212-209-7088
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: cdmiconnect.com
Accounts
Account wins 9
Active business clients 16
Brands by 2015 sales
Brand product accounts held 29
Services Mix
DTC/DTP 40%
Consumer Interactive/RM 40%
HCP Interactive/RM 20%
Client Roster
AbbVie
Actelion
Astellas
AstraZeneca
Bayer
Biogen Idec
Eisai
Genentech
Horizon Pharma
Orthology
Otsuka
Pfizer
Quest Diagnostics
Questcor
Theravance
Vertex
CDMiConnect is Omnicom Health Group’s dedicated, award-winning patient marketing agency. Executives say the agency is a leader in consumer/patient marketing and direct-to-patient programs that produce better informed patients and healthier outcomes.
In 2015, according to its leaders, the agency continued to push itself creatively through many high-profile multichannel efforts, including broadcast, print, digital, and social. The agency’s commitment to producing great work has resulted in being among the most awarded in the industry, with accolades including Clio, ECHO, Effie, and MM&M.
Executives say there is no question that CDMiConnect’s consistent approach to “Putting Patients First” made for a very successful year. According to agency leaders, it’s CDMiConnect’s unique approach to prioritizing patient insights that creates highly productive conversations with HCPs and moves the needle for brands. Eighty percent of CDMi’s work comes from agency-of-record assignments. And today, 70 percent of total business is digital, including social media.
The year’s accomplishments
In 2015, CDMiConnect continued to reinforce its commitment to current clients while adding additional brands, agency executives say. Social media and emerging technology programs were hot for the agency, and CDMiConnect continued to deepen its expertise. The agency had tremendous success creating conversations, and one campaign alone exceeded Facebook norms by 30 times.
“We are always driven to do amazing work for our clients. But the purpose of the work runs deep for every one of us because we do it on behalf of patients,” says Tom Galati, creative director.
According to agency leaders, CDMiConnect also launched some impressive firsts for the industry including the first-ever DTC spot for a multiple sclerosis medication and introducing Wallet™ to clients for co-pay assistance.
The HealthWork joint venture with BBDO also continued to be productive for CDMiConnect as it worked to change breast cancer mortality in a regionally targeted initiative.
Agency leaders say they remained focused on their vision of Putting Patients First. In 2014, CDMiConnect fielded its own study of 3,000 patients across 200 disease states. And in 2015 the agency went even deeper with Patients First: Perspectives, where the team interviewed key patient and healthcare change leaders. This content was brought to clients and pushed out via the agency’s social media channels.
“We are deeply committed to making a difference in patients’ lives,” says Deb Deaver, CDMiConnect president. “We invest in the patient and are committed to being on the healthcare journey with them; we are always looking to create opportunities to learn, share, and self-advocate.”
In a year when brands were looking for more and more efficiencies, CDMiConnect delivered, executives say. “Last year was a tight budgeting year for CDMiConnect and many of our clients,” says Eliot Tyler, director of client services. “Fortunately, the focus on costs has created an environment where we can work with clients to find innovative staffing and execution strategies that deliver impactful work more efficiently. In this environment, we have to be just as innovative in our approach to delivering the work as we are about the creative product.
The agency’s EDG (Emerging Digital Group) continues to be a huge asset, executives say. The EDG is a cross-discipline team of digital strategists, creative technologists, UX gurus, digital designers, and analytics mavens.
Through experimentation, research, and thought leadership, this team ensures that CDMiConnect is identifying and seizing emerging trends and opportunities for brands.
“Pharma can be a hard place to break through the digital stratosphere,” says Dina Peck, executive creative director. “But more and more of our clients are coming to us to get educated, and once they are fluent in the digital space, they are willing to break digital pharma norms to create work that’s based on patient insights and behaviors, not on limitations.”
The EDG also works to provide training, trending, strategy, and digital know-how to clients, and also leads client Innovation Days, Shark Tanks, and Hackathons.
Structure and Services
CDMiConnect is led by Deaver. Strategic and client services are led by Tyler, who is also managing partner. Creative is overseen by Peck, who is also a managing partner, and by Galati, who is an associate partner. John Deely leads the agency’s Emerging Digital Group as senior VP, director of digital experience.
As a full-service agency, while CDMiConnect continues to be deeply dedicated to patients, it also has a unique approach to HCP work, using patient insights to generate conversations and action on both sides. CDMiConnect’s services include DTC advertising, relationship marketing, social marketing, patient adherence programs, and branding. According to executives, the agency also has a unique approach to multicultural marketing for healthcare brands. The agency has developed industry-leading expertise in web development, usability, mobile apps, and social media. Strategic services include strategic planning, analytic intelligence, channel planning, and social listening.
Future plans
According to its leaders, CDMiConnect will continue to pioneer new technology and drive invention on behalf of clients. “With the healthcare dynamic approaching its tipping point, the agency will continue to be on the forefront of inventing and testing new technologies that truly put patients first,” executives say. “New partnerships with Google, Apple, and IBM Watson are opening up opportunities for clients to go ‘beyond the device’ and into new, data-driven initiatives that truly impact patient outcomes.”
CDMiConnect will be launching a unique media offering that taps into ways to reach patients not yet on the radar of the traditional media agencies. “Advocacy, EHR, payers, pharmacies, and many others provide channels that directly touch our patients, but rarely have they been a focus of our clients,” Tyler says. “We plan to bring these new channels to our clients to give them a targeted reach that they have not been able to achieve before.”
Philanthropy/citizenship
CDMiConnect is just as passionate about putting community first, executives say. Every staffer is given a “GoodWorks Day” to use for a meaningful charitable cause. In 2015 a group of CDMiers spent a day at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. CDMiConnect also started a global, social outreach program to bring eye care to Tanzania in the summer of 2016.
“It’s wonderful to help people right here, but it’s rather special to impact those who have very little across the globe,” Peck says. “It’s part of the agency’s culture to give back. And it’s even more special when the cause is to help patients.”