Evoke Health: 2017

 

Evoke Health LLC
101 Avenue of the Americas
13th Floor
New York, NY 10013
Telephone: 212-228-7200
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: [email protected]

 

Accounts
Account wins    8
Active business clients    18

Brands by 2016 sales
Brand-product accounts held    40+

 

Services Mix

DTC advertising    45%
Digital and Emerging Channels    42%
Relationship Marketing    13%

 

 

Evoke Health finished 2016 celebrating its 10th year in business with double-digit year-over-year growth, eight new brand wins, and revenue surpassing $50 million for the second year in a row. Having come a long way from the small band of healthcare veterans and digital innovators that first founded the agency, Evoke rolled into 2017 with the confidence of an industry leader, according to agency managers.

The Year’s Accomplishments

Reid Connolly, founder and CEO, says that the agency has evolved and pushed industry boundaries to accomplish its objectives, while putting foundational processes in place to keep up with the pace of change.

“We began Evoke because we wanted to offer something different – for our clients, and for the people who come to work here everyday,” Connolly says. “This 10-year milestone was a chance to reflect and acknowledge all that we’ve accomplished and to identify new opportunities to redefine what, as an agency, and as an industry, we offer in a world that is in a constant state of change.”

Yet, Connolly adds that he spends most of his time looking ahead, planning how Evoke will continue to bring value to its diverse and growing roster of clients, which currently includes consumer, professional, and payer marketing work with nearly 20 pharmaceutical, biotech, and device clients. Leaders say the agency delivers award-winning work across all channels, including TV, print, digital, relationship marketing, and social media, and is constantly exploring emerging channels and trends that can drive success for its US and global engagements.

Tom Donnelly, Evoke Health’s president, says he sees no sign of things slowing down. “We have great momentum right now,” Donnelly notes.

He believes that the company’s evolution over the years puts Evoke in a good position for continued success. “We’ve had the opportunity to build relationships with many of these clients over time, growing to meet their needs. They know what we can do and trust us to support their brands.”

Structure & Services

As a full-service health and wellness agency, Evoke delivers a broad range of strategy, creative, and technology services that span all audiences and every channel, executives say. “With a digital heritage, the agency understands the importance of integration and delivers breakthrough campaigns that use mass media to drive awareness, with digital, RM, and other innovative tactics to create seamless experiences,” management says.

According to Mike Dennelly, chief strategy officer, “All channels must be working together for the authentic experience that builds the type of relationship brands are looking for.” The agency’s Health More Human philosophy provides a shared vision and common vernacular to engage clients. Dennelly says the agency’s unique approach works because it identifies insights and areas for differentiation, and then builds them into the entire communications plan and marketing ecosystem.

The agency also has in-house submissions experts to ensure projects meet regulatory muster and an analytics team to show how campaigns are performing across all operational and strategic measures. Successfully coordinating all this work across disciplines is the job of a skilled client service and operations team, Evoke Health executives explain.

According to Heather Torak, chief operating officer, “We’ve had brand relationships that are now in their eighth or ninth years. While clients look to us for strategic and creative services, it is our ability to maintain those relationships and become a trusted partner that has allowed us to succeed.”
Evoke Health is the flagship of Evoke Group, which recently announced the addition of a multicultural agency. Executives say this new entity, Fabric, brings a wealth of experience in the Hispanic, African American, Asian American, and LGBTQ communities to bolster Evoke’s ability to reach and engage these diverse audiences.

As part of the Huntsworth Health group of best-in-class agencies, Evoke also brings a global reach and access to diverse services that include medical communications, sales training, and public relations, managers say.

Future Plans

Connolly says Evoke has always been a growth-focused company and will continue to find opportunities with clients who are of a similar mindset, willing to explore new ways to connect brands with their consumer and professional audiences.

“Some feel the industry has lagged in innovation and creativity, but I don’t think our clients have a choice,” Connolly says. “Scientific breakthroughs like immuno-oncology and gene therapy force us to stay at the cutting edge. We’re all becoming bigger consumers of health content and people want more information. Innovations in technology and the tools people use are changing how we think about, and manage our health.”

Executives say the agency’s Innovation Group shares the latest advancements with account teams and publishes point-of-view and editorial content for clients and industry leadership. Dave Mihalovic, executive VP of experience and innovation, helps maintain relationships with the med-tech community, developing partnerships that can help achieve client objectives.

Agency leadership unanimously says that its people are central to Evoke’s plans for the future. As president, Donnelly says developing the agency’s resources has been an ongoing area of focus that includes training, mentorship, and a focused plan for hiring the right staff with the right experience at the right time.

Over the past two years, Evoke has expanded its onboarding process to make sure new employees are getting a more formal introduction to the full range of agency services and standard operating procedures, leadership says.

According to Jennifer Daly, VP, operations, “We are not driven by any one discipline; integration here happens from the start of any engagement. While this adds real value for our clients, it requires that each person know what other functions bring to the table.”
Leaders say the training program has been a success, helping newer staff integrate with existing teams, while also making them feel more at home and part of the agency’s unique culture.

The agency also launched Co+Lab in 2016, an elective mentorship program that pairs staff up with senior mentors to collaborate over a six-month period to discuss anything from career goals to the challenges of agency life. The program has been driven by senior team members, who say they are passionate about the agency’s culture, and are finding ways to improve understanding and communications across disciplines, teams, and offices as the agency continues to grow. Initial response has been overwhelmingly positive and the program is expanding in the coming year, executives say.

Philanthropy/Citizenship

Giving back to the community is an important part of the culture at Evoke Health. People throughout the agency identify causes that they are passionate about, and work with leadership for the appropriate resources, according to management.

Donnelly says, “Even though our people are busy, they want to find ways to work together and be part of a good cause. I think it’s a healthy outlet that provides a break from the day-to-day and helps volunteers connect with people outside their regular teams.”

Evoke continued its participation in the national Movember campaign to raise awareness for men’s health, as well as participating in multiple national disease awareness days and other non-profits such as the Ronald McDonald House, New York Cares, and the Hope Community Charter School.