Regan Campbell Ward • McCann has reached the historic milestone of its 10-year anniversary. Today, the agency has 175 employees on two coasts with a 50.17% compound annual growth rate; a client roster with some of the biggest brands in the pharmaceutical industry; and successful new media enterprises. The agency was named Med Ad News’ Agency on the Rise in 2003 before being recognized as Agency of the Year — Division II last year.

“It’s supremely satisfying to look back on how far we’ve come in a decade,” says Maureen Regan, managing partner, RCW (rcw.com). “But looking forward is even better. The next 10 years for this agency promise to be very exciting.”

The burgeoning employment rolls forced the three partners to find new space last year, moving from the Flatiron district to relatively palatial new quarters on 42nd Street. Meanwhile, RCW West in San Diego has grown even more rapidly, buoyed by accounts with formidable West Coast companies like Allergan Inc. (allergan.com), Amgen Inc. (amgen.com), Gilead Sciences Inc. (gilead.com), and Elan Pharmaceuticals Inc. (elan.com). RCW West now comprises nearly half the agency’s revenue.

“Over the years, we may have outgrown real estate, but we’ve never outgrown the core values we’ve held since our inception,” says Brendan Ward, creative partner. “Our recipe for success — talented, hard-working people in a culture that demands and fosters growth — hasn’t changed.”

According to Richard Campbell, strategic partner, Regan Campbell Ward • McCann, the Synthroid account win was a turning point for the agency, despite how long ago that was. Synthroid is a synthetic thyroid hormone from Knoll Pharmaceutical Co.

“I think we had seven employees at the time, and George Vergis at Knoll had the mettle to award the Synthroid business to us,” Mr. Campbell says.

More recently, being named a roster agency by both Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline has opened the door to the agency’s next round of growth in the global arena.

“Global is our biggest area of growth,” Mr. Campbell old Med Ad News. “The agency has been handling global accounts for most of its life — and we've had the opportunity to leverage and support McCann Healthcare’s extensive global network.”

RCW’s relationship with McCann immediately gave a global reach to the fledgling agency. The agency projected that global reach most recently with last year’s launch of RCW • Salud, the Spanish-speaking division of the agency. In addition, RCW continues to expand its reach in medical education through its Fission Communications, and interactive communications via MedRageous.

“Our partnership with McCann has been key to our success,” Mr. Campbell says. “Not many agencies founded by three people start out with a global healthcare network on day one. And in year 10 when the steam pipe explosion on Lexington Avenue kept us out of the office for a week in July, the Interpublic Group found us alternate office space and got us up and running without a hitch.”

Beyond global, some of the agency's best growth has come from its interactive group, MedRageous. The digital team has been developing innovative strategies and programs — using the expertise of IPG's Emerging Media Lab.

According to Richard Nordstrom, CEO of McCann Healthcare Worldwide, RCW has achieved true greatness in 10 years, and he believes that the agency is one of the crown jewels of the McCann Healthcare Worldwide network, with creative and strategic leadership and an energy level that is second to none.

The agency's largest clients are Novartis (novartis.com), Allergan (allergan.com), and GlaxoSmithKline (gsk.com). The agency’s longest-standing client relationship has been with the American Association of Family Physicians. The agency has been working with this organization since 1998.

"In big pharma, our longest ongoing relationship has been with Merck," Mr. Campbell says. "We started working with Merck in 1999 — and we've had at least one Merck brand in the shop ever since."

The agency launched Merck’s Cancidas, an IV antifungal, handling the U.S. and global accounts, and the agency has continued to work with the brand team as the drug launched three subsequent indications.

"The campaign is a great example of the value of strategic and branding consistency," Mr. Campbell says.