Fingerpaint

395 Broadway

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Telephone: 518.693.6960

Email: [email protected]

Website: fingerpaintmarketing.com

 

 

Accounts

Account wins            9

Accounts resigned  4

Active business clients       26

 

Brands by 2015 sales

Brand product accounts held        36

$25 million or less   23

$25 million to $50 million   1

$50 million to $100 million 3

$100 million to $500 million          6

$500 million to $1 billion    1

$1 billion or more    2

Number of products yet to be approved/launched: 3

 

 

Services Mix

Interactive     35%

Advertising    35%

Relationship marketing      10%

PR/Social media      20%

 

 

Client Roster

Celgene

Circassia

CSL Behring

Egalet

Ferring

The Finish Line

The Foundation for Embryonic Competence

GE Power and Water

Insys

Iroko

Mission Pharmacal

OptiNose

Rhinomed

Roivant

Vanda

WMHT

 

 

According to Fingerpaint executives, 2015 was a year of remarkable and transformative growth for the agency. “With expansion in all areas of the agency, new account wins, new leadership executives and a surge in key personnel – a sense of evolution, excitement and innovation are infiltrating the walls of the three nationwide offices,” executives say.

“This year was truly incredible,” says founder Ed Mitzen. “We exceeded our own expectations in terms of strategic advances made, and we are very excited about our future. What I’m most proud of is that we’ve stayed true to our core philosophy of uncommon collaboration through all developments and challenges and, as a result, continue to increase our investment in one another.”

Fingerpaint expanded its office space in Villanova, Pa., and Scottsdale, Ariz., to accommodate the hiring of additional employees and to continue servicing a growing client base. With revenues exceeding $20 million, and more than 120 full-time staff, the company continues to exemplify itself as a premier independent healthcare marketing firm, executives say.

 

The year’s accomplishments

According to agency leaders, 2015 was marked by a continuance of strategic relationships with current clients, key account wins, and unprecedented internal growth.

“As Fingerpaint stretches the limits and redefines what it means to ‘create something original,’ the five core values of its success – People First, Collaboration, Integrity, Will to Win and Philanthropy—remain intact and vital in the approach used by the agency,” executives say. “In addition to Fingerpaint’s consistent methodology and crafting of meaningful marketing campaigns, their leadership team remains unchanged.”

Mitzen says, “I’ve always followed the same approach when seeking talenthire people smarter than yourself. Our team completely and utterly blows my mind each and every day. The passion, commitment and drive to produce extraordinary work is immeasurable and apparent as we’ve had no turnover within our senior management.”  

Executives say Fingerpaint successfully partnered with Iroko Pharmaceuticals to help manage their growing low-dose NSAID portfolio including the launch of Vivlodex; expanded its existing relationship with Ferring Pharmaceuticals by becoming the agency of record to re-launch Cervidil to the HCP-market; and joined forces with Mission Pharmacal to help promote its line of urology and specialty products.

According to agency leaders, work never ceased to flow at Fingerpaint. For instance, shortly following the U.S. launch of the Niox Vero for Aerocrine, Fingerpaint was commissioned to rebrand the product again after it was acquired by Circassia. This time, Fingerpaint was charged with creating a global brand with a unified message that could transcend countries and continents.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals hired Fingerpaint to help remarket the only FDA-approved insert for cervical ripening, Cervidil. The work included brand positioning, a fresh new concept, and a number of sales force and non-personal tactics ranging from an interactive detail aid and website to administration guides and HCP emails.

Fingerpaint also helped Vernalis Therapeutics Inc. bring a new cough-cold prescription to the U.S. market. Tuzistra XR represents the only 12-hour codeine-based cough syrup, in a market dominated by short-acting formulations. Fingerpaint spearheaded the branding, positioning and successful launch of Tuzistra XR in September – just in time for cold season, executives say.

Executives point to industry accolades for Fingerpaint in 2015 such as placement in Inc. 5000 Magazine’s Top Fastest Growing Companies for a third consecutive year; acting as a proud Founding Partner of Cannes Lions Health; and recognition as one of the greater New York region’s 50 fastest growing midsized companies by SmartCEO. And agency leaders point out that the hosting of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as part of a plan towards growth in the Capital Region was an achievement entirely outside client work, but a clear indication Fingerpaint has jumped full force into not only strengthening the advertising industry, but the local business community as well.

“Undoubtedly, we are recognized for our great creative work through awards and honors,” Mitzen says. “Still, our greatest accomplishment to me is to watch the team fully embrace the term ‘uncommon collaboration’ and work as one to demonstrate the power of our diverse backgrounds.”

 

Structure and services

According to executives, collaboration is one of the keys to Fingerpaint’s great success. “With an open office and work style, this sense of true collaborative energy is most apparent,” executives say. “Inspired by a culture of no offices, no titles, and no egos, this flat organizational structure empowers all employees to contribute, get involved and support one another’s energy and passionate ideas.”

“Expansion and inspiration resonate within the staff,” executives say, attributing this to Fingerpaint’s status as an employee-owned agency. “Motivated by senior leadership from all over the country, passion and verve for growth are put to use in the agency’s multichannel offerings, which include brand development, strategic planning, audio/video production, social content marketing, public relations, event planning, digital and traditional tactical deployments, intelligence and analytics, and medical and scientific communications,” executives say.

 

Future plans

Executives believe that the coming year promises exciting developments for Fingerpaint as its newest hire, former McCann Torre Lazur President Bill McEllen, joins the team as the leader of the Saratoga Springs office.

“I’m very excited to be a part of Fingerpaint,” McEllen says. “I believe we’ve brought some of the best minds together, and the entrepreneurial spirit looking ahead to 2016 is inspiring.”

With leaders’ projections of a 32 percent increase in revenue and an increase in staffing to match, 2016 will be another year of collaboration and integration among all three Fingerpaint offices.

“The tremendous growth made in 2015 sets us up for yet another year of increased clientele, ensuring an addition in staff to accommodate and continue to produce the highest quality of work for our clients,” Mitzen says.

 

Philanthropy/citizenship

Executives say much like its business model, Fingerpaint has created a fully integrated method for incorporating philanthropy into the culture, including having a full-time liaison on staff whose mission is connecting employees with their surrounding communities.

“Giving back means more than just writing checks,” executives say, adding that Fingerpainters offer their time, talent and resources to dozens of humanitarian and health-related organizations, connecting with causes close to their hearts while ensuring their surrounding communities feel cared for and appreciated.

In 2015 alone, Fingerpaint contributed more than 750 hours of in-kind/volunteer time, helped more than 11 organizations with brainstorm sessions on branding, messaging, PR, and event assistance, attended or had a presence at over 30 charity events, and had 100 percent office participation in holiday giving efforts company-wide.

Executives say one of the agency’s greatest philanthropic achievements of 2015 was the Code Blue “Blue Needs You” Initiative, where Fingerpaint raised $50,000 towards combating local homelessness.

“Fingerpaint employees don’t mind getting involved in causes bigger than themselves, volunteering for cleanup days, food pantries and homeless shelters, as well as hosting their own fundraisers, completing holiday wish lists for less-fortunate children and holding internal food drives with a competitive twist,” executives say. “Whether they’re donating financially through pro bono work or through volunteerism, Fingerpaint employees commit to the community with the same passion they put into their work.”

Says Mitzen, “Giving back to our community has and always will be a priority for Fingerpaint. We strive to make a real impact as philanthropy is one of our five core values.”

According to agency leaders, it starts from the top down, and employees realize early on that taking care of one another is ingrained in the company culture. “Not only does it help the staff collaborate with each other on a nonwork level, it helps keep them focused on community and creates balance in a somewhat volatile industry,” executives say. “Alongside a unique philanthropic philosophy, Fingerpaint’s culture is one and the same. From every employee owning stock in the company to a paid month-long sabbatical and dog-friendly office (pig-friendly too!), the energy and atmosphere make the humanitarian choice simple for Fingerpainters.”