ghg | greyhealth group: 2016

ghg | greyhealth group

200 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010

Phone: 212.886.3000

Facsimile: 212 886 3097

Website: ghgroup.com

Executives say ghg had its best year ever, achieving significant top-line and double-digit profit growth, fueled by breakthrough, multichannel agency launch campaigns, innovative medical education, and healthcare-access programs. “ghg significantly expanded its client base; launched several new products in oncology, rare diseases, and diagnostics; and has engaged with exciting startups in the health IT sector,” agency leaders say.

The year’s accomplishments

“Demonstrating its spirit of innovation and role as a change agent, ghg became IBM Watson’s first health-agency partner, making it possible to bring cognitive computing to healthcare brands,” executives say. “ghg acquired The Lathe, a mobile-first agency pioneering m-health programs that connect patients, caregivers, and professionals. In addition, ghg expanded its new point-of-care offerings, investing in OptimizeRx Corporation, a software company whose content-delivery platform enables pharmaceutical companies to provide on-demand patient-care services, and PARx Solutions, Inc., which specializes in expediting the prior-authorization process.”

According to agency leaders, with the growing use of digital and cognitive technology, healthcare industry marketers have “a golden opportunity” to deliver behavioral-insight-based messaging and tools to drive better health outcomes. “ghg’s thought leadership and original research in these areas led to the coining of the phrase ‘Chief Health Officer,’ or CHO, the individual (usually female) who makes healthcare decisions for herself and her family, as well as the creation of the seminal white paper, ‘The Gulf Between Them: The New Customer and Her Healthcare Partners,’” these executives say. “ghg believes that ‘Communication is the Cure’ to improving health and wellness, and the CHO will be an effective, even revolutionary, healthcare advocate.”

Structure and services offered

According to agency leaders, ghg is “a world-leading, full-service global communications network [and a] a pioneer in healthcare-brand building and communications.”

“Combining independent thinking, market-changing innovation, and scientific prowess, ghg has partnered with some of the world’s most powerful brands – from household names, such as Chantix and Nexium, to specialty consumer products, such as Crizal lenses and Advantage, to mobile-health breakthroughs, such as Text4Baby,” executives say. “With a fully integrated, multichannel offering, including leading-edge digital, we’ve blazed new trails, creating big ideas that work across media, audiences, and continents. Our inventive solutions attract a diverse spectrum of clients, including pharma, biotech, device, diagnostics, vaccines, eye care, oral care, OTC, m-health, personal care, and animal-health companies.”

Executive say over the past decade, ghg has earned a reputation for strategic leadership medical education, market access, and creative excellence across the globe. “To support our clients in today’s connected world, we’ve built a network of more than 550 experts, including Ph.D.s, M.D.s, vets, nurses, and top digital and creative talent,” agency leaders say.

“We are at an inflection point in the history of health,” executives say. “Electronic health records (EHRs), the evolving role of pharmacy, and mobile are spurring profound changes in the way health and wellness are managed, and they are all top of mind for ghg as we develop best-in-class programs for our clients.

“At the end of the day, not products or technology, but communication will help consumers make better decisions, adopt positive behaviors, adhere to treatment and live healthier lives. ‘Communication is the Cure’ is more than just our tagline. It’s the guiding principle behind who we are and how we work. We are leading the way to deeper, more powerful communication, and can speak the language of health, with all its dialects and nuances. We are equally fluent in the scientific discourse of healthcare professionals and the everyday dialogue of patients and consumers.”

According to agency leaders, ghg brings outstanding creative thinking to every project, “and we understand that creativity is about more than attention-grabbing art and compelling copy. It is about generating ideas that improve experiences, which ultimately improve outcomes – for patients, for professionals, and for your business. We also offer a range of specialty divisions to build robust and comprehensive brand narratives and experiences, including medical education, market-access consulting, scientific visualization, full-service digital and mobile, and social-media strategy and measurement.”

Executives say ghg offers professional/Rx promotion; DTC/OTC; CRM; consumer marketing; strategic consulting; branding and identity; digital and mobile marketing; electronic health records channel marketing; professional medical education; patient medical education; digital medical education; market research and analytics; market access strategy; publication planning; sales training; scientific visualization; contract sales; managed-care marketing and HEOR; and public relations.

The network has U.S. locations in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Missouri, and Connecticut; European locations in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and the Czech Republic; and in the Asia Pacific in Australia and Japan.

Philanthropy/citizenship

Agency leaders say ghg’s philanthropic work with the Jed Foundation continues, as major progress is under way to address the emotional health challenges of young adults on campuses nationwide. CEO Lynn Vos was a founding board member of both the Jed Foundation and MMRF, a pioneering cancer research foundation. Among her other nonprofit boards were Jericho Project, YWCA NY, Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, and more. ghg has also formulated a digital strategy for INMED Partnerships for Children. Vos has incorporated her devotion to the public good into her leadership of ghg, encouraging employees to “give back.”