Calcium: 2017

 

 

Calcium
The Curtis Center, Suite 250-S
Independence Square West
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Telephone: 917-612-3290
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: calciumusa.com

 

Finalist

Agency of the Year, Category III

 

Accounts
Account wins    9
Active business clients    9

Brands by 2016 sales
Brand-product accounts held    17
$25 million or less    1
$25 million to $50 million    1
$50 million to $100 million    2
$100 million to $500 million    3
$500 million to $1 billion    1
$1 billion or more    1
Products to be approved/launched    8

 

Services Mix

Brand Strategy/Advertising    40%
Interactive    40%
Broadcast/Video    10%
Relationship Marketing    10%

 

Client Roster

BioTel
Boston Biomedical
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Eggland’s Best
Genentech
Horizon Pharma
Interleukin Genetics
Kamedis
Merz
OncAlert
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals
Strongbridge Biopharma
Sun
United Therapeutics
Windtree

 

 

For Calcium, 2016 represented the agency’s strongest year to date, management says. At year’s end, revenue was up 30 percent over the previous year. Additionally, as of February 2017, execs predicted revenue that is 100 percent higher than the year before. Agency leaders attribute the stellar performance to organic growth with existing clients as well as several key new business wins.

On both fronts, the critical catalyst has been the “unmatched talent, drive, and client focus of our people, our Calciumites,” according to Founder and CEO Steven Michaelson.

“For Calcium, the old saying rings true: the agency’s most valuable resource gets on and off the elevator every day.”

The Year’s Accomplishments

The agency’s growth is predicated on a laser-focused business strategy that was instituted in 2016 to streamline clients, people and operations, according to Calcium management.

The number of Calcium clients has gone from 30 in 2015 to 18 in 2016, and to 9 in 2017. Executives say with this streamlining has come an important shift from smaller, project-based accounts to larger, AOR accounts.

“Having fewer clients would appear to fly in the face of the notion that ‘more is better,’” executives say. “Yet fewer clients means that the agency can focus more effectively on the specific needs of each client that it serves. Which produces a better outcome for client and agency alike.”

Reinforcing this philosophy, Michaelson says “we don’t want to be the biggest agency – we just want to be the best.”

And as executives point out, as evidenced by results, Calcium’s business strategy worked. “By streamlining and focusing its efforts, the agency’s revenue grew tremendously,” managers say. “Now, Calcium is an agency that’s twice the size it was a year ago – yet it’s leaner, more nimble, and even more responsive to client needs.”

In keeping with its upbeat outlook for 2017, Calcium, in early January, was awarded the AOR account for Orencia (abatacept) from Bristol-Myers Squibb. “Calcium is bringing the highest levels of strategic, creative, digital, and tactical support to this account – which is aligned with the way Calcium supports all of its clients and brands,” executives say.

Management highlights the numerous creative awards Calcium won in 2016, including the agency’s first Clio award as well as multiple awards from the Rx Club and PM360. In addition, Steve Hamburg, managing partner and chief creative officer, was honored – for a second time – with a PharmaVOICE 100 award as well as with an Elite Creative Director award from PM360 magazine.

Executives say strong growth has also led to new and improved offices, as the agency signed a 10-year lease on 17,000 square feet in the Curtis Center on Independence Square in downtown Philadelphia. Calcium also moved to new offices in New York City. “Both environments are stimulating and inspiring – perfect for supporting continued robust growth through 2017 and beyond,” leadership says.

Structure & Services

Consistent with its strong growth, Calcium has been aggressively adding staff to its downtown Philadelphia offices. Besides Philadelphia and New York City, the agency also has offices in San Francisco. As of early 2017, more than 25 staff positions had been added. Executives say one of the most significant hires in 2016 was the addition Melissa Morrow to the role of partner, director of Client Services.

“Melissa embodies the Calcium spirit of hard work, talent, ‘can do’ attitude, and exemplary client service,” management says. Morrow has joined the executive leadership team composed of Michaelson; Judy Capano, managing partner, chief operating officer; Hamburg; Garth McCallum-Keeler, managing partner, chief strategy officer; Don Feiler, partner, chief digital officer; and James Hunter, partner, chief financial officer.

“Calcium is optimally structured to deliver the various forms of ‘brand nourishment’ clients need in order to grow their brands,” executives say. “The Calcium structure is lean, focused, non-bureaucratic, and highly responsive, emphasizing the deployment of precisely the right individuals – and skill sets – to satisfy a wide range of client needs. One hallmark of the Calcium structure is the high degree of senior leadership involvement in client businesses. Calcium believes in utilizing its top talent in this manner because it’s simply the way to deliver the greatest client impact.”

“You get the ‘big agency’ experience without the bureaucracy,” Michaelson says.

According to agency executives, at Calcium, powerful brand nourishment is delivered in the form of powerful insights and ideas in the areas of strategy, creative, science, technology, and tactical programming. Leading-edge digital capabilities are integrated directly into the fabric of the agency, which makes the delivery of those solutions more effective. “Calcium’s strategic and creative capabilities are also particularly robust,” execs say. “They are guided by a passion for clarity and focus (in the strategic realm) and boldness and memorability (in the creative realm). Above all, in all of its work, Calcium seeks to heighten brand engagement – and strengthen customer activation – by creating compelling brand experiences that powerfully resonate with people’s lives and needs.”

Michaelson says, “At Calcium, we have all the capabilities in place. We’ve developed industry leading, fully integrated strategic, creative, and digital solutions for our clients. As always, our talent is our strength. By maximizing talent, we can maximize client success.”

Future Plans

With an expanded client roster, job number one for Calcium is to focus its formidable talents and energies on delivering impact and growth for the brands it currently serves, managers note. “Yet Calcium will continue to pursue its own growth in a deliberate and strategic manner by expanding current relationships and developing new relationships with AOR clients who are seeking the kinds of ‘brand nourishment’ that Calcium uniquely delivers,” executives say.

“Continued agency growth will come naturally as a result of the growth and value we can deliver to our clients,” Michaelson says.
Calcium will continue to strengthen its Philadelphia office while also expanding its business base in the New York City office.

Philanthropy/Citizenship

In keeping with Calcium and its dedication to providing brand ‘nourishment,’ Calcium was “honored and pleased” to continue providing support for The Great American Milk Drive. The organization is dedicated to providing critical nutritional support for Americans in need.