McKinney Health: 2024

McKinney Health

112 West 20th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10011

mckinney.com

 

Quick facts

Accounts

• Account wins: 4
• Active business clients: 4
  

Brands by 2023 sales

• Brand-product accounts held: 8
• $25 million-$50 million: 1
• $50 million-$100 million: 2
• $100 million-$500 million: 3
• $500 million-$1 billion: 2

Services mix

• HCP: 35%
• DTC: 25%
• Digital platforms: 25%
• Social: 10%
• Influencer: 5%

Client roster

• Alcon
• Biogen
• Indivior US
• Nestle Gerber

Finalist 

• Agency on the Rise

“In 2022, McKinney Health was launched, bringing the agency’s 54-year culture, creative, and social-first approach  to healthcare, health, and wellness advertising,” agency leaders state, adding that in 2023, McKinney Health became a “formidable” industry competitor, winning business pitches against established competitors and actively pitching in the first few months of 2024. 

Recent accomplishments

One of the first wins of 2023 was with Alcon Pharmaceuticals’ Surgical Business Unit, working on its recently acquired glaucoma brand Hydrus. McKinney previously also worked on the Alcon contact lens app for patients and optometrists called Marlo.

Managers boast that by leveraging the same creative talent that works on household names like Popeye’s and Little Caesars, McKinney Health also earned a win with biotech leader Biogen on the accounts for Aduhelm and Spinraza HCP.

“The momentum of McKinney Health proves that there is demand for an agency that can match best-in-class consumer-focused strategy and creativity with deep healthcare expertise,” agency leaders say. McKinney Health drove more than $10 million in new business in its first six months, $14 million  in 2023, and plans to exceed that number in 2024.

According to executives, McKinney’s acquisition of “influencer agency” August United in 2023 has also been leveraged to develop pediatrician influencer work for wellness client Gerber.

In 2023 McKinney Health rounded out its leadership team with Katie Perkinson as the head of health strategy and Harold Schombert leading medical. Perkinson had been at Precision Effect and Schombert Real Chemistry. Managers say McKinney continues to look outside health for talent, adding creative veteran Piper Hickman to lead creative with former partner Alex Shulhafer.

This team joined up with Head of Operations Dave Gielchinsky,  Group Client Director Darcy McCarthy, Head of Experience Design Gerald Flannory, and Managing Director Michael McNamara, who all worked at Havas Health together.

In 2023 McKinney gained recognition for its health and wellness campaign, “Prepare For Misuse” for the Ad Council and Brady: United Against Gun Violence. This PSA works to avoid alienating gun owners by speaking to them from their perspective on the issue, promoting and increasing gun safety practices. The campaign was recognized at both the Shorty Impact Awards and Webby Anthem Awards with Gold and Silver honors.

In 2024 McKinney was named both an Ad Age Best Place to Work and an Ad Age A-List Standout Agency.

Structure and services

While leaders say McKinney Health is driven mainly by creative client partnerships, the agency has pushed into the influencer world, starting in the wellness space.

The team at McKinney partnered with Gerber to understand the safety issues around food for children, and Nestle/Gerber’s role in proper, safe nutrition. “McKinney Health offers clients the opportunity to look for them beyond traditional advertising to new digital platforms, online consumer campaigns, AI-
generated social listening, and social,” executives say.

Managers highlight McKinney’s “very strong” social media team, which they say has propelled Little Caesar’s to the top-rated position of pizza brands on TikTok. “Leveraging that same group of individuals, McKinney Health has proposed innovative programs for clients Biogen, Alcon, and Indivior.”

Leaders say more clients are looking to McKinney for a true omnichannel approach to reach HCPs and patients. “With less rep face time, it is more critical than ever to make sure the marketing mix is diversified.”

Future plans

According to agency leaders, in 2024, McKinney Health will continue to search out meaningful clients. McKinney Health currently works in the addiction and mental health category with client Indivior, spinal muscular atrophy with Biogen, and with the Ad Council on gun safety. “These are all very engaging spaces that employees are energized to work on because of the positive impacts they are having on people and society,” executives say.

McKinney has worked in the wellness space with Zhou Nutrition and Gerber infant cereal and looks to expand in 2024.

“McKinney’s unique model that blends health and life in a more holistic manner gives wellness brands a unique approach to marketing,” executives say. “By blending the medical background of the staff with creators that have worked in financial services and quick serve restaurants, the result is a more tangible brand experience for consumers.”

McKinney Health plans to be, as leaders put it, “MORE MCKINNEY.” The health team is currently expanding into areas that McKinney has thrived in for years outside of health, including social, data, influencer, and media.

Philanthropy/citizenship

For Brady: United Against Gun Violence and the Ad Council, the “Prepare for Misuse” campaign builds off the two organizations’ long-standing “End Family Fire” initiative, the goal of which is to save lives through advocating for safe and secure gun storage. “The work done for these clients is pro bono and it airs in donated media spots,” agency leaders say.

Executives explain that the campaign works off the common firearms owner expression “Prepared for use,” which represents the mindset that millions of gun owners across the country possess – that their guns will keep them safe, and therefore an unlocked gun is safer than a locked one. “The opposite is true,” executives say. “Unsecured firearms kill or injure eight U.S. children every day. In flipping this phrase and narrative, we set out to show the irony of this false perception by offering an unacceptable alternative.”

The agency created a comprehensive campaign that included OOH, social, and TV, and looked at cities with a high density of gun owners. “We needed to connect with the gun-owning audience and change their behavior through objective truth – if your gun is prepared for use, then you must also be prepared for  misuse,” agency leaders say. “We focused on safety as our common goal by outlining the necessary steps gun owners must take to keep their families safe should they decide not to restrict access to their guns.”

In addition, McKinney has been active with Biogen participating in fundraising walks for Alzheimer’s disease and spinal muscular atrophy.