Network of the Year – IPG Health: 2024

IPG Health

100 W. 33rd Street, New York, NY 10001

[email protected]  • ipghealth.com

 

Winner

• Network of the Year

“Our ability to adapt, evolve, and always emerge stronger and better sets us apart from the rest,” says CEO Dana Maiman. “With socioeconomic, geopolitical, and myriad other challenges at play that not only impacted the economy, but also our people personally, the strength of our network to weather global hurdles was overwhelmingly clear.”

IPG Health leadership says its “secret sauce” lies in its diversity of agency brands, approaches, and personas across the network, established to be interconnected and interoperable. “At the heart of this is our single P&L structure, which effectively dismantles silos and removes barriers to collaboration and enables us to truly operate as one connected network,” they say. Comprised of more than 45 agencies and 6,500 people worldwide, the network unites on its principles, which its leaders say have helped it adapt, evolve, and innovate to grow stronger.

Recent accomplishments

Last year IPG Health recorded more than 300 new business wins, more than 950 new hires globally (including more than 100 boomerangs), 297 creative wins, and 10 “Network of the Year” honors.

The network’s footprint expansion included AbbVie, AstraZeneca, GSK, Lilly, Novartis, Regeneron, and Sanofi, and it added Ascendis Pharma, Genmab, Grifols, Lundbeck, MSD, and UNICEF to its client roster.

In addition to growing relationships with leading global biopharmaceutical companies, IPG Health also reported strong growth among small to midsize clients, which it says actually comprise 80 percent of its client list. 

“We pivot at a rate that belies our size,” said Mike Guarino, chief commercial officer. “The fluidity of our approach enables us to customize and scale based on client needs while turbocharging innovation via the most inspiring and diverse talent in the world.”

As part of its commitment to EDI (equity, diversity, and inclusion), IPG Health launched an industry-first clinical trial diversity offering designed to advance health equity by helping clinical trial sponsors diversify their trials and ensure more inclusive treatment innovations, addressing barriers to inclusion across clinical trial outreach, recruitment, and engagement.

“At IPG Health, our first step was speaking out and raising awareness of the need for more diversity in clinical trials through our Trial for #ClinicalEquality campaign that we launched in 2021. This obsession resulted in this innovative offering that is accelerating clinical innovation, equity, and health for humanity,” said Sommer Bazuro, Ph.D., chief medical officer.

IPG Health is working with clinical trial sponsors in the pharma and academic sectors to support diversifying their clinical trials by metrics that include  race, age, geographic location, and cognitive ability, etc. It uses proprietary databases and methodologies to develop an in-depth understanding of the patients, their caregivers, their treating physicians, and the barriers that stand in the way of them accessing clinical trials.

IPG Health Influencer ID (IDI), was launched with the intent of establishing the network as a leader in the field of social media health influencers, and activating influential and authentic voices including patients, caregivers, and HCPs to drive its clients’ business. Its IDI services include identification and engagement, strategy and creation, compliance and regulatory support, negotiating and contracting, and relationship management. 

Additional “significant” 2023 investments include building out global production capability as well as its content supply chain offering, with client benefits that include “customizable and efficient communications at scale, and leveraging innovation through AI, cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships,” leaders say.

On the awards circuit, IPG Health received the “Network of the Year” award at the Mannys, which also crowned the network with the Vision Award for its Write It Forward program. AREA 23 took home “Most Admired Agency” and “Most Creative Agency” –  for the eighth time in both categories – and “Agency of the Year – Category I,” and Renée Mellas and Tim Hawkey, group president and chief creative officer, respectively, of AREA 23, AREA 23 on Hudson, McCann Health NY and IPG Health Canada, were awarded Industry Persons of the Year at the 2023 Mannys.

Additional awards received last year were taken home by FCB Health NY, AREA 23, ProHealth, and Mosaic at the 2023 MM+M Awards; McCann Health Japan at the 2023 Luum Awards; and McCann London/McCann Health London and McCann Health New York at Ad Age and Modern Healthcare’s 2023 Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards.

IPG Health Medical Communications’ early career training program, Fuel, was honored by The Princess Royal Training Awards, recognizing organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to learning and development.

Among the highlights of growth include FCB Health New York welcoming 204 new employees, including 57 boomerangs, and AREA 23’s 23 percent growth, according to leadership. Neon reported 10 new client engagements, double-digit revenue growth, and 101 new employees. “Humancare doubled in both billings and humans in 2023. And all our other full-service agencies including FCBCURE, Hill Holliday Health, McCann Health NJ and McCann Health NY continued to thrive,” leaders stated.

“2023 was one of our strongest new business years ever in terms of the amount of new business won, along with strong organic growth and client retention,” says Charlie Buckwell, chief medical communications officer, of IPG Health Medical Communications. “Both our client work and our career development programs were acknowledged with awards, reflecting an outstanding team effort and commitment to excellence in everything we do.” Managers point to medcomms agency ProHealth, which added 10 new brands to its portfolio, leading to 40 percent revenue growth from the previous year.

Within IPG Health’s specialized agencies, Mosaic Group reported 20 percent growth for the second year in a row, driven by eight new accounts across four key clients. Its team also grew from 103 to 139 members. McCann Health Managed Markets reported 15 percent growth, with the addition of six new business AOR wins.

IPG Health’s agencies, including Neon, YuzuYello, and Humancare, also landed on multiple Best Places to Work lists. The network launched IPG Health Discover, a central hub for learning resources including tutorials, development workshops and programs, and a LinkedIn Learning course. It also started IPG Health Mentor, a program that connects mentees with mentors across its global network. 

Structure and services

As the world continues to move at warp speed and with increasing volatility, health and pharma companies need strategic marketing communication partners to navigate and thrive in an increasingly unpredictable market – a partner who can bring the most comprehensive and specialized suite of capabilities, a broad diversity of agency brands and approaches, and a robust global footprint with healthcare experts on the ground in all global regions,” leadership states. “With diversity, flexibility, and choice at our core including full-service, medical communications, and specialty, and celebrated agencies like AREA 23, FCB Health NY, McCann Health NY, Neon, and Humancare – we are obsessed with delivering the right solution for every client, leveraging creativity, technology, data, and science to push boundaries and leave the world better than we found it.”

IPG Health has more than 20 full-service agencies worldwide, and more than 18 specialized agencies – with services that include branding, patient support services, expert marketing (i.e., pharmacists), managed markets and global market access, global health initiatives, data, analytics, media planning and buying, as well as a digital-first global production company.

IPG Health Medical Communications is comprised of eight med comms agencies, with a head count of about 400 people in medical and scientific roles, 80 percent of whom have higher degrees (Ph.D., PharmD, M.D.), according to the network. There are approximately 200 people on the promotional medical team (a global medical community of practitioners); and in 2023, Mike Leiberman, Ph.D., a boomerang (formerly Klick) returned as executive director of medical/scientific affairs at McCann Health New York.

Last year IPG Health strengthened its data-driven content expertise with three key new hires: Jessica Specker (joining from Accenture Song) as executive director of global content solutions; Jack Vance (joining from WebMD) as managing director, data and activation at IPG Health and SOLVE(D); and Eira Ellis (joining from Publicis Groupe: CaST), director of global operations at Studio Rx.

“While data and content have always been integral at every stage of communication and campaign development within IPG Health agencies, Specker and Vance will work closely together to ensure even greater connectivity between all the pieces that can benefit from data and content within our network, and ultimately ensure that when it comes to reaching our clients’ target audiences, we are continuing to create experiences and solutions that are personal and relevant,” leadership states.

Global footprint and capabilities expansion encompassed key regional markets including Japan with the launch of FCB Health Japan; Sub-Saharan Africa with an exclusive affiliation with FINE; Italy with FCB Health Vybe and McCann Health Boot; Central and Eastern Europe with the launch of FCB Health Spark in Poland; and an expanded LATAM offering with FCB Health iglooLab Science in Colombia.

IPG Health also boosted specialized capabilities across Europe, managed by IPG network veteran Inka Ficht, executive director specialty services for IPG Health Europe. In addition, the network built global production hubs in Spain, Brazil to create a production ecosystem focused on its end-to-end process – from scoping projects to project planning, activation, and beyond.

IPG Health says it has integrated artificial intelligence into all aspects of the network, having more than 100 use cases for AI in various stages of development/implementation across disciplines, including strategy/insight generation, creative development/concepting, content creation/production, experience design, salesforce training, HR/talent management, and financial management. 

“IPG Health AI experts have built and deployed proprietary models and leveraged existing tools with validated partners, including Acxiom, who serves as our foundational partner for consumer and healthcare data,” says leadership. “For example, our purpose-built software from 90NORTH uses AI and natural language processing to understand what patients and HCPs love or hate about a disease, brand, or patient experience. These insights enable the engagement planning and experience design teams to supercharge their patient journeys and end-to-end customer experiences with continuous insights from unbiased, natural language data. In addition, our persona-building software platform uses AI to analyze stakeholder conversations and detect the psychological barriers or drivers behind healthcare decisions. These hidden insights enable our teams to design segment-
specific behavioral strategies that affect change and drive brand adoption through personalized creative campaigns.”

The network’s EDI+You strategy focuses on affecting systemic changes and solutions across four core pillars of the business: people, creative solutions, culture, and impact. Last year IPG Health formalized “inQ” (Inclusion Intelligence Quotient), its proprietary integrated strategic framework to effectively center EDI across the entire creative process. “As an extension of this, we also take a critical look at how we assign creative briefs, ensure medical and scientific inclusivity, and mitigate bias in writing and visualization, and broadcast and production selection and casting,” leadership says.

As part of its commitment to EDI and also addressing carriers to care, IPG Health launched IPG Health Access. “Access to general and specialized physicians and hospitals, availability of educational resources, proximity to health and wellness services, and health equity solutions are just a few of the other determinants of health that must be appropriately addressed to change health for the better – for all people,” says network leadership. “We’ve been at the forefront of market access and payer solutions, and have redefined health access, aligning an array of specialized agencies and offerings providing the most comprehensive approach to improving access to the health system and solutions for the widest array of patients.”

In 2023, IPG Health says it assessed the organization from a global perspective, aligning functions, roles, levels, and salary bands across the network. From there, the network could benchmark salaries against the same criteria in an effort to ensure more robust pay equity and the ability to develop network-wide tools for skill and competency building. “Having a well-defined structure provides our people with clear information on role expectations, which leads to more clarity around career development, increased opportunities for internal mobility, and more,” managers say.

While much of the industry has started to require employees to return to the office, IPG Health says it is “leaning into” a philosophy of flexibility, accountability, and trust. “Many other agency networks have started mandating their employees return to the office, and at IPG Health, we trust our people to make the right decision for their teams, clients, and their families to determine what works best for them,” said Lisa DuJat, chief talent officer. “For example, we know that a flexible working model allows women to be more efficient and productive in the workforce, and we don’t want to go back on the progress that’s been made. Supporting our people with a flexible environment is paramount for the continued advancement of our industry, and society as a whole.”

Future plans

As it navigates through unpredictable times, IPG Health network leadership states that it remains committed to its people, and its clients and brands. “Volatility is inherent in our business and specifically in the healthcare space. That’s what we signed up for and that’s what keeps us passionate and excited every day,” says Maiman. “But we’ve always leaned into zigging while others zag. For example, so many other agencies and networks have pursued the acquisition route as their growth strategy, whereas at IPG Health we typically prefer another route, which is building it ourselves. Homegrown is the best strategy for us and it certainly has proven successful year after year. It’s a fail-proof way of future-proofing our culture, no matter how large or fast we grow.”

Philanthropy/citizenship

In today’s divided world, our purpose and relentless dedication to doing what’s right has never been more pertinent. We know that the work we create in health care has a higher purpose, and we do this through impactful pro bono work. The tenure and longevity of many of our pro bono campaigns underscores our genuine commitment and passion,” says leadership. “It’s not just about the awards or accolades. These are real and important causes, and we’re dedicated to progress.”

FCB Health New York continued “The Trial for #ClinicalEquality”, and brought the conversation of racial disparities in clinical trials to SXSW 2023 with its partners Genentech, Google, and TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance – hosting its first Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) on clinical trial diversity, in an effort to bring this important issue to the fore of public discourse.

In partnership with UFCSPA (a top medical school in Brazil) and WideLabs, AREA 23 launched “bAIgrapher”, the first platform to use generative AI to make reminiscence therapy accessible and practical for people with Alzheimer’s disease. One of bAIgrapher’s main components is a fine-tuned Large Language Model (LLM) collected from a finite, curated, and highly personalized set of data from willing sources.  

FCB Health New York also introduced “EQL Band”, an innovative prototype for the world’s first smartwatch band that uses sound smart technology to accurately hear all heartbeats equally, regardless of skin tone.

Building on years of clinical equality advocacy, and in partnership with TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, FCB Health New York is calling on the tech industry and smartwatch manufacturers to join the fight for equal health data.

The network also continued its Disappearing Doctors initiative with “The Disposables”. Launched ahead of National Physician Suicide Awareness Day in September 2023 and rooted in the disposable nature of medical supplies, “The Disposables” is a tribute to those doctors who were lost and marks a new beginning for those who are struggling. 

IPG Health supported humanitarian crises including earthquake relief in Morocco, the wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui Island, gun control, and others, contributing to organizations including Moroccan Red Crescent Society, Hawai’i Community Foundation, and UNICEF.