Real Chemistry: 2023

Real Chemistry

199 Water St., 12th Floor, New York, NY 10038 

212-301-7200 • [email protected] • realchemistry.com

Quick Facts

Services mix

• Integrated marketing communications: 47%
• Commercial and medical solutions: 32%
• Data and AI solutions: 21%

Client Roster (partial list)

• AstraZeneca
• Better Therapeutics
• Cutera
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Everlywell
• Galderma
• Genentech
• Incyte
• Jazz Pharmaceuticals
• Johnson & Johnson
• Matternet
• Novartis
• Pfizer
• Shield Therapeutics
• Sobi

“2022 was another remarkable year,” according to the leadership team at Real Chemistry. “We achieved our 21st consecutive year of double-digit growth: $556 million, reflecting 16 percent growth versus 2021.”   

Recent accomplishments

For Real Chemistry, last year was marked by several new client wins, new account wins,  new offerings, and staff additions.

On the client side, executives say the agency gained Better Therapeutics, AviClear from Cutera, Everlywell, Shield Therapeutics, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Takeda and Pfizer gave Real Chemistry new brand accounts, and there were new account wins from Galderma, GSK, and Novartis. In new offerings, “We incorporated AI [artificial intelligence] and analytics into our core capabilities – communications, advertising and medical education – and added a consumer health practice,” managers say. “Because the changing needs of our clients demand more integrated and specialized services, we added AI-based products including conversationHEALTH and Real Chemistry Insight System (RCIS) to help power ideas with AI-generated insights.”

To support these new offerings and clients, Real Chemistry hired 174 employees for the Data & AI Solutions business unit, including Ari Srinivasan, group executive VP, to lead the IPM.ai & I2 groups. Mike Otner became chief legal officer, Andy Johnson was made CIO, and Scott Page became global head, talent acquisition.

Managers point out how Real Chemistry also made changes in its office work policy last year. “Since the pandemic, we adapted our offices to how people told us they want to work,” executives say. “We have offices in major cities – New York, Chicago, Austin, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and London – that serve as hubs. Outside of these cities, people work remotely but convene quarterly for collaboration, culture, and learning.”

The agency also won 122 awards in 2022, leaders say. These include “Most Innovative Company” for IPM.ai by Fast Company and No. 3 Health Agency in the World by Cannes for 21GRAMS.

 Structure and services

Real Chemistry is structured into three business units, which executives say cover the end-to-end healthcare experience – from diagnosis to experience. “Through these business units, we offer more than a dozen products that help the healthcare industry better understand, reach, and engage patients and professionals.” 

 The Integrated Marketing Communications unit influences beliefs and drives shifts in behavior. It offers activation, health equity, strategic product and corporate communications, medical affairs lifecycle management from clinical to field, and under Rad Science, medical and data visualization.

The Commercial & Medical Solutions unit “makes advertising less of an interruption and more worth your time,” executives say, offering  HCP education, HCP and patient advertising strategy and execution, and technology services and digital experience solutions.

Data & AI Solutions is “focused on understanding the marketplace and audience and driving better commercial outcomes with best-in-class AI-powered insights,” executives say. Its offerings include conversationHEALTH, IPM.ai, end-to-end market access consulting and marketing, integrated intelligence, and Swoop.

 Future plans

Real Chemistry’s vision is for every human to have the opportunity of an excellent healthcare experience, the agency leadership team says. 

“To accomplish this, we must continue to bring AI and ideas together to understand healthcare audiences, connect with them, influence the conversation, and elevate the experience around lifesciences products. Our goal is to continue to expand our core capabilities of communications and advertising, as well as to grow in digital technologies, market access, medical affairs, and influencer and celebrity activation. 

“These priorities are designed to meet the expanding needs of our clients and truly create an integrated approach to the healthcare experience for patients.”

The agency’s goal is to bring its full suite of capabilities and solutions to help drive outsized impact for healthcare clients as well as be a great place to work for its teams, managers say. 

“As a high-growth company that has doubled in size over the last three years, we will continue to bring experienced healthcare leaders to join our mission. 

“We expect growth in our data science and AI personnel to build the best analytical insights. 

“And our hybrid and regional approach to offices gives us flexibility to hire the best no matter their location.” 

Philanthropy/citizenship

Real Chemistry engaged in several philanthropy and citizenship initiatives in 2022, agency leaders say.  

In one instance, the agency partnered with Howard University and Takeda Pharmaceuticals on a shared internship program designed to show interns both sides of the client/agency partnership.  

“The program also considered housing and appropriate compensation to ensure students could thrive during the program,” executives say. 

Another effort was “Vicious Delicious,” Real Chemistry’s unique holiday message for clients and partners that turns hate into health, “because research shows that vicious, hateful language, prejudice, and negativity online is literally hurting our health,” executives say. Vicious Delicious is a plug-in that uses AI to detect hate language online and turn it into something much more palatable: heart-healthy recipes.

According to agency leaders, Real Chemistry executives at all levels donate their time serving on boards to further the agendas of health care and industry-related organizations.  These organizations include HealthComp, the largest independent health plan administrator for self-funded employer groups in the United States; Mercy Corps Northwest; Muscular Dystrophy Association; National Multiple Sclerosis Society; BrightEdge, the health equity medtech venture arm of the American Cancer Society; Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association; USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism; and NY Women in Communications.