The 2021 Virtual Manny Awards

By Andrew Humphreys • [email protected]

Med Ad News honored the leading agencies/networks and creative work in the healthcare communications arena on April 22 via the virtual Manny Awards. For the 32nd edition of the event, Manny Awards were virtually presented to healthcare agencies and networks achieving excellence across 29 categories. The 2021 Virtual Manny Awards can be viewed on demand for free at https://portal.xyvid.com/mannyawards2021

The Med Ad News 2021 Industry Person of the Year award was presented to Lori Grant, CEO of Klick Health. A highly regarded thought leader and proactive problem solver, Grant has been instrumental in building Klick’s thriving client roster, client services teams, and in the company’s overall growth and success. Dedicated to healthcare marketing, Grant has more than 30 years of strategic leadership and expertise on both the client and agency side.

Fingerpaint was the 2021 recipient for Agency of the Year Category I, for agencies that generate annual revenue exceeding $50 million. Fingerpaint achieved 2020 revenue totaling more than $85 million – up from $51.4 million during 2019. Fingerpaint expanded the agency’s client footprint successfully with a combination of unprecedented organic growth and the addition of several new partners. The agency prioritizes recruiting and retaining top industry talent, with 150 Fingerpainters hired during 2020. “Despite its challenges, 2020 brought many new opportunities to the agency, with a nod to more exciting things to come in 2021,” according to Fingerpaint’s management team.

Calcium was the winner of Agency of the Year Category II, for healthcare communications agencies that produce yearly revenue between $25 million and $50 million. According to the agency’s executive management team, the year 2020 was worth mooing about, with 65 percent growth in revenue and the addition of 66 new employees – more than 50 of them onboarded virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Under the leadership of Managing Partner & President Greg Lewis and his team, we are tracking toward the same type of growth for 2021,” says Calcium Founder & CEO Steven Michaelson.

Brick City Greenhouse was named the 2021 Agency of the Year winner for Category III, representing healthcare communications agencies that generate under $25 million in annual revenue. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was a banner year for Brick City Greenhouse with nearly 100 percent revenue growth, according to the agency’s management. Brick City Greenhouse’s client roster during 2020 increased by four new clients and 14 new brand assignments. In addition to strong revenue growth, the agency substantially increased its headcount during 2020. “And this trend is forecasted to continue through 2021 with a projected headcount of nearly 50 staff members and a 40 percent increase in revenue year-over-year by the close of 2021,” Brick City Greenhouse leadership says.

The Network of the Year Manny Award was presented to FCB Health Network. “In an unbelievable year, our success was beyond astonishing, with revenue growing by the size of two large agencies,” FCB Health Network executives say. “Our network won an unprecedented 100-plus new business pitches, with 25-plus major new brand assignments alone. We extended client engagement with global biopharma giants including Novartis, Merck, Pfizer, Lilly, Genentech and Sanofi, and added new clients to an already extensive roster. With the addition of Bristol Myers Squibb, FCB Health Network works with 19 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies.

The recipient of the 2021 Agency on the Rise Manny Award was Create NYC. Led by an all-female, six-person tenured group of mothers, Create NYC increased the agency’s revenue from $17.8 million in 2019 to $24.1 million for 2020. Management attributes this 36 percent growth to executing advertising for more than 100 brands, including blockbusters such as Xeljanz and Opdivo.

The Med Ad News staff annually presents the Heart Award, which is designed to recognize agencies’ social responsibility and agency cultures that embody a high commitment to philanthropic and social causes. The winner of this award receives a check for $3,000 to donate to a charity, and the other two finalists receive a check for $1,000 to donate to a charity. The 2021 Heart Award recipient was McCann Global Health, and the finalists in the category were FCB Health Network and Klick Health.

The Med Ad News 2021 Marketer on the Rise was Maria Sanchez, Associate Director, Consumer Marketing, Novartis. “Maria Sanchez puts her whole heart into everything she does. So, it’s no surprise her heart failure brand, Entresto, is continuing to have high record growth, even in year 6 of its life cycle,” according to McCann Health New York, which nominated Sanchez for the award.

The 2021 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion as recognized by Med Ad News is TBWA\WorldHealth. In 2018, two employees, Karina Salinas and Olivia Nguyen, approached the TBWA\WorldHealth leadership team with a vision and, with unanimous support, they founded DIVERS\TEAM – an initiative dedicated to building an agency that is authentically diverse, strategically equitable, and intentionally inclusive of all voices. DIVERS\TEAM has grown into an agency-wide offering with more than 100 core members.

Klick Health captured the Vision Award based on Klick Ventures, the agency’s health innovation-focused venture group, which builds on more than two decades of partnering with life science companies to commercialize their businesses successfully. With a unique approach backed by proven playbooks and a highly experienced integrated team led by Leslie Jamison, Klick Ventures partners with investors to get ideas investment-ready and create commercial upside.

AREA 23 was recognized as the Most Admired Agency for the sixth consecutive year and as the back-to-back Most Creative Agency.

To view the full list of winners and finalists, please visit https://www.pharmalive.com/winners-unveiled-at-med-ad-news-2021-virtual-manny-awards

Med Ad News thanks Platinum Sponsors Calcium, Fingerpaint, Intouch Group, and TBWA\WorldHealth; and Gold Sponsors Biolumina Group, The Bloc, Concentric Health Experience, GSW, JUICE Pharma Worldwide, LevLane, and McCann Health New York.