VML Health: 2024

VML Health

3 World Trade Center, 28th Floor, 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007

212-210-3017 • vml.com/expertise/health

 

Quick facts

Accounts

• Account wins: 7
• Active business clients: 106
  

Brands by 2023 sales

• Brand-product accounts held: 106

Services mix

• Professional digital/web/mobile: 30%
• Consumer digital/web/mobile: 20%
• Promotional medical education: 20%
• Market research/data/analytics: 10%
• Mar-tech/ad-tech: 5%
• Payer marketing: 5%
• UX design: 5%

In 2023, VMLY&R Health and Wunderman Thompson Health merged to create VML Health, which agency leaders say is one of the largest and most comprehensive health communications networks in North America and the world. “VML Health services are delivered across dedicated health offices in the United States which, in addition to our scientific and pharma specialists, also have access to all VML creative, CX, data, and digital firepower,” executives say. They add that  prior to the merger, the agency also created a new specialist brand called On Co., which is a dedicated oncology offer that brings together multidisciplinary teams with deep oncology expertise.

Recent accomplishments

According to agency leaders, 2023 was “dominated by award wins and health innovations.” These include the Grand Prix and Silver for “MouthPad^”, Gold and two Silvers for “Dogs without Borders,” and Bronze for “invisibles” at Cannes Lions.

“Dogs without Borders” was cited by the Drum as the second most awarded healthcare project in the world. The campaign is described as an innovative program in which stray dogs are retrained to become medical detection dogs to detect cancer in patients in remote areas who don’t have access to diagnostics. “MouthPad^” won the Grand Prix for innovation and a Silver for health and wellness due to an innovative and inspiring inclusive design innovation that opens up a new way for people with disabilities to interact with the world.

Key appointments included Mel Routhier formerly chief creative officer, VML Chicago, who was appointed chief creative officer, health and wellness; Sari Swartz, global head of people; Natxo Diaz, formerly chief creative officer, VML Health Spain, promoted to global head of health craft; Khalid Latif, global executive creative director (Europe); and Kristina Luburic, managing director, VML Health Australia & New Zealand.

Among its account wins, VML Health became the strategic and creative partners for Perrigo’s women’s health and OTC portfolio, across 14 key markets and 45 regional and global brands.

Structure and services

VML Health is the only vertical within VML. According to agency leaders, it is “uniquely positioned to draw on the collective might of a global network powered by 30,000 people across 60-plus markets.”

VML Health Australia & New Zealand is the newest division, and the Sydney office adds to VML Health’s dedicated health offices in London, Manchester, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Frankfurt, Zürich, New York, San Diego, Boston, Chicago, Kansas City, Mo., Newark, N.J., Philadelphia, St Louis, Mo., Stamford, Conn., Toronto, Washington, D.C., as well as Shanghai and Tokyo.

All offices are connected to the VML network. “In addition, VML Health is organized with support teams to underpin two specialist health hubs based in Milan for Europe and New York City for the Americas so that we can offer our clients totally integrated health solutions,” executives say.

Managers say VML Health is able to pull in creative, digital, and CX talent from across the VML network, to layer onto the scientific and sector-
specific talent within its global health network. “The approach allows us to build on our reputation as a creative leader that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth.”

Agency leaders say the new healthcare creative team – Routhier, Latif, and Diaz  – has “a complete 360-degree perspective, taking in creativity through the combined lens of FMCG, award-winning health craft, and high science. The connected approach, which runs across the whole organization, is extended beyond it through partnerships and alliances touching every part of the health ecosystem; clinicians, scientists, policymakers, life sciences, tech and – crucially – patient populations.”

The agency offers brand strategy, engagement strategy, medical strategy, and consulting in pharma, consumer health, market access and payer, hospitals and insurance, biotech, animal health, food and nutraceuticals; wellness, data and insights, patient partnerships, medical communications, medical education, and medical consulting.

Specialized offerings in addition to On Co. include strategy and medical consulting, market access, medical communications strategy, patient advocacy and engagement, KOL insights, and digital solutions.

At the end of 2023 VML Health also introduced clients to a new offering through a partnership with Definitive Healthcare.  Executives say the offering is a first-of-its-kind platform that gives clients the ability to manage their entire key opinion leader (KOL) identification and engagement operation from an integrated solution.

Philanthropy/citizenship

VML Health has a rich heritage in probono work,” agency leaders state. “Much of this has focused on patient advocacy groups, giving them voice, support, consultancy, and profile.”

The agency works directly with more than 50 patient organizations in 27 countries, plus EU and global umbrella organizations, across multiple therapy areas. Partners include EUPATI, Beacon, Angioma, Ifopa, Orchard, Lupus UK, SRNA, Europa Donna, Guts UK, Cancer 52, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, Asthma + Lung UK, Parkinson’s UK, Parkinson’s Concierge, IBD relief, and SMA Europe.

The agency has also done a lot of pro-bono work in oncology, particularly breast cancer. VML Health set up the Advanced Breast Cancer Global Charter and continues to help the ABC Global Alliance to promote better care for women and men with advanced breast cancer. VML Health’s partnership with Europa Donna led to the launch of “The Cancer Currency,” a campaign that managers say shined a light on the value of people with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and helped get MBC included in the European Cancer Directive. The “Dogs Without Borders” campaign is the direct result of the agency’s partnership with SFBO (French-Brazilian Society of Oncology).

VML Health also runs a pro bono event where teams are offered the chance to step away for one day and work directly with a patient group/charity of their choice, executives say. “For the past three years, Patient Foundation Day has seen VML Health teams all over the world roll up their sleeves and give much-needed to support to the patient groups they care about.