For the 6th year in a row, GCI Health has been named a finalist for Healthcare Agency of the Year by the Holmes Report (with wins in 2011 and 2015 for North America and 2015 for Global).This is an extremely huge honor to continue to be recognized each year in this category for so many years running! The selection is comprised of a research process involving more than 150 submissions and 50 face-to-face meetings with the best PR firms across the US and Canada resulting in 69 finalists across 14 categories. We were selected as a finalist among four other companies in the healthcare category.
GCI Health (WPP/Cohn & Wolfe Group)
One of the tangible consequences of GCI’s decision to put the “patient at the center” of everything it does is an inexorable expansion of its work into venues where consumers are actually looking for healthcare information, which means greater use of digital and social channels, using paid, owned and shared alongside more traditional earned media. Working to raise awareness of Tecfidera (from Biogen) as a treatment option for relapsing multiple sclerosis, GCI Health partnered with Self magazine, style expert and talk show host Jeannie Mal, and select bloggers to drive engagement and web traffic. Using targeted media outreach, grassroots efforts, culturally-relevant spokespeople and patient resources, meanwhile, the firm helped Merck reach black and Hispanic communities at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes and raise awareness of America’s Diabetes Challenge.
While many client assignments remain confidential, GCI now works for eight of the nation’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies, while also broadening its client base to include biotech, medical devices, payer/provider, association and health technology clients, growing by an impressive 23 percent.
The leadership team—CEO Wendy Lund, North American president Kristin Cahill, president of scientific communication Jill Dosik—has been together for six years now and is building a culture that challenges employees to think differently about healthcare communications while providing a nurturing, collegial environment. — PH
GCI Health forged a partnership with Hearst women’s title Redbook and online health information source HealthyWomen.org. The HealthiHER Project is an attempt to better understand the health habits of women 30-60 years of age. As a first step in the project, there will be a survey of women in that demographic, addressing their healthcare decisions and needs. The goal of the research is to give these women the information and inspiration they need to make healthier choices. “We’re excited to be working with Redbook and HealthyWomen to uncover some key insights that will help us better communicate with this important population,” said GCI Health CEO Wendy Lund.