The PM360 2011 Trailblazer Awards Pharma/Biotech Company of the year Winner

 

Johnson & Johnson

It’s rare to find a company, like Johnson & Johnson, that is a trailblazer today based on commitments to innovation and to helping people get and stay well that were set over a century ago.
“Every child has a right to be born well” was the slogan on Johnson & Johnson’s first booklet about hygiene for expectant mothers, published in 1902. The booklet followed the company’s first-ever maternity kit for home-birthing and the introduction of Johnson’s Baby Powder.

What does this have to do with the company’s selection as 2011 Best Pharma Company of the Year? CEO William Weldon articulates it well: “We have a heritage unlike any other company. Because we are especially privileged to touch mothers at the most intimate moments with their newborn child, we have a bond forged on deep emotional trust.”

In an industry obsessed with change and instantaneous information flow, the commitment to connect, to make a difference in people’s lives has endured and shaped the destiny of the company.

An Enduring Commitment
That commitment is alive today through innovation in the company’s vast array of healthcare products and through creative uses of technology. One example is text4baby, the first-ever free mobile communication health service in the U.S., in which the company is a founding partner with the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, The Wireless Foundation of the CTIA and the White House Office of Science and Technology. Text4baby does exactly what the purse-size 1902 booklet did—provide timely, expert health information for pregnant women and new mothers in a portable, easily accessible form. The program now has over 190,000 subscribers and 500 public and private partners, performing a vital and extraordinary service.

Other mother-baby initiatives include the company’s latest five-year commitment to the UN’s Millennium Development Goals of reducing mortality in women and children. The commitment includes 200 million doses annually of a treatment for intestinal worms in children and programs for childbirth-related illness and infant birth asphyxia. There are also initiatives for midwife training and pediatric AIDS, and a commitment to advance research for new medicines to treat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

A Global Future
Of course Johnson & Johnson has come a long way from its origins. It’s been a global company for a long time, and has deep roots in the more than 60 countries where it operates. Like many companies, it recognizes the importance of educating local healthcare providers, with more than 25 professional education centers around the world. But the company also recognizes that information flows both ways. It strategically bases R&D centers in emerging markets precisely to develop products based on local insights. The company can also globalize products quickly: When the company first acquired Evicel sealant—a remarkable combination product for control of bleeding—the product was in one country. After one year it was in 10 countries, after two it was in 20.

Remarkably, after 125 years, Johnson & Johnson is still on the cutting edge. The company’s just-released Healthy Future 2015 goals combine its long-standing commitment to decrease its impact on the environment with global health and wellness efforts aimed at touching hundreds of millions of lives affected by diseases of the developing world. The company is ranked 2nd (in all industries) in Corporate Knights’ Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. And, of course, many of the best and brightest see their future with the company. It is the highest ranking healthcare company in Universum’s list of World’s Most Attractive Employers.

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There’s nothing glamorous about preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs). It requires careful planning, teamwork, and meticulous attention to detail. Success is measured by what doesn’t happen. But Kimberly-Clark Health Care is a company that sets itself difficult and ambitious goals, plans carefully, follows through with tenac- ity, and gets impressive results. So maybe it’s not surprising that the company is a leader in HAI prevention, among other things. What is a bit surprising is its simul- taneous flair for imaginative marketing and commitment to innovation

The Knowledge Network

Let’s start with a conspicuous fact.

Kimberly-Clark is extremely serious about following through with customers. Its stated mission is not just to sell good products, but to ensure their effective use by in-service training, clinical research and accredited education. The centerpiece of this effort is the “Knowledge Network,” an array of mostly accredited education programs for HCPs (57 at last count) which not only provide extremely focused training but are also enormously valuable to customers with a professional need for continuing medical education. Topics range from “Air Currents, Barrier Fabrics, and Bacterial Penetration” to “Pandemic Preparation.” The programs are available on DVD, online, in live classes, and aboard the K-C Education Bus, which makes stops at hospitals across the country.

 

 

It’s hard to imagine better marketing than the Knowledge Network, which secures customer relationships and successful product use at the same time. But in 2008, Kimberly-Clark leveraged the Network’s value further by means of the award-winning Not On My Watch Campaign, which has shaped the company’s image ever since. Its main theme was clinical education, chosen after 91 percent of survey respondents told KCHC marketers providing clinical education was the mark of a leader. The campaign introduced the resource/education website www.HAIwatch.com and the K-C Education Bus, winning a 2009 Trailblazer Professional Campaign Award.

This year the “My MIC-KEY*” Facebook page—which helps users learn and share best practices for using the company’s MIC-KEY* feeding tubes—gave a new twist to the focus on education. It has 884 fans so far and high engagement from ordinary users—gaining 80 fans overnight upon its introduction. Another new resource website—www.vap.kchealthcare.com—focuses on the compa- ny’s latest technology for preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, building on the HAIWatch model.

 

Completely Solving the Problem

When it comes to social responsibility, Kimberly-Clark is a heavyweight. In 2011 it was ranked number eight (out of 1000) in corporate responsibility by CR Magazine, among other awards. Here’s a true story that (partially) explains why: To promote recycling of sterilization wrap, the company worked with the Rhode Island School of Design to develop sustainable new concepts and designs for repurposing the wrap. Kimberly-Clark also devel- oped a campaign called “Save the Daisies” (www.savethedaisies.kchealth- care.com/index.aspx) to inform customers and reward them for recycling. True to form, the company again combined originality with a remarkable insistence on completely solving the problem.

This determination to succeed is rooted in Kimberly-Clark’s employees. For example, the company and its highly motivated workforce in Neenah, WI contributed the following to the Fox Valley, WI community last year: $1.7 million to United Way; $752,000 in matching gifts to 200 organizations; $233,000 in Community Partners grants to 240 organizations; $600,000 in contributions to 52 area nonprofits; $600,000 in product donations; $600,000 in college scholarships; 24,500 community volunteer hours. We are proud to declare these dedicated folks our Medical Device Company of the Year.

from top to bottom: The Kimberly-Clark Education Bus provides CE certificates to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals through interactive educational programs and product demonstrations. Carson Organ, 7, and Jake Organ, 10, showing off their MIC-KEY* feeding tubes before a football game. Rhode Island School of Design students Kyle and Jerome present a relief tent created solely from KIMGUARD* sterilization wrap.

F. Scott Fitzgerald said the test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. For Dudnyk, the mas- tery of two opposing ideas has been the key to its success. On the one hand, it understands that success in today’s market requires constant change. In its nearly 20-year history, Dudnyk has never stopped reinventing itself. On the other hand, its core vision has remained remark- ably constant: a laser focus on specialty brands and specialty physician audiences; a cultiva- tion of talent and commitment to its employees; a consistently bold, channel-neutral creative supported by superior strategy; and a certain fearlessness about riding the creative edge.

Innovation as a Way of Life

Dudnyk started blazing a trail for others to follow early in its history by transforming the way self-promotion is done in the industry. Gone were the pictures of agency principals, looking like austere attorneys. In came singular, bold, emotionally-charged metaphorical images. Dudnyk “taught other agencies how to promote themselves,” said one of our judges, teaching them, among other things, the necessity of demonstrating your creative abilities in your own self-promotion.

This year Dudnyk turned another big idea into reality by becoming one of the first agen- cies to fully integrate the digital channel into the entire brand experience. Rather than using digital partners, Dudnyk now builds the overall brand experience, from brand position and essence, to visual hallmarks and messaging, to all of the tactics custom developed for each channel—all woven into one cohesive brand voice and strategy. The results: shorter develop- ment times, more efficient resource usage, and better cross-channel planning with powerful synergistic effects.

Innovation leads to growth: Dudnyk appears in Inc. Magazine’s 2011 list of the fastest growing companies in the U.S.

Happiness and Karma

According to President Frank X. Powers, the core vision behind all this dynamism includes two crazy ideas: A “strong corporate culture and actualized, happy employees make for happy clients and excel- lent work.” And “once you are successful, you need to maintain your good karma by giving back.” Happiness among employees proceeds not only from several professional development programs, but also from Dudnyk’s “Dream Weaver” program. Under this extraordinary program, employees are encour- aged to share their life dreams and given a dream manager—an agency-resourced facilitator—to help them marshal agency resources to fulfill them. Most dreams aren’t even work related.

This may be crazy, but it works. Dudnyk’s retention rate is 85% with average senior associate tenure over 8 years. Pretty impressive for an agency in Horsham, PA (population 14,842). The agency combines cultivation of creativity with the camaraderie and chemistry that comes from working together for a long time.

Finally there’s the karma. Among other things, Dudnyk’s gallant band of 65 employees has been named Best Team for the Pennsylvania Chapter of the March of Dimes (with 100% participation from Dudnyk associates!). Dudnyk’s work for The Pathway School, a nationally rec- ognized school for autistic children, has raised enrollment to an all- time high. In short: Best Agency of the Year.

 

In 2008, Rick Keefer and his leadership team at Publicis Selling Solutions (now Publicis Touchpoint Solutions) thought carefully about how to be a truly client-centered supplier of integrated message delivery services. Four requirements stood out: First, be a “one stop shop,” where the client can get a full multichannel team with one agreement, one client focused team, and one point of contact. Second, customize the team to fit the par- ticular needs of each client. Third, be “channel agnostic,” able to recommend and create multichannel teams that are truly best for the client without having a vested interest in any particular approach. Finally, the multichannel strategies offered must be truly inte- grated, using feedback analysis to individualize the mix for each customer. In addition to all this, offer exquisite execution and superb customer service. Keefer noticed that the industry seldom met these requirements.

Dream into Reality

The next question was: How can our organization meet these needs? The Publicis leadership team recognized that fully integrated strategies require a fully integrated organization, one with the cohesion and breadth to deliver the goods. Consequently nothing less than “a complete reengineering” of the company would do. And from 2009 to 2010 that is what they did: Three essentially separate message delivery businesses in different geo-graphic locations were integrated into one company with one balance sheet, within a brand new headquarters in Yardley, PA. The mission of the new company—Publicis Touchpoint Solutions—was to weave the expertise of each of them together to produce seamlessly integrated, complex ,multichannel promotional and clinical solutions. The life science industry’s first true multichannel message delivery one-stop shop was born.

This would be a remarkable story in itself—about people with a vision of the indus- try’s future and the courage to make it a reality—entirely apart from consideration of the company’s performance during the past two years. But the performance has been impres- sive. The adoption of the new model coincided with extraordinary growth—33% in 2009, 40% in 2010, and on track for similar growth in 2011 (despite the economy). In the most recent customer satisfaction survey, 93% of Touchpoint clients said they would likely recommend Publicis Touchpoint Solutions to a colleague.

People with Vision

None of this would be possible without a committed work- force unified around a common vision. The company’s home office “core team” has a retention rate of 95%. The quality of outsource teams—who have been “converted” to regular employees of client companies at a 94% rate in recent years—has been extraordinary. One 500-person Touchpoint field team was ranked #1 in its class by Sales Force Effectiveness Monitor. Touchpoint assembled another 400-person team in 7 weeks which then outperformed the client’s existing sales force. All Touchpoint employees can draw on professional education by the Touchpoint Virtual Academy, the company’s learning management system.

Touchpoint’s commitment to the future is exemplified by its new “green” headquarters building and its communi- ty involvement. The new office complex won a LEED Gold certificate for environmentally sound design. The organiza- tion is also energized by employee volunteer days dedicat- ed to land preservation, the homeless, and families in need. There is more to say, but it all leads to one conclusion: Best Supplier of the Year.

Clockwise from left: Publicis Touchpoint Solutions’ new “green” building won LEED Gold status. “Children Helping Children” event provided a day of fun and volunteerism for employee’s children. Employees help rehab a building during a corporate Volunteer Day.

 

In 1999 Rob Likoff started his third career. In his first career, as a research biologist at Merck, he had become the only individual in history to twice win the Theobold Smith Award for best research paper at the American Society of Microbiology. In his second career, he became Vice President and Head of the largest business unit at Novartis (Cardiovascular), overseeing more than $3 billion (with a “b”) in annual sales. In 1999 he left both these careers behind. He became an entrepreneur, joining industry veteran Jack Davis to create a new interactive agency—Group DCA. Their mission was to use a “new” technology—the internet—to engage and build relationships with healthcare providers.

It wasn’t obvious in 1999 that electronic means even could accomplish an intricate and human-centered task like detailing. Early efforts made outsized claims and produced dis- appointing results. E-detailing was sometimes seen as “little more than a 21st century slideshow,” in the words of journalist Max Golby.

Actually Cooking

However, Rob brought a powerful new idea to the e-detailing world—“active learning.” Active learning theory recognizes that people “learn by doing.” In other words, Likoff says, “there is a big difference between reading a cookbook and actually cooking.” Group DCA’s early success was driven largely by his insistence on combining active learning with clean design to deliver e-detailing programs that make the physician an active participant rather than a passive observer. The result was greater engagement and better information retention. Moreover, a preference and behavioral profile was built for each physician by noting and storing physician preference within each interactive session. Within Group DCA, this became known as the “database of why?”

One of Rob’s smartest moves was recruiting the top talent in the industry—like Ron Scalici, Chief Innovations Officer, and Russell Grimaldi, Executive Director and Head of Business Development. Their collaboration made possible the development and delivery of active learning with interactive programming, and was the origin of Group DCA’s award-winning superior user-experience.

To establish lasting relationships with customers, the team insisted on using only physicians who agreed to receive the interactive programs rather than renting contact lists. The resulting 250,000+ member physician panel became one of the company’s most critical assets.

Having thus found a way to use interactive software to mediate an ongoing conversa- tion between clients and healthcare providers, Rob and the DCA team then developed a proprietary software program called DIAGRAM (“Dialogue, Graphics and Motion”) cus- tomized for building such software. It’s now the backbone of Group DCA’s interactive program development.

Cards and Communication

Turning his attention from physician to patient communi- cation, Rob realized that many of the same learning theo- ries and technique applied equal well to patients and con- sumers. He developed some new technology utilizing a new way of leveraging CD and DVD technology. The resulting “CUE card” was a wallet sized “card” with “extraordinary powers.” The card is coded to provide for point-of-sale pharmacy discounts, but when slipped into a computer, offers interactive multimedia patient education and refill reminders. The card’s information, which is trackable and measurable, is continually adjusted based on patient inter- ests and medication cycle.

All this got results: Recent figures show average ROI of 677% for physician e-detailing programs. Group DCA was on Inc 5000’s list of America’s fastest growing companies for three years before being acquired last year by PDI, Inc. to complement its sales team and marketing services. Rob and PDI are currently integrating the two companies’ serv- ices into an even more powerful integrated multi-channel capability.

It’s an impressive story, about a man who understood how to harmonize the human and the digital, how to build a world-class company in a hypercompetitive market, and how to lead rather than follow an unprecedented wave of change. And who had the courage and talent to turn his vision into reality. We congratulate him.

Autoimmune
Frank Nazzario of ViroPharma for Cinryze

Frank Nazzario is a game changing brand manager who helped to bring life-altering therapy to people with hereditary angioedema (HAE) and steered the development of Ryze Above, a highly successful patient resources program that the judges called “the new standard in patient support programs.”

Frank has spearheaded efforts to raise awareness of the symptoms of HAE—a rare and poten- tially fatal disease largely unknown to the medical community—and the proper protocol for diagnosis and treatment. He has successfully targeted the narrow specialty audience that may come into contact with HAE, and armed his sales force with the tools needed to make serious changes in their current treatment protocol.

During the launch of Cinryze, Frank positioned ViroPharma as a company that invests in life- saving medicine for a life-threatening disease, and he established Cinryze as the first and only replacement C1 esterase inhibitor therapy for prophylaxis against HAE attacks. By creating a unique brand identity, implementing a robust messaging platform, and successfully delivering the Cinryze story via multiple channels, Frank not only raised awareness and promoted prevention of HAE, but he also positioned Cinryze therapy as a practical and necessary therapy.

Frank now turns to the medical community at large, determined to educate and empower, and to deliver hope to people dealing with the condition. Frank has tackled the launch of Cinryze the same way he faces upcoming challenges—with perseverance and a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of people with HAE.

CARDIOLOGY
Laura Seplavy of Bristol-Myers Squibb for Plavix

Laura Seplavy “shines,” the judges concurred, noting that “through her efforts, Plavix maintained a 97% national formulary coverage in commercial, Medicare and Medicaid—including over 91% Tier 2 coverage in commercial plans.” In the currently difficult MM environment, Laura managed to help BMS and national managed care organizations prepare for and navigate the changing antiplatelet marketplace.

By empowering her account managers with the necessary tools and resources,
Laura succeeded in delivering the right message at the right time for Plavix. She developed a cost calculator and accompanying leave-behind brochure pivoting on the Plavix generic strategy, an ideal blend of traditional and innovative tools. The interactive cost calculator allowed account managers to tailor their presentations to specific customers while the leave-behind brochure gave customers a tangible reinforcement to retain the message. To ensure that her precise messaging was easily accepted by customers, Laura organized and led a team of account manager champions to “pressure-test” the generic strategy and to provide valuable real-world feedback from the field. Her ongoing dedication to the brand, along with her innovative foresight into the market, has been the driving force behind these initiatives.

But helping to ensure that patients have access to Plavix is Laura’s fundamental goal as a brand manager. Through her dedication, she has contributed to the unprecedented success of Plavix, with prescriptions written for more than 115 million patients worldwide.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
Bill Smith of Teva Neuroscience for Azilect

Bill Smith, who has extensive industry experience in sales, sales management and product management roles, faced his biggest challenge yet when he was tasked with growing an innovative brand in a highly specialized space: Parkinson’s disease. His success cannot be overestimated. With demonstrated leader- ship and vision for the brand, Bill has helped to establish Teva Neuroscience’s commitment to the Parkinson’s community of healthcare providers, patients and caregivers in a highly competitive category.

In addition to the typical demands that characterize the launch of any new pharmaceutical brand, Bill was forced to contend with an additional obstacle. Azilect (rasagiline tablets) was launched in the US in 2006 amidst FDA labeling challenges, which slowed its uptake in the neurology market. Despite initial challenges, market share has grown steadily since launch with the recent refined positioning for the brand. Azilect’s performance has increased significantly under Bill’s guidance.

Bill has contributed to the growth of Azilect and his own marketing team in a number of ways. His ability to think big has helped to focus and optimize the brand’s messaging and to recognize specific market opportunities. Bill led comprehensive medical and market research initiatives on brand messaging that produced recent acceleration in sales growth. Leading several patient communication efforts, including patient speaker programs, updated Web content, translation of educational materials into several languages, the publication Moving Forward (unbranded patient education), and the continued support of the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in New York’s Central Park. Bill has proven himself as a brand champion.

DERMATOLOGY
Kevin Kriel of Galderma for Epiduo Gel

The judges recognized “a diverse array of positive elements” in Kevin Kriel’s performance for Epiduo Gel this year. He displayed “focus on an untapped audience, alignment with the consumer effort, consistency in messaging, a global perspective, and a psychological understanding of his patients.”

Kevin’s ability to predict changes within this highly competitive market and to design a plan to address the ever-changing needs of healthcare providers sets him apart from all other brand managers in this category.

In 2010, he better addressed the different segments of the target audience that treat acne, created a new professional campaign for Epiduo Gel, drove the product messaging to be consistent across all seg- ments, and better aligned the marketing efforts in the US with that of the rest of the world.

But it is the negative impact acne has on teens and adults that continues to drive Kevin’s decisions. He understands the devastating psychosocial impact of acne, so he focused his atten- tion on community-based patient satisfaction surveys that help healthcare providers to see first- hand how successful treatment with Epiduo Gel can change their patients’ lives forever. Kevin also collaborated with the clinical department to produce a “Patient Diary Video” program where patients themselves could talk about the negative impact acne had on everything they did and how effective treatment actually improved their overall quality of life.

Kevin’s efforts in 2010 have positively changed the way Galderma markets its acne products to healthcare providers and consumers. As a result, Epiduo Gel is the #1 branded topical acne therapy among dermatologists.

DIABETES/METABOLIC DISORDERS
Sara R. Aswegan for Shire Human Genetic Therapies (HGT)

Sara R. Aswegan, Senior Director and Global Commercial Lead of the mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) Franchise at Shire HGT, was the “clear choice” for brand champion, according to the judges. “Ms. Aswegan,” they concluded, “demonstrated proactive leadership to gain strategic alignment among the various regional leadership teams and functional groups across Shire HGT.”

As director of all global market development, commercialization, and marketing programs for the three Shire HGT products (marketed and investigational agents for MPS disorders), Sara’s efforts raised worldwide awareness about MPS II, effectively leading patients to diagnosis and the first and only approved treatment (Elaprase). MPS disorders are ultra-orphan rare genetic diseases in which individuals have a missing or deficient enzyme required for normal cell metabolism, which severely restrict quality of life and often result in death at an early age. The desire to bring awareness and treatment to these patients is the driving force in Sara’s trailblazing initiatives and programs.

For the MPS franchise, Sara directed, executed, and collaborated with other Shire HGT functions in a variety of initiatives and programs for both established and emerging markets. Overcoming countless challenges, she demonstrated an acute and comprehensive understanding of the needs and expertise of internal cross-functional groups. Along with her team, she understood market needs to effectively leverage and develop targeted programs to better meet the needs of various external stakeholders. Sara’s innovative leadership has contributed to impacting the lives of patients with MPS II, MPS II CNS, and MPS IIIA worldwide.

GASTROINTESTINAL
Sheila Doyle of Mederi Therapeutics for Secca and Stretta

Sheila Doyle showed great insight when she recommended that Mederi begin referring to fecal incontinence as BCD or bowel control disorder.

This marketing strategy went a long way to remove the stigma around this disorder in the medical community and to educate doctors about a widely unknown treatment option. Sheila’s decision led to the publication of a whitepaper on the prevalence of BCD, the implementation of the term in all Secca marketing materials where possible, and increased personal conversations with relevant associations and organizations that serve patients with BCD. The bowel control terminology has recently been adopted in other new product launches and national association websites.

The greatest testimonial that could be offered about Sheila Doyle is her dedication to total quality management and accountability in every aspect of her professional communications and marketing leadership role at Mederi. She is the insurance that makes daily and overall goals achievable and expectations exceeded for this young start-up company. She is the consummate go-to leader, being hands-on, juggling all the moving parts, and most importantly in this launch, anticipating and responding with important next steps. She is neck-deep in most aspects of the business and the launch of these second-generation products.

As a next step, Sheila Doyle and Mederi will move the conversation from which product is better, to what products are the best fit for a particular patient profile. That’s where the patient wins and that’s where Mederi will win.

HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY
William Ragatz of Boehringer Ingelheim for Pradaxa

As US lead for the launch of Pradaxa from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bill Ragatz’s strategic leadership and decision making drove the company’s most successful launch to date.

Pradaxa is the first oral anticoagulant introduced for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation
in nearly 50 years. Pradaxa was shown to significantly reduce the risk of stroke compared to the current standard of therapy and does not require monitoring, making it easier for patients to get the full benefit of the medication.

Under Bill’s leadership, a multi-channel launch effort was executed in rapid time with a highly successful launch meeting held only days following FDA approval. The brand team used a mix of traditional and innovative strategies as part of the launch promotional plan, including the develop- ment of an online speaker community and virtual university training environment for the sales representatives. Results from 2010 indicated remarkable early success and predicted continued momentum into the second half of 2011.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Constantine Velentzas of Pfizer for Prevnar-13

Constantine’s outside-the-box thinking and ability to influence others makes him an impetus for important changes to traditional marketing programs. Nowhere is this more evident than in his innovative education initiatives that raised awareness about the need for improved adult immunization rates.

Constantine developed and executed a plan that had extraordinary results to help increase the prioritization of adult immunization among HCPs. Constantine recognized that physicians who treat adults can become overwhelmed with treating acute issues and sometimes lose sight of prevention. Therefore, he worked to bring awareness to the medical community by highlighting the significant amount of vaccine preventable disease that exists and how it impacts the lives of millions each year.

The plan of action Constantine developed was three-fold. First, he developed an alternative education strategy, shifting unbranded disease education from traditional convention programs to the digital channel. With this approach the brand team was able to reach more than 10,000 HCPs, including more than 7,000 in a four week period, while dramatically increasing ROI. Second, Constantine created MyVaccineResource.com—a simple-to-use, navigation-friendly, rich-content website for HCPs that is dedicated to heightening the need for better adult vaccination practices among HCPs. Third, he signif- icantly changed the traditional sales-force led speakers’ program model by focusing efforts on marketing- driven programs with sales-force involvement—the goal of which is to increase HCP attendance while decreasing the number of needed speakers, events, and, importantly, costs.

These changes have had a tremendous impact on the organization by dramatically increasing the reach of his team’s messages, while simultaneously decreasing costs and increasing ROI.

MEDICAL DEVICE
Jennifer Fenoglio Barnard of Acclarent for Balloon Sinuplasty

“Jennifer proved herself in the most difficult of situations,” the judges reported, “quantitatively proving a case for future funding. The leadership needed to make all this happen is evident.”

Jennifer manages Acclarent’s new DTC efforts for Balloon Sinuplasty, a minimally invasive treatment for patients with chronic sinusitis that offers several advantages, most notably, minimal bleeding and fast recovery time. While Acclarent had considered using DTC for several years, management wanted answers to some key questions before committing to a national program. Jennifer’s initial task was to create a DTC pilot to answer these questions and provide quantitative evidence that would make the case for future DTC funding.

Jennifer’s program launched through multiple media: TV, radio, bus, billboard and paid search. She carefully monitored the key metrics on a weekly basis and made adjustments during the campaign to optimize each consumer touch point—the media buy, the call center, and the physician locator. The budget was optimized into the best media, and a follow-up email campaign to responders encouraged those who were ‘on the fence’ to take action and call a physician.

As a result of her efforts, Jennifer showed quantitative evidence of ongoing improvements. The number of leads increased steadily each week to more than 500% of initial response, and the cost per lead decreased by more than 70%. But the ultimate test of the pilot was the post-campaign sales analysis, which showed that sales in markets where the campaign ran were 24% higher, and ROI was as high as 65%.

MEN’S HEALTH
Frank Jaeger of Abbott for AndroGel

As a result of Frank Jaeger’s leadership, the AndroGel franchise is on a trajectory to remain the No. 1 prescribed testosterone replacement therapy in 2011. As the Director of Abbott’s Men’s Health Franchise, Frank led the incredibly successful transition of the AndroGel franchise from Solvay Pharmaceuticals to Abbott Laboratories in 2010 and drove record sales to $726 MM. Currently, he launched the new low-volume formulation of AndroGel (AndroGel 1.62%) in a highly competitive and rapidly growing market.

At the center of Frank’s success with the AndroGel franchise has been his high performance team. They have been responsible for not only driving the success of the brand but for raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of hypogonadism to consumers so that hundreds of thousands of men could receive treatment. Frank also recognized the opportunity to raise awareness of men’s health and helped develop a national disease awareness campaign during Men’s Health Awareness Month entitled “T-Talk Tune Up,” which resulted in over 250 million media impressions.

OPHTHALMOLOGY
Heather Drennan of Alcon Laboratories for AcrySof IQ IOLs

When Heather Drennan was charged with the task of reinforcing brand loyalty for AcrySof IQ IOLs—a longstanding market leader in the highly competitive ophthalmology market—she knew she had to reinvigorate the brand. To do this, she developed a highly innovative and engaging concept utilizing loyal implanters of the AcrySof platform to reinforce brand loyalty.

As a tribute to AcrySof IQ IOL implanters, Heather partnered with leading cataract surgeons to highlight their individual stories and to proudly acknowledge their contribution to ophthalmology by enhancing the quality of life for cataract patients. Enthusiasm for the project was evident from the overwhelming number of surgeons who volunteered to participate, sharing their passion for ophthalmology, why they chose this profession over others and why they choose to implant AcrySof IQ IOLs. Each surgeon was interviewed and photographed, and a one page story was written sum- marizing their life, their journey to becoming a cataract surgeon and what the AcrySof brand means to them. Although the project is still in process, there has already been a lot of positive buzz from participating surgeons and a dirge of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the project will contribute significantly to successful brand performance and awareness.

Heather’s decision to circulate stories and faces from the ophthalmic community has helped to maintain her brand’s leadership position. It also shows a great degree of artistic intuition and a deep understanding of her customers. Her innovative approach to reinforcing brand loyalty in a highly competitive market distinguishes her as an exceptional brand champion.

PAIN/INFLAMMATION
Jeff Dieckhaus of Alcon Laboratories for Durezol Emulsion

It was Jeff Dieckhaus’s vision to have Durezol Emulsion redefine physicians’ expectations of a potent steroid when treating ocular post-op inflammation, an expectation that had been well established by the 25-year old competitor, prednisolone acetate. To this end, Jeff led his team in developing an internally award-winning campaign for Durezol Emulsion.

When Alcon acquired Durezol Emulsion from Sirion Therapeutics, Jeff’s task was to motivate physicians in a highly satisfied market to try a new ocular steroid. To achieve this result, Jeff had to develop a compelling creative concept and messaging that would redefine the expectations for the treatment of ocular post-op inflammation. Product value would need to overcome cost issues, as the competitive product was also available as a generic. The results from Jeff’s efforts led to positive changes that were unimaginable from the drug’s past performance.

By leading the team in developing an innovative and highly effective campaign, and delivering on changing expectations for the treatment of ocular post-op inflammation, Jeff increased the market share to 10.7% amongst key ophthalmic surgeons. At the time, this generically-led market was expanding rapidly, making it even more of a challenge to grab share for a branded product, which is a testament to Jeff’s campaign and messaging.

Jeff’s leadership and vision has rapidly earned the respect and reputation for being committed to success by his peers, senior management, and strategic partners.

RESPIRATORY
Marc Sullivan of Boehringer Ingelheim for Spiriva

Marc Sullivan’s ultimate goal as associate brand director for Spiriva was to ensure that COPD patients receive relevant and useful information to manage their condition. This, for Marc, was a matter of correctly interpreting patient insights to determine the most vital information, and then to transport it to a venue where patients were most likely to access it. After identifying the true needs of the patients based on extensive market research, Marc recognized Everyday Health, a health destination website, as the most appropriate point of access for Spiriva’s interaction with COPD patients.

Marc successfully communicated Spiriva’s goals to the media planning team, and to the Everyday Health sales team, and ensured that all sponsored program elements aligned closely with the brand’s objectives. In working closely with Everyday Health, he ensured that overall content was in line with the brand’s objectives, which included leveraging interactive capabilities and programs, including games, videos and trackers. From there, the partnership continued as more and more modules were added. All of these efforts resulted in Spiriva making almost 11 million impressions and reaching over 200,000 unique visitors, as of August 2011.

Marc has been working on the Spiriva team for several years and has experience in sales, operations, payor, professional, and consumer marketing. Marc’s innovative thinking is shown in his results of driving brand awareness and value to patients.

WOMEN’S HEALTH
Qasim Rizvi of Genentech for Herceptin and Pertuzumab

As the Pertuzumab brand lead integrating a pipeline molecule into the HER2 Family, Qasim Rizvi successfully aligned all functional partners with brand strategy. Known for clearly communicating his vision in a manner that is motivating, engaging and considerate, Qasim always ensured regular dialogue, clear communication and full participation in order to ensure a successful execution of the brand vision. His outside-of-the-box thinking enabled the team to develop key strategies around disease education, convention planning and journal advertising that clearly prioritized the needs of patients and HCPs.

An array of impressive leadership qualities makes Qasim the clear choice for brand champion in this category. His willingness to listen and to incorporate feedback, as well as his ability to be flexible, have enabled the Herceptin and Pertuzumab teams to gain the full support of clinical, regulatory and commercial colleagues.

Above all, Qasim is considered a true mentor and is sought out by colleagues not only on the Herceptin team but also from other brands. No matter how busy his schedule, he always makes time for people. His down-to-earth nature makes him a trusted teacher, whose advice and guidance are valued throughout the company.

 

APP
NovoMedLink.pro mobileApp
Novo Nordisk and closerlook, inc.

Novo Nordisk’s NovoMedLink mobileApp may have been the Global NovoMedLink team’s first foray into the ever-expanding world of apps, but according to our judges it was the best strategically designed app of all of our applicants. Novo Nordisk wanted to provide healthcare professionals with the resources and tools that are available at NovoMedLink.pro (NML.pro), a

web-based portal for registered HCPs, in a mobile setting to be used at the point of care with their patients. In order to develop this app, Novo Nordisk enlisted the help of closerlook. The app framework was developed around the concept of “Build Once. Deploy Often.” This strategic framework was more than just the creation of an app that could be added to over time, but an app that would also provide market-specific information based on a user’s location and profile. This would allow Novo Nordisk to ensure that the content each HCP accessed was appropriate from both a regulatory standpoint and a marketing standpoint.

One judge said that they also deserve high marks for the speed at which they were able to create a mobile version of their already resourceful professional portal. The app provides custom point-of-care features such as diabetes-related calculators that were not available on the web portal as well as prescribing information, meal planners, and instructional videos to show patients how to use insulin devices. Within the first week of its launch, the app was selected for the “New and Noteworthy” list within the medical category of iTunes Australia and iTunes Denmark and it is currently on track to exceed Novo Nordisk’s short-term download and registration goals.

CONSUMER WEBSITE/ONLINE INITIATIVE
Supartz: “My Knee and Me”
Smith & Nephew and Beacon Healthcare

The Supartz “My Knee and Me” campaign put smiling faces on people’s knees in order to put a smile on viewers’ faces. MyKneeAndMe.com is award worthy because it goes

beyond just providing information for patients trying to make a decision about treating osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee; it elicits a feeling of hope—the hope of relief. As one
judge put it: “The Supartz campaign was motivational and simple, yet gets the point across. The information is still relevant, with data that is important for a patient to make decisions, the site gives hope and [improves the sufferer’s state of mind]. The positive tone is reflected throughout the site, which also has a happy feel.”

In addition to information about Supartz Joint Fluid Therapy (JFT), the website also features the down- loadable “My Knee Assessment Tool” PDF and “My Knee Pain Tracker” PDF to help people better under- stand and explain their knee problems to their doctors, a patient testimonial video, various tips for people who experience knee pain, and a geo-locator of trained Supartz specialists. A new eCRM program was also designed to guide OA knee patients through the learning and decision-making processes.

MyKneeAndMe.com has exceeded the site traffic of the previous site by more than 250% and the sign-up rate for the new eCRM program is six times higher. Data collected through Google Analytics suggests that when compared to similar sites in the medical device and equipment category, MyKneeAndMe.com gets 58% more visitors, has 90% higher pages viewed, and visitors stay on the site 23% longer.

DIRECT MAIL
Orencia: “One Patient at a Time”
Bristol-Myers Squibb

Direct mail campaigns rarely (if ever) are designed to get to know each person on the targeted mailing list, but this year’s winner proved to be the exception. Bristol-Myers Squibb’s “One Patient at a Time” campaign for Orencia (abatacept) truly lived up to its name by putting the patient at the center of the campaign and tailoring the materials to fit each patient’s individual needs. Orencia is indicted for patients with moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), which because of its autoimmune nature is different for each patient and can make it difficult for HCPs to choose the right treatment option.

This campaign was the first dynamically generated, full dialogue enabled relationship marketing program. The communication materials are focused on trying to see things through the patient’s eyes rather than just tell the brand’s story. There is also a dialogue established with each patient through a set of listening posts that help establish how the patient’s needs are changing and allow for adjustments and personalization of the communication materials to ensure each patient is reached at the right time with the right message. There were 17,000 variations of the communication materials varying in tone, content, and imagery.

“The One Patient campaign is extremely comprehensive, creative and provides the information needed to understand the therapeutic category, market and product. The advantages are apparent and the benefits to the patient provide optimism to the reader,” one judge said. The campaign has been experiencing positive results. Patient requests to their doctors for Orencia increased by 55%, conversion rates increased by 30%, and communication engagement rates are 17 times higher than historical rates.

DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER CAMPAIGN
Balloon Sinuplasty Campaign
Acclarent, Inc. and Roska

Acclarent needed a DTC campaign that did more than just raise awareness about their brand. After all, they were trying to market to chronic sinusitis sufferers who are typically accustomed to suffering in silence for years with their painful symptoms. Research showed that most had experienced little to no relief from the multitude of OTC and prescription treatment options they tried, while others had mixed results with surgical options. Acclarent needed a DTC campaign capable of convincing reluctant patients to explore Balloon Sinuplasty as a solution that could bring them relief.

The multiple-media campaign (TV, radio, bus, billboard and paid search) directed consumers to respond via a phone number or through a URL that took them to a micro-site where visitors could take a quiz to see if the procedure was right for them, hear testimonials from people who had the surgery (including former NFL star Marshall Faulk), watch an animated video to see Balloon Sinuplasty in action, and find a nearby doctor trained in the procedure. Acclarent was able to precisely track each call made to a trained physician through the use of unique phone numbers given on the micro-site.

“The Acclarent DTC plan was comprehensive, targeting a very specific audience in a select market place, and evaluated ROI along the way. I really liked the creative, memorable DTC ads that nicely illustrated the problem,” one judge said. Sales in markets where the campaign ran were 24% higher, and overall ROI was as high as 65%. The campaign also proved its lasting appeal—calls to surgeons remained at 90% of campaign levels even after the ads went dark.

DIRECT-TO-PATIENT CAMPAIGN
Spiriva: “Guide to Managing COPD”
Boehringer Ingelheim and Everyday Health

Boehringer Ingelheim and Everyday Health developed a campaign for COPD patients that may prove the old adage wrong—you can teach an old dog new tricks. The target audience for Spiriva consists of older adults most of whom are (or were) longtime smokers and choose denial as the best option to deal with their condition. Everyday Health created an integrated media plan that included targeted site placements, roadblocks, user-targeted placements, special report emails, and a COPD Awareness Month sponsorship (November 2011). At the center of this initiative, however, was the Guide to Managing COPD (http://tinyurl.com/6zgju5d), a custom online destination with content designed to inform, entertain, and inspire COPD sufferers.

The website features videos of people living with COPD; daily lifestyle tips to “Breathe Easier with COPD”; a COPD Checkup Tool to assess symptoms, determine treatment compliance, and make doctor follow-up recommendations; podcasts and a blog by a COPD expert from the American Lung Association; an Air Quality Forecast tool indicating air quality by zip code; and the “Take a Breather” Solitaire Game with tips for better breathing included at the completion of each game.

Not only are people visiting the site (451,226 total page views), but they are engaging with all of its resources. Currently, the Guide to Managing COPD has reached over 165,109 users and is on pace to reach more than 300,000 people. The average time spent is 4.40 minutes—120% higher than brand.com averages— and the solitaire game has an even higher average time spent of 8 minutes. A click-through-rate of .10 shows that visitors are also seeking information about treatment by visiting the Spiriva website.

INTERACTIVE MARKETING PROGRAM
Nplate Integrated Marketing Program
Amgen and Cell Division, Inc.

Right Content. Right Channel. Right Person. Right Time. That was the strategy behind Amgen’s Nplate Integrated Marketing Program (NIMC), a comprehensive, cost-efficient, multi-channel, non-personal promotion platform designed to drive physician engagement, manage sustainable relationships, and drive Nplate sales. The campaign included major enhancements to NplateHCP.com, which served as the campaign hub, and a “surround sound” approach to reach the relatively small

universe of physician targets through waves of direct outreach campaigns (e.g., outbound eDetailing calls, email campaigns, direct mail) and paid online and print media campaigns (banner ads, journal ads, etc.). The campaign also used a variety of tactics to track what was working as well as physicians’ behavior in response to the engagement tactics, so that the message and delivery channel could be adjusted to fit each physician.

As one judge said, “For a small disease category, NPlate did a great job of reaching HCPs and commu- nicating the disease state and treatment options.” NIMC, however, is worthy of this award for doing far more than just reaching HCPs: It engaged them effectively in new ways, delivered meaningful clinical practice guidance, and drove prescription growth.

In fact, the program increased Nplate sales by high double digits for three consecutive quarters as it tripled the reach of the field sales force. And as a testament to the power of an effective non-personal promotion campaign to both support the field force and extend it, a significant percentage of new product sales were generated by physicians who engaged only through the campaign, without live rep visits.

PERSISTENCE PROGRAM
Improving Diabetes Care in the Pharmacy
Novo Nordisk and BrainWorks Communications

Our judges felt the Novo Nordisk Improving Diabetes Care in the Pharmacy program was far superior to any of its competitors in this category and it’s not surprising considering the response the program has received from patients with type 2 diabetes. Let’s take one step back, however, to first examine the program itself. This initiative helped improve patient adherence by implementing brand marketing strategies throughout the entire pharmacy experience. Partnership agreements were negotiated with multiple national and regional pharmacy chains and pharmacists were educated on key product information using a variety of channels (newsletters, HTML e-mail, intranet, ads, mailings) and provided with the information and tools for counseling patients (Portfolio Pharmacy Kits, Pharmacist Intervention Aids and information sheets). The program also used patient messages (including branded and unbrand- ed television commercials in select markets, tear pads, print-on-demand messages, reminder letters, in-store signage, and point-of-purchase brochures) to raise awareness and highlight the benefits of prefilled insulin delivery devices and remind patients to refill their prescriptions in a timely manner.Now, back to the response. Feedback was solicited using a $10 American Diabetes Association contribution incentive and to date there have been more than 1,200 respondents. A vast majority (93%) found the Pharmacy Kits useful and 82% stayed in the pharmacy area for several months or longer. Additionally, more than 1,500 point-of-purchase product rebate redemptions have been received. This method also proved to be highly cost-effective as the ROI was four to one. A persistence program that both improved adherence and had a solid ROI: What more could you ask for?

PR CAMPAIGN & UNBRANDED CAMPAIGN
DRIVE4COPD
Boehringer Ingelheim and Biosector 2

Our judges described the DRIVE4COPD campaign as “extremely creative,” “innova- tive,” “empowering” and “educational.” Those are just some of the reasons why the campaign won not one, but two of our awards. The campaign brought together a powerful group of drivers—including celebrities and sports, health, and entertain- ment organizations—to inform people about a largely unknown condition, encourage people to get screened for risk of COPD, and urge those that found out they may be at risk to talk with a healthcare professional.

DRIVE4COPD has already screened approximately 2 million people for risk of COPD by reaching those at-risk where they live—through a combination of media outreach, public service announcement campaigns, social media activities as well as on-the-ground events at NASCAR races, state fairs and country music festivals.

The DRIVE4COPD team worked with celebrities and partners to create unique programs that would drive awareness and screenings for COPD, including Virtual Twitter Races in which Celebrity Ambassadors competed to see who could drive the most people to be screened for COPD risk, a song- writing competition in partnership with the Country Music Association and a four day cross-country RV tour with the Celebrity Ambassadors. DRIVE4COPD has also engaged corporate partners in working to raise awareness and screenings of COPD with their employees and customer bases through almost 50 in-kind employer and consumer wellness initiatives.

“DRIVE4COPD implemented an innovative mix of professional societies, celebrities and a validated tool to raise awareness of COPD and take it to the next step of allowing patients to actually get screened for the condition,” one judge said.

PRODUCT LAUNCH
Dexilant “Tortoise and Hare”
Takeda Canada and Abelson Taylor

Launching a new product is not an easy task, and that task is made even more difficult when you are trying to break into an already flooded market that is also perceived to be very satisfied. The right campaign, how- ever, can distinguish you from the competition. The perfect image can tell your brand’s story so well that physicians will be forced to consider you. And an iconic image will make your new brand unforgettable.

When launching Dexilant, Takeda Canada and Abelson Taylor chose the perfect image to represent the unique feature that would help the brand stand out from the other proton pump inhibitors (PPI) already on the market. Dexilant, despite being yet another PPI, still filled an unmet need thanks to its novel dual release formulation that provided patients a second release of the drug later in the day. And what image is better suited to remind physicians about this unique dual delayed release mechanism than the tortoise and the hare. After all, who is not already familiar with Aesop’s old fable? The mere sight of the pair combined with the use of pills instantly lets physicians know that one dose will speed to the finish line as the other will take its time and arrive a little later. As one of our judges said, all of the levels of imagery work brilliantly together to communicate so many levels about the brand. Research also shows that the campaign is quickly understood and physicians remember “2 releases of drug.”

PROFESSIONAL CAMPAIGN
“Takeda Canada Switches” Campaign
Takeda and Abelson Taylor

This Prelaunch Disease Education Ad for Dexilant was the favorite among our judges due to “its arresting visual and educational mes- sage that’s of value to physicians.” Once again, Abelson Taylor and Takeda are able to quickly tell a story to their target audience using an impactful image that both captures your attention and stays with you. This steel stomach of “on” and “off” switches visually repre- sents proton pump activation and identifies the limitations of cur- rent therapies. When you eat, millions of tiny pumps secrete acid to help you digest your food, however, at the time of dosing only about 75% of these pumps are actively secreting acid. At least 25% of pumps are available to be activated later in the day for acid secre- tion. These pumps that “switch on” later may miss the effects of most standard proton pump inhibitors (PPI). Dexilant, however, is a once-daily PPI with a unique dual delayed release formulation that is

designed to help right away as well as later in the day when those other pumps are activated. By clearly communicating to physicians the limitations of existing PPI’s on the market, Abelson Taylor and Takeda were able to set the stage for the launch of Dexilant in Canada.

One of our judges summed it up perfectly: “Creative is simple, memorable, and dead on the strategy.”

PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE/ONLINE INITIATIVE
My Vaccine Resource Website
Pfizer and Hudson Global

When it comes to vaccination, the attitude seems to be that children are the future and need protecting—while adults, well, they sometimes get forgotten. Child immunization rates are near 90% for most recommended vaccines in the United States; vaccination rates for adults have remained stagnant and below CDC goals for years. Pfizer believed that this needed to change and with the help of Hudson Global they developed MyVaccineResource.com to increase the prioritization of adult immunization among physicians and give them the tools and resources to make the practice of immunization easier and more efficient in their practice. MyVaccineResource.com is user-friendly, attractive, and (dare we say it) fun.

The site uses multiple mediums and resources, including videos, interactive games, posters, expert commentaries, and handouts. An example of one set of handouts is “The Usual Culprits—Common Patient Rebuttals” which include a mug shot drawing, along with myths and facts for the types of people who commonly avoid vaccination, such as “The Naturalist,” “The Fatalist,” and “The Skeptic.” The website also took a special interest in the Hispanic community, whose vaccination rates lag far behind their non-Hispanic counterparts’, and offered Spanish language materials inspired by telenovelas. Whenever you can create something that actually makes it appropriate to have the words “vaccination” and “fun” in the same sentence, you deserve to win an award.

SELF-PROMOTION
Intouchsol.com Redesign
Intouch Solutions

Solid goals, well-established benefits, and proven results were the attributes that led our judges to choose the redesigned Intouchsol.com as the victor in this cate- gory. As a showcase for all the agency has to offer, www.intouchsol.com features a user-centric and eye-appealing design, innovative technologies, and the latest in emerging media. The addition of rich and compelling content was also a focus during the redesign, which is when the agency launched their new blog Intouch Soul to offer industry insights from a range of their own subject matter experts. The blog posts along with point-of-view briefs and other feature articles not only make the site more attractive to search engines, but also to perspective clients. When an article was posted about how the changes to the Facebook comment policy will affect pharma, it was viewed a total of 900 times and was tweeted, shared via industry publications’ websites, and individual blogs and has resulted in multiple public relations/interview opportunities for Intouch.The website redesign has also led to a 75% increase in overall traffic, a 72% increase in traffic from search engines, and a 24% increase in pages viewed per visit. Best of all, business development is up. Since the launch, the agency has seen an increase in calls, emails, and Tweets from prospective clients offering their comments and accolades as well as inquiring about doing business with the agency. Another added bonus is that traffic to the site’s careers section is up—a signal that more and more people are recognizing Intouch Solutions as a great place to work.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Leveraging Social Media Engagement to Better Deliver on Patient Needs
Sanofi and Intouch Solutions

When it comes to social media, pharma companies can feel like they are operating with two hands tied behind their back. The lack of official guidelines from the FDA can make establishing a social media pres- ence challenging, but when done correctly (and compliantly) the payoff is huge—engagement. Meaningful engagement with a patient group means real-time feedback as well as the chance to establish your company as a valuable partner throughout the treatment continuum. The sanofi-aventis U.S. Diabetes Division, along with Intouch Solutions, deserve this year’s award because they embraced multiple social media channels, remained compliant, and developed a relationship with the Diabetes Online Community (DOC).

Sanofi’s social ecosystem involves a Twitter handle (twitter.com/diabetes_sanofi), Facebook page (facebook.com/sanofiaventisUSdiabetes), and the “Discuss Diabetes” blog (discussdiabetes.com). Sanofi executed a groundbreaking model in pharma by creating a dedicated Community Manager position to manage these social media channels and engage in two-way dialogue with the DOC. The program has already surpassed its early goals by getting more Facebook fans (135% of goal), Twitter followers (160% of goal), and blog visitors (132% of goal) than originally anticipated. The initiative has also achieved over 10 million word-of-mouth conversations and high blog engagement. Feedback has been strong as well. One DOC member had this to say: “… a rep [Laura K., the Community Manager] from Sanofi-Aventis picked up on the discussion and was able to relay a message to me to call them. That is online social networking at its best, and what the earliest members of the DOC wanted this to become.”

VIDEO COMMERCIAL
Restasis Interactive Learning Program
Allergan and Abelson Taylor

This marks the third award for Abelson Taylor, an agency that one of our judges said “has shown incredible breadth and depth of their creative range in all their submissions.” This time they combined that creative range with cutting-edge technology to aid Allergan with their Restasis Interactive Learning Program (ILP). Restasis helps patients with Chronic Dry Eye by increasing tear production reduced by inflammation. This condition can make it hard for patients to go about their daily activities, yet many eye care professionals (ECPs) do not consider dry eye a priority because it is not sight- threatening. Allergan needed something to draw ECPs in and put them in their patients’ shoes or— in this case—their eyes.

The program used augmented reality in a convention booth display to draw passers-by into the booth and literally into the scene on the monitor. When ECPs stepped up to the monitor, their faces were augmented with the Restasis branded eyes (from the “Running Low on Tears” campaign) super- imposed over their own. The augmented reality did not stop there. ECPs could hold up a sales aid in front of the display and it would become a fully 3-dimensional data chart that could be manipulated in real time. Additional interactive data could be accessed by simply turning the sales aid to reveal a total of three charts.

The Restasis ILP drew sizable crowds and the visit time in the booth had to be extended so reps could elaborate on data seen in the ILP. ECPs left with an experience sure to make them remember Restasis.

 

 

 

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