2016 Asia-Pacific Healthcare PR Consultancies of the Year

The 2016 Asia-Pacific PR Consultancies of the Year are the result of an exhaustive research process involving more than 100 submissions and meetings with the best PR firms across the region. Consultancy of the Year winners are announced and honoured at the 2016 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards, taking place on 28 September in Hong Kong. Analysis of all Finalists (and Winners from 29 September) can be accessed via the navigation menu or below:

Healthcare PR Consultancy of the Year: FleishmanHillard (Omnicom Group)

The ageing population in many Asian markets has led to a renewed focus on healthcare public relations among many of the major multinational agencies operating in the region, but there is nothing new about FleishmanHillard’s emphasis on the sector, which has been a key component of its regional business since it expanded into Asia more than 20 years ago. Its capabilities have expanded from pharmaceutical marketing to include market access, regulatory and legislative issues, clinical trial work, and technical medical communications across the full lifecycle of products from drugs to devices.

The firm has strong healthcare teams in Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Mumbai, New Delhi, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and also collaborates with other Omnicom-owned healthcare-focused agencies to deliver and even broader array of services across even more markets. More and more of that work involves engaging directly with consumers, as the look for information themselves rather than blindly following “doctor’s orders,” leading to increased demand for digital and social content.

Fleishman’s healthcare business has grown by better than 50% over the past three years, and there are now more than 40 experts across the region, including Singapore-based Phyllis Cheng, whose past experience includes leading roles with the Hong Kong Cancer Fund and the Australia Cancer Patients Group. New in 2016 is Adam Weiss as senior healthcare consultant in Tokyo, joining from McCann Health.

Clients include Abbott CEVHAP (The Coalition to Eradicate Viral Hepatitis in Asia Pacific), GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Novartis, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Philips, and the World Health Organisation, while new business came from Ayumi Pharmaceutical, Bayer, Becton Dickinson, and Ferring Pharmaceuticals. — PH

Finalists

Cosmo PR (Independent)

Over the last 56 years, Cosmo has grown into one of Japan’s leading strategic PR firms counseling both multinational and domestic companies on how to communicate with audiences in Japan. The firm’s remarkable longevity has proven to be competitive differentiator in a country where personal connections are invaluable to effective influence and engagement. Cosmo’s vast and longstanding network includes the medical community, opinion leaders and government officials.

Having a deep understanding of the Japanese healthcare sector enabled the firm to help clients navigate changes, enacted last year, on the way healthcare is promoted in Japan. Cosmo’s senior advisors provided invitation-only ‘study sessions’ to help clients stay up-to-date on the changes. Headcount is approximately 40 full-time professionals and operating profit is up by 13% — an impressive figure considering Japan’s GDP growth rate was less than 1%. Last year, Cosmo also introduced a Woman’s Health practice to the firm. Notable work includes partnering with MINI to expand brand awareness in Japan and acquire ‘MINI-fans’ for the release of its R60 Japan edition. The campaign spotlighted how young Japanese office workers don’t use their paid holiday and included a consumer survey shared with the media. The firm’s CEO Kumi Sato also authored of one of the country’s best-selling leadership textbooks. — AaS

SPAG Asia (Independent)

There are nice to problems to have, and among them, are growing 100% YOY and expanding into new markets (Singapore and the Middle East) while figuring out how to retain your organization’s vision and culture. This is what SPAG Asia faced last year as it grew to $2.15m and 25 employees.

The growth was fueled by new clients like AdvaMed, PhRMA (new mandate), Abbott, Novartis, Sanofi and Baxter that joined existing clients like Nestle, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GHS and Ikea Foundation. Founders Aman Gupta and Shivani Gupta built SPAG as a leader in healthcare and public affairs, but more recently, the firm has expanded into sports & entertainment with plans provide an integrated offering in this area within the next year.

Notable assignments include an integrated campaign for PFCD on shaping the future health of India and its citizens. (The work won the firm a SABRE Award South Asia.) — AaS