2023 Healthcare PR Agencies of the Year, North America

2023 Healthcare PR Agencies of the Year

The 2023 North America PR Agencies of the Year are the result of an exhaustive research process involving more than 150 submissions and 50 meetings with the best PR firms across the US and Canada.

Winners are unveiled at the North American SABRE Awards ceremony, taking place on 2 May at Cipriani Midtown. Tickets and tables are available here. Analysis of all winners and finalists across 13 categories can be accessed via the navigation menu to the right or here.

Separately, you can find the 2023 SABRE Awards North America finalists here.

Winner

Spectrum Science (Independent)

Backstory

In the 27 years since launching Spectrum Science, Jonathan Wilson has built an agency hyper focused on health care offering clients services that go beyond traditional PR across channels and specialties. Spectrum continues to diversify its capabilities and expertise across advertising, marketing, medical communications and clinical trial recruitment, most notably through three eye-catching acquisitions in 2022 — Sonic Health, the Seismic Collaborative, and UK consultancy Aurora. In addition, Spectrum continues to build its CTR services that offer patient insights, clinical study identity and messaging, study recruitment plans based on region and more—and recently launched a propriety patient recruitment platform called TrialBlazer.

Locations

Spectrum Science has offices in Washington (HQ), New York, Atlanta and Chicago.

Performance

Spectrum’s revenue surged by 63% to $80m in 2022, fueled by acquisition and a 56% win percentage in new business pitches. New clients included Sight Sciences Global, Vertex Therapeutics, Gaia Herbs, BeiGene, Sunovion Sumitomo, and PacBio, joining an existing client roster that features AbbVie, Foundation Medicine, Heron Therapeutics, Horizon Therapeutics, Mirati Therapeutics, Moderna, Neurocrine Biosciences, Regeneron, Takeda Neuroscience and Burt’s Bees. Of note, Spectrum’s work spans such areas as preclinical development through loss of patent exclusivity, with an integrated model that blends client service, strategy, creative and innovation.

People & Culture

Wilson is supported by president Michelle Gross, chief strategy officer Michelle Strier, chief creative officer Justin Rubin, and chief innovation officer Robert Oquendo, while notable hires included the firm’s first chief scientific officer in Chetan Vijayvergiya. Cultural highlights included mental health support and therapy, guided meditation, a learning and development program, a fellowship program, and an agency concierge. Spectrum’s DEI commitments includes agreements to use diverse vendors and develop six campaigns around health issues impacting underrepresented communities. The firm has increased diversity within its staff by 33%, initiated protocols for diverse hiring and continues to share an internal newsletter that highlights diverse talent and resources. Most recently, Spectrum launched Healthspanic—a journey started by a dedicated group of Spectrum employees whose aim is to improve the lives of the Hispanic community through learning opportunities and activities.

Thought Leadership & Work

Spectrum’s thought leadership has leaned towards recent events that jeopardise people’s health, including gun violence, women’s reproductive health, LGBTQ+ rights and democracy. Among campaign highlights are the ‘Sage by Gaia’ online magazine to bolster the connection between human and planetary health; multichannel recruitment for Moderna’s RSV vaccine; and awareness raising of NMOSD for Horizon Therapeutics in association with a range of advocacy partners.

— Arun Sudhaman

Finalists

GCI Health (WPP)

Backstory

Initially reporting into WPP’s Cohn & Wolfe, GCI Health was able to build a strong identity for itself as the giant holding company’s only healthcare-focused public relations firm, and—now reporting to BCW—has established itself as a global leader in healthcare PR. GCI Health is focused exclusively on healthcare communications, but that hasn’t prevented the firm from diversifying its operations in recent years, as health PR has taken on new challenges, including more integrated digital and social campaigns, content creation, and more public health, social impact work, and public affairs and corporate reputation assignments.

Locations

Headquartered in New York, GCI Health has a strong national network (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, DC) as well as a Toronto office, an established presence in the UK and Germany, and a growing Asia-Pacific operation. In total, the firm has about 530 people across 26 offices.

Performance

In a challenging environment for healthcare (clinical data delays and a downturn in biotech, combined with the aftershocks of the Covid pandemic), GCI Health enjoyed another strong year, with North American revenues up by better than 12%--and with 73% global growth over the past three years. With 530 people around the world, GCI now has one of the largest global footprints of any healthcare specialist and has become a destination firm for leading companies in the sector, with a client list that includes Abbott, Astellas, Biogebm Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Colgate, Eisai, Janssen, Lilly, Merck, Organon, Regeneron, Sanofi, and Walgreens. There were 37 new client accounts in 2022, including Amarin (corporate communications support for the cardiovascular portfolio), Lundbeck (product communications for migraine), Harvard University (connecting with BIPOC students on mental health issues); and health and wellness provider The Aspen Group.

People & Culture

GCI Health’s ongoing DE&I journey continues to feature a three-pillared approach: ongoing efforts to increase cultural fluency and understanding, identifying inclusive champions, and encouraging diverse perspectives. Global CEO Kristin Cahill has now been in that role for a little more than two years, during which GCI has continued the growth trajectory it enjoyed under predecessor Wendy Lund. Her leadership team includes president of North America Sherry Goldberg, GM of Canada Kristy Derkson, chief growth officer Eleanor Petigrew. Chief insights and strategy officer Amy Inzanti, chief people officer Nesa Johnson, and head of DEI Dante Cunningham—the latter three among the new additions to the team over the past 12 months, during which time the firm also strengthened its digital, influencer, content and paid media capabilities.

Thought Leadership & Work

GCI Health is focusing on some of the key developments in the healthcare arena: the democratization of healthcare, as Americans become more empowered in the management of their own health outcomes; harnessing influencers to talk about issues ranging from diabetes to concussion using channels such as TiKTok and gamification; enhancing clinical trial recruitment through the savvy use of digital channels; and promoting health equity by centering identity experience, using the firm’s “cultural health intelligence” approach for messaging and storytelling, while addressing biases. Highlights of the client work include positioning Eisai as a leader in Alzheimer’s drug development, using immersive technology and 3D rendering to tell the story in an engaging way; partnering with Rebel Wilson to change perceptions of concussions for Abbott, ultimately building a coalition of 18 advocacy organizations; and using improved targeting to and segmentation to reach people with HIV for ViiV.

— Arun Sudhaman

Finn Partners (Independent)

Backstory

Founded in 2011 when Peter Finn spun off from Ruder Finn into a standalone business, Finn Partners has expanded organically and via acquisition into one of the largest independents in the US. There’s a strong consumer practice, including deep domain expertise in fashion and beauty and travel and lifestyle marketing; a fast-growing global health capability capable of competing with the best specialist firms; a tech practice that was the stellar performer of 2021; and specialist offerings in the arts and in education.

Locations

Headquartered in New York, Finn Partners has US offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Ft Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Nashville, Orange County, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, DC, as well as growing international network. Two 2022 acquisition added a new offices in San Diego and Vancouver, Wash.

Performance

In 2022, fee income for Finn globally hit $197 million (up by 21,5% over the previous year) with North America accounting for $167 million of that, and while there were acquisitions again last year—AHA, an integrated marketing firm with strong employee engagement credentials, sustainability consultancy the Winston Agency, food and wellness boutique Rachel Kay Agency —the vast majority of the growth was organic. Healthcare is now Finn’s largest practice, having recently overtaken technology, with the consumer an travel practice also growing impressively. There are big name clients in multiple sectors: health (Meharry Medical, LifePoint Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center as well as numerous confidential pharma clients); technology (2K Games, AWS, Honeywell, Netscout); travel (Pure Michigan, Accor, Iceland); consumer (Little Caesers, Purina, TruEarth); and purpose (Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Verizon, MADD). New business in 2022 came from Bloomingdale’s, Filippo Berrio, Alibaba, and Omni Logistics.

People & Culture

In the 12 years since Finn’s founding, it has been guided by Peter Finn’s vision of creating “a world-class agency with a heart and a conscience,” which has been critical in helping Finn attract both talent and acquisition partners—and clients too no doubt. The vision is manifested in a culture that starts with principled leadership, and emphasizes partnership, passion, and positive impact. Not surprisingly, therefore, Finn has been a leader in DEI, one of the first firms to release real data (26% of the current workforce is BIPOC, and 33.4% of new hires). The firm has launched a number HIP groups (hobbies, interests and passions) which aim to bring people together; offers for DEI scholarships; and partners with the Diversity Action Alliance and the Urban League, among others. Last year saw the launch of the Finn 10 Club, recognizing those who have been with the agency for 10 years or more—an impressive indicator of the firm’s low turnover. New talent, meanwhile, included Robin Pomeranz Cronin as creative director and Ivan Ruiz as a partner focused on digital work, both in the firm’s global health practice; Bess Winston as senior partner, purpose and social impact and Betsy Henning, managing partner, employee engagement, both via acquisitions. There were also key additions to healthcare practices in Asia and London, making the practice truly global.

Thought Leadership & Work

With more than 275 professionals and truly global reach, Finn’s Global Health Practice is now among the largest, and yet somehow manages to punch above its weight in terms of thought leadership, with Gil Bashe, as chair of global health and purpose, and Global Practice Lead Fern Lazar, championing a new range of services that includes global brand marketing, clinical trial recruitment, digital health marketing and global public health.. The firm works throughout the healthcare ecosystem—payors and providers as well as pharma and bioscience—and enjoys robust media, political and academic partnerships. Work for Meharry (attracting more Black doctors to the profession); St Jude’s (“Facing War, Fighting Cancer”) were among the firm’s 10 SABRE nominated campaigns this year. Others included Honeywell’s focus on indoor air quality; WinCup’s introduction of non-plastic straws; and Verizon’s recognition of innovative educators. New capabilities, meanwhile, include practices focused on purpose and employee engagement, both areas of significant growth that cut across all practice areas.

— Paul Holmes

M Booth Health (Independent)

Backstory

One of the leading independents on the New York marketplace for many years, M Booth was acquired by Next Fifteen (best known for its technology and digital capabilities) in 2009 and has been growing rapidly ever since. In 2019, Next Fifteen also acquired the US operations of healthcare specialist Health Unlimited (previously known as Cooney Waters), which rebranded as M Booth Health, and combined the two businesses to create the Booth Group.

Locations

M Booth Health is headquartered in New York and provides communications support across the US.

Performance

M Booth Health enjoyed exceptional growth in 2022, with fee income up by 30%, ending the year with revenues of a little over $22 million. That was despite turning away about 75% of new business opportunities—which means that 82% of that growth was organic, in large part by expanding the range of services it provided to clients through enhanced public affairs, marketing communications and social impact practices. M Booth Health enjoys long-term partnerships with clients including The American Society of Clinical Oncology (25 years}’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the International AIDS Society (24 years); and Gilead Sciences (20). Other key clients include Planned Parenthood, Organon, AliveCor, The World Health Organization, and a number of confidential pharmaceutical giants. New business in 2022 included assignments from Tandem Diabetes, UNICEF USA, and Azurity.

People & Culture

The growth numbers were even more impressive given that 2022 was a year of transformation, with a new leadership team taking the helm: Stacey Bernstein joined as CEO in January 2022, after nearly 12 years at Weber Shandwick; Peter Matheson Gay joined from Dxtra Health a couple of months later as chief impact officer; Tayla Mahmud was named EVP, health equity and multicultural strategy; and Chaz Cox joined from Edelman as managing director, marketing communications. Building on a longstanding commitment to DEI, in 2022 the firm launched a new “Accelerate” program designed to connect BIPOC employees with members of the leadership team and offer expanded opportunities. It has also contracted with an external consultancy to further its DEI recruitment goals, although M Booth Health is currently 33% BIPOC, which makes it above average compared to the rest of the industry.

Thought Leadership & Work

In addition to a new brand and vision (“we’re built organizations and brands challenge norms, drive results and improve the lives and health of those who need it most,”) M Booth Health dedicated a lot of energy to two areas in 2022. First, health equity, where it led discussions focusing on disparities in cancer care and outcomes, and “unmuted” women’s health, addressing societal biases and stigma for women’s health leader Organon. And second it engaged with some of the largest public health challenges of the yea, from the mental health challenges for LGBTQ youth to educating Gen Z on birth control issues. The firm handled issues driven for for the CDC, the World Health Organization, and the American Society of Clinical Oncology and marketing communications for Tandem Diabetes, Abbott Diagnostics, and AliveCor—as well as releasing the second work of its own award-winning Pharma Brandemic research.

— Paul Holmes

Real Chemistry (Independent)

Backstory

Founded a little more than two decades ago as WeissCom, a biotech-focused healthcare specialist, the firm was renamed W2OGroup in 2010, by which time it had established itself as an integrated healthcare communications group with multiple acquisitions spanning advertising, digital, data and analytics and more. Early in 2021, there was another evolution, to Real Chemistry, focusing on “the real chemistry between people and the brands born to change their lives.” Not surprisingly, the growth story (see below) has been the dominant narrative around Real Chemistry—which won Large Agency of the Year two years ago—with the firm’s proliferation of non-traditional services also serving to set it apart from the competition. But Real Chemistry continues to be, at its core, a healthcare PR firm—the largest in the world.

Locations

US offices include the San Francisco headquarters; Atlanta; Austin; Baltimore; Beverly Hills, CA; Boston; Chicago; Florham Park, NJ; Los Angeles, CA; Minneapolis, MN; Montclair, NJ; New Hope, PA; New York, NY (3 locations); Pasadena, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, DC; Wilmington, NC. There are additional offices in the UK and EMEA.

Performance

It has taken Real Chemistry just 21 years to build a half-billion business, a remarkable track record of growth in a business where only seven firms have ever reached that milestone. Only in that context could CEO Shankar Narayanan seem a little rueful about 17% growth in 2022 (“a little short of our internal target”)—which was still enough for Real Chemistry to end the year with revenues of $556 million. There were two acquisitions (conversationHealth and TI Health) which contributed to the growth, but the vast majority was organic. And it is interesting to note that while RC does not look much like a traditional public relations agency, integrated marketing and communications continues to account for about 45% of revenues, with data and AI contributing about 30% of the total, and “commercial and medical solutions” the remaining 25%--though the firm does its best work when all three segments work in harmony. New clients in 2022 included expanded integrated business with Galderma, new brand assignments from Pfizer and Takeda, and work from GSK and Novartis, as well as growth outside of big pharma with clients such as Better Therapeutics, Cutera, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Matternet, and Shield Therapeutics. They join a roster that includes big names like AstraZeneca, Diageo, Genentech, Incyte, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and Sobi.

People & Culture

One of the interesting things about the leadership team, now led by Narayanan, is just how genuinely entrepreneurial it is: global president and chief client officer Jennifer Gottlieb was essentially a co-founder of predecessor W2O, while head of commercialization and medical solutions Robert Blink, head of integrated marketing communications Kevin Johnson, and head of data and AI solutions Ron Elwell all founded their own firms before selling to Real Chemistry. Integrating so many diverse acquisitions has been (and continues to be) a challenge, but the firm is investing more in its culture and reputation as an employer, winning its first Best Place to Work award in 2022, expanding its professional development offer, offering enhanced sabbatical and parental leave options, and paying bonuses to close to 100% of staff last year. The firm has a new DE&I Lab, has revamped onboarding to emphasize inclusivity, and incorporazted bias awareness into its review process.

Thought Leadership & Work

While the media circus around ChatGPT has focused a lot of PR agencies on the literary merits of AI, Real Chemistry has been using artificial intelligence in far more sophisticated ways for many years: it is focusing on the predictive ability of data and AI to identify people who might be at risk of particular diseases and candidates for particular therapy, as well as to identify the best channels through which to reach both patient populations and medical professionals. The addition of TI Health last year added improved targeting of healthcare professionals, while the launch of 21Gaming, a new discipline, gave RC gamification capabilities, and conversationHealh gives the firm the ability to create personalized virtual experiences. Health equity has been another area of focus. The firm earned seven SABRE nominations for work ranging from “Cancer Care is Different” for City of Hope to “Focus on Your Lungs” for Merck, while Real Chemistry also managed an influencer marketing campaign featuring Schitt’s Creek actress Annie Murphy promoting contraceptive freedom for Evofem.

— Paul Holmes