Principals: Bob Chandler, CEO; Lisa Stockman, president
Ownership: inVentiv Health
Subsidiary agencies: Five including Chandler Chicco Agency
Offices: Global: 17; US: 8
Revenue: $50 million to $100 million
Headcount: Global: 321; US: 210
The previous year had been rocky for some healthcare firms, Chandler Chicco among them, as clients held back ahead of the Affordable Care Act being made a law, in addition to the patent cliff.
Drug brands once known to throw millions of dollars into promotions "went away overnight" when patents expired, says president Lisa Stockman. But the agency is optimistic the malaise the pharmaceutical industry once had to adjust to has passed and it is seeing a return to former levels of engagement.
European performance
The parent company of brands such as Chandler Chicco Agency, Allidura Consumer, and Biosector 2, the majority of its accounts are global. Last year’s growth was 60% existing clients, 40% new business.
A campaign the agency led for Mylan Specialty – starring Modern Family’s Julie Bowen – to help raise awareness of anaphylaxis, was named PRWeek’s 2014 Healthcare Campaign of the Year.
"Things really clicked in 2013," says Stockman, adding that the firm won more than 40 new accounts and 150 new projects. It won work with Sanofi Pasteur.
Key hires included Heather Gartman, who joined from Ruder Finn to become MD of the Washington office. Shwen Gwee, previously at Edelman, and Ben Atkins from Amgen were brought on as co-MDs of the New York and West digital practices, respectively. In total, staff turnover at the firm was 22%.
New York, London, and Frankfurt/Eltville were the firm’s top-performing offices. While the London market showed flat growth overall, the firm’s Biosector 2 unit doubled in size. France showed slower growth during the past year because of market forces such as stricter regulatory controls.
The firm’s digital and social practice displayed the most growth. Social Hx, a practice that examines social health experience, what it stands for, and how to best leverage tools and channels in the regulated healthcare space, was a major facilitator of the increase.
Looking ahead, the agency is already laying the groundwork for the future as cofounder and principal Bob Chandler announced his retirement in March 2014, effective this summer.
