We can finally reveal who made the 2019 Health Influencer 50 list. Among the honorees are celebrities and citizen activists making waves in the health ecosphere. The full list, which PRWeek produced with sister brand MM&M, can be found here. Health influencers particularly have a crucial role in the election landscape, noted PRWeek’s Steve Barrett.
Hims & Hers has been making waves with its innovative style and simple, impactful messaging. CEO Andrew Dudum explained that by reminding consumers they’re "exceptionally average" when it comes to their health, the healthcare startup hopes to eliminate the shame of stigma, which can prevent patients from seeking care. Along with stigma and shame, Dudum told PRWeek how Hims & Hers tackles healthcare access.
Kathryn Beiser joined Kaiser Permanente as its first chief comms officer in January 2018. Identifying what comms should and shouldn’t do became a top priority. "We joke our department is no longer going to do hot dog procurement," Beiser said. She sat down with PRWeek to share the structural changes that have come with this new philosophy.
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare’s CMO and VP of U.S. marketing Amardeep Kahlon strives to build a courageous culture at his company. "How do we nurture courage and innovation to try bold things in the marketing group? Without that, you don’t have the ability to raise the bar," he said. Kahlon told PRWeek how GSK brands lean into risk and seize cultural moments to stay on top of their game.
In other news, McDonald’s has fired its CEO. The company’s board determined Steve Easterbrook "demonstrated poor judgment" by engaging in a consensual relationship with an employee that violated company policy. Easterbrook will be replaced by Chris Kempczinski, who most recently served as president of McDonald’s USA.
