Publicis Healthcare Communications chief Nick Colucci said his company’s transfer of media personnel to sister firm MediaVest was prompted by the growing concentration of media buying assignments for journal advertising into media specialty firms.
“For a couple of years, companies like Compas have been consolidating the business, and they are able to make offers that we can’t,” said Colucci. “MediaVest is big, so we’ll be able to service our clients more easily.”
Publicis Healthcare media personnel moved to MediaVest at the end of 2004, forming a new healthcare professional media planning and buying group headed by Marge Casey, previously media director for Nelson Communications. Casey is vice president, media director at MediaVest and reports to director of print services Robin Steinberg.
“We still consider it in-house,” said Colucci. “We work closely with MediaVest.” Some professional media assignments of Publicis Healthcare clients will be moved to MediaVest. Publicis Groupe’s Optimedia, which handles media buying and planning for AstraZeneca DTC, will take on media tasks for the Transitions account.
