Euro RSCG Life Chelsea placed an intense focus on its existing business during the past year as the agency experienced organic growth of approximately 20%, according to managing director Pamela Pinta. Although not traditionally considered a DTC shop, Pinta said the agency is particularly proud of its work on the unbranded DTC broadcast campaign it created for Wyeth’s antidepressant Effexor XR.

“That was something really different for us,” Pinta says. “It was the first time we had done anything like that and it was exciting to be able to get the information out there about the disease and depression and to let patients know there are other options.”

Another highlight of the past 12 months came in late 2006, when the agency was awarded Shire’s new ulcerative colitis drug Lialda.

“The Lialda launch was a great campaign to work on because it’s the first new product in ulcerative colitis in a long time,” Pinta says. “It’s really got advantages. It’s been great to be able to work on a very integrated program.”

Other Euro RSCG Life Chelsea accounts include: Wyeth’s gastroesophageal reflux treatment Protonix; Wyeth’s Pristiq to treat depression and vasomotor symptoms; and Boehringer Ingelheim’s blood pressure treatments Micardis and Micardis HCT.

Euro RSCG Life Chelsea underwent top-level management changes in February as Pinta became managing director of the agency to allow agency president Ed Stapor more flexibility to attend to his additional responsibilities within the Euro RSCG Life network as co-CEO, North America—a role he shares along with Euro RSCG MetaMax president Doug Burcin.

Burcin says the new Euro RSCG Life structure has enabled the network to “flatten the organization so that we are in much closer contact with the operating units, the business units, our staff and our clients.”

Also in February, Euro RSCG Life Chelsea expanded its executive committee with the appointment of Steven Nothel as executive VP, director of client services. 

In 2006, Euro RSCG Life Chelsea launched a new unit, Euro RSCG Life Oncologix. The group specializes in oncology products and is staffed with oncology-focused marketing experts.
Euro RSCG Life Oncologix launched Celgene Corporation’s multiple myeloma treatments Revlimid and Thalomid. In late 2006, the unit was also awarded global business for GlaxoSmithKline’s casopitant, which is being studied for treatment of chemotherapy and postoperative nausea and vomiting and overactive bladder.

Euro RSCG Life Chelsea is happy with its recent business growth coming from current clients, Pinta says she is also focused on going after new business.

“In the year ahead, we will be looking for clients that fit our culture while continuing to grow the brands and the businesses that we have,” Pinta tells MM&M. “We have had a lot of them for a number of years and we are very attached to them. But at the end of the day we want to keep growing our business, keep growing our people and our talent.”

Pinta keeps her big-picture goals and ambitious straightforward. “As an agency we plan to keep growing with our current clients,” she says. “We try and do the best job we can do and, of course, we want to be better tomorrow than we were today.”

From the July 01, 2007 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media