The agency world continued to provide MM+M with one of its most fertile areas of coverage and analysis. Here is a small sampling of the most impactful and best-read agency stories published by MM+M during 2023, including its venerable Agency 100 presentation of the medical marketing industry’s most successful companies.
Two of the medical marketing industry’s largest agencies, VMLY&R Health and Wunderman Thompson Health, were unified when parent network WPP merged them under the VML banner.
Consulting giant Accenture deepened its healthcare bench with the $245 million acquisition of ConcentricLife. In February, Stagwell-owned siblings Concentric Health Experience and Scout Health joined forces to become ConcentricLife.
Syneos Health went private in a $7.1 billion private equity deal.
Spectrum Science bulked up with the acquisitions of CrowdPharm and Hot Iron Health.
Real Chemistry partnered with GenAI platform Writer.
According to MM+M’s Agency 100 revenue table, the five firms that generated the most North American revenue in 2022 were Real Chemistry ($514 million), Klick Health (an MM+M-estimated $510 million), Deloitte Digital ($441.3 million), FCB Health New York (an MM+M-estimated $410 million) and Eversana Intouch ($390 million).
Combined 2022 revenue for the Top 100 firms rose 12% to $9.6 billion — a new record — versus the prior year’s adjusted level of $8.6 billion.
MM+M’s 2023 Agency Family Tree branched out.
A host of agency leaders weighed in on the ongoing in-person/virtual work debate.
Boundless Life Sciences partnered with Fuse Health to form Boundless Medical Communications. Boundless was born earlier in the year following a rebranding of longstanding Austin-area firm HCB Health.
AbelsonTaylor became the most recent agency to rebrand itself as a mini-network.
Calcium + Company snapped up CSG Health Group. Calcium’s founder Steven Michaelson retired and was later selected for induction, alongside longtime agency leader David Chapman, into the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame.
At the 20th anniversary MM+M Awards ceremony at New York’s Cipriani Wall Street in October, winners of agency honors included Havas Voice (agency newcomer of the year), Calcium + Company (independent agency with private equity backing), Minds + Assembly (independent agency without private equity backing), Entree Health (market access agency), Healthcare Consultancy Group (medical communications, education or affairs agency), Ruder Finn (PR agency), H4B Boston (rare disease agency), DNA Communications (small agency), Arnold New York (midsize agency), Area 23 (large agency) and IPG Health (large agency network).
Havas Health & You launched Archipelago, a value and access consultancy.
A trio of agency-world leaders united to found Coefficient Health.
Klick Group tapped former McKinsey exec Brian Fox as president.And last but not least, in the year’s penultimate week, we showcased the holiday cards and videos that agency folks sent our way. Thanks for thinking of us, and here’s to a happy and healthy 2024.
