Gold
Lippe Taylor
Lippe Taylor, which bills itself as the first earned media agency of record, wins for bold exploration of all kinds of new territory. Revenue increased 94% in 2021 to $37.3 million, and its healthcare business grew in every practice area and geography.
A major development was the launch of Twelvenote, its health-focused shop that now comprises more than half its revenue. With the acquisition of Cheer Partners, it also introduced C-suite counsel on DE&I and stakeholder engagement, generating more than $3 million in new billings.
The agency added new business from AbbVie, Bayer, Sanofi and Nestlé Health Sciences. And increasingly, it’s bringing clients bigger ideas and new services, with seven of its 42 clients promoting Lippe Taylor to agency of record.
Its efforts got plenty of attention, including the No Apologies. Period. effort for Midol, which generated more than 22 million video views. And Rerouting Migraine helped launch a novel drug delivery system, which sprays medicine on the brain.
Just as impressive is how it runs its own business, including a measured academic study proving public relations sells more products than advertising.
Its stepped-up commitment to DE&I includes new employee resource groups, with more than a third of staff now participating. It doubled its BIPOC employee population.
It also introduced a coaching program, converting Stephanie Smirnov, a longtime industry leader, into a full-time coach-in-residence to work 1:1 with emerging leaders. More than 60% of participants describe the program as “game-changing” for their careers.
Silver
EvolveMKD
EvolveMKD impressed judges with expanded offerings, such as monthly organic social media and whitespace analysis. And it added new accounts, including Solta Medical, InBrace, Neurostar, Sientra and Obaji. The primarily women-run agency took a deep dive into the link between women’s communication and deteriorating mental health, with the Evolution of Communication survey delivering plenty of insights on how to help.
