Looking to expand its global footprint, Carling Communications announced the opening of its London office in June 2017. Now, less than a month later, Carling has joined the Fishawack Group of Companies as its first healthcare advertising agency acquisition. Over the past seven years, Carling has built a reputation as a leading healthcare marketing agency, and the largest independent agency in Southern California.
Fishawack is one of the largest independent medical communications groups, working with innovative biotech and 17 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Its seven offices are strategically located in the U.K., Switzerland, the U.S., and India to provide exceptional service to its clients.
Carling was founded in 2010 by Didi Discar, leveraging over two decades of experience on the client and agency sides of pharmaceutical marketing. Carling has a team of nearly 100 who specialize in award-winning, full-service marketing, advertising, and physician communications for clients from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. Since its early focus in ophthalmology and dermatology, the agency has expanded its expertise to 35 therapeutic areas, including aesthetics, cardiovascular, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and pain management.
As part of Fishawack’s global network, Discar believes Carling can achieve even more for its valued clients. “We believe this signals a new beginning in what we can bring to our clients, and redefines the tremendous success we can accomplish with Fishawack. Our skills complement each other and provide synergies that will significantly benefit our clients and our employees. And we share a vision of excellence, integrity, creativity, and respect.”
Oliver Dennis, CEO of Fishawack Communications, added, “Both companies have similar personalities in that they are privately owned, founded on deep expertise, and driven by a positive, entrepreneurial spirit. Carling has significant brand equity among current and future clients, which we believe will be greatly enhanced by becoming part of the Fishawack Group of Companies.”
Fishawack and Carling have worked together over the past several years, often on new business opportunities. According to Dennis, “Our clients started asking us to provide strategic creative promotional work for them, so it was a natural evolution to add Carling to our group of companies. Our shared experiences highlighted our mutual respect, collaborative nature, and ability to provide greater results for our clients. In addition, the San Diego office will enable us to better serve our West Coast clients. We’re excited as we look to the future for our companies, clients, and employees.”
You can read the MM&M interview here or watch the video of Discar and Dennis discussing what this acquisition means for their companies, clients, and employees.
