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One of 2023’s biggest shakeups in the medical marketing world took place last May, when Pfizer consolidated its agency relationships with Publicis Groupe and IPG. The move had huge ripple effects throughout the industry — and in an unfortunate way for the Omnicom-owned Healthcare Consultancy Group.

“It affected a great number of companies across Omnicom, including ours,” acknowledges global CEO Matt
D’Auria. That wasn’t all: Client budget cuts squeezed the company even further. 

“It was one of those years where we consistently saw clients cutting back,” D’Auria continues. “That certainly limited the ability to offset some of the Pfizer impact to our business.”

Between the Pfizer losses and the budget-tightening, HCG saw revenue dip 9% in 2023, to $126 million from $138.8 million in 2022. Staff size fell in tandem, with the agency starting the year with 913 full-timers on hand and ending it with 830.

At the same time, HCG enjoyed several successes in the new-business realm, adding engagements with Boehringer Ingelheim (diabetes/heart failure), Johnson & Johnson (dermatology/rheumatology) and AstraZeneca (oncology). Other client mainstays include Sanofi, Takeda, Merck, Innovent Biologics, GSK, Calliditas Therapeutics and AbbVie.

Looking back on the Pfizer consolidation a year later, D’Auria says he has come to accept that there are some things simply beyond his or the agency’s control. “Ultimately, my outlook is to focus on the value that we can bring to clients and make sure that we’re articulating that,” he says.

To that point, the goal for HCG, he adds, is to become more insight-driven and metric-oriented in its work. “A challenge that we’re leaning into for medical affairs and for promotional medical education is measuring our impact of our work,” he explains. “How do we leverage the understanding of what’s working and what’s not to deliver education to HCPs that is of higher value and higher relevance to their clinical practice?”

D’Auria adds that HCG isn’t alone in this effort. “It correlates to a challenge that our industry faces, which is trying to do more with less. To the extent that we’re able to measure and quantify behavior change, that’s certainly going to help.”

Last year was not only about weathering the Pfizer news and reduced budgets, of course. D’Auria believes HCG made real strides in using AI to drive efficiencies and, by restructuring the agency, effectively facilitated communication between internal groups.

He reports that HCG has reorganized around what he describes as “four powerhouses”: regulatory, publications, medical affairs and commercial promotional medical education. “Going forward, we’re going to position ourselves in terms of the connectivity that we bring to customers across those disciplines. Customers are looking for efficiency, speed and synergy across those different domains.”

D’Auria ends the conversation with a reminder that HCG has always been about much more than breaking down silos and pursuing efficiency. The agency takes great pride in its collaborative culture and sometimes unconventional approach.

“We are high-science, but we’re also a little bit edgy and there’s a defiant element to us,” he says. “That approach is unique, special and differentiating.”

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Work we wish we did

The video Assume That I Can for World Down Syndrome Day 2024 is commendable for its focus on inclusivity. By challenging negative stereotypes and showcasing the capabilities of individuals with Down syndrome, it fosters a culture of understanding and diversity. The call to action urges collective engagement in dismantling discrimination and emphasizes the importance of listening and understanding without biased filters. — D’Auria

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