McCann Healthcare Asia Pacific Named Specialist Agency of the Year...AGAIN!

SINGAPORE, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Media Asia at its Agency of the Year Awards named McCann Healthcare Worldwide Asia Pacific 'Specialist Agency of the Year.'

Amar Urhekar, McCann Healthcare EVP, Japan and Asia Pacific, said, "The winning of this award is a spectacular achievement for us as individuals, and for each of our offices/countries and the APAC network. Congratulations to all and a big thanks to all our clients and partners for their commitment and support to us during the most difficult economic situations. Every single employee across APAC has contributed with their passion and hard work that has helped us win this significant award -- not once, but twice in a row!"

Jeremy Perrott, Global Executive Creative Director for McCann Healthcare Worldwide, said, "Creative excellence and innovation are the bars we must clear in every task we undertake. The work obviously is working quite well, which is the best reward, but this most welcome recognition also confirms that our unbridled creative resolve resonates in the marketplace."

John Cahill, Chairman of the Office of the CEO for McCann Healthcare Worldwide, said, "This award validates our strategic emphasis in creating a more agile, client-responsive organization built on effectiveness, innovation and implementation excellence at every point of the globe. To win two years in a row is an outstanding endeavor given the high caliber of the competition. "

Last year, Media Asia Magazine set up a new awards category in its Agency of the Year competition called "Specialist Agency awards" that covers all specialist communications agencies such as Healthcare, CRM, PR, Events, Digital, etc.

Here is how Media Asia explained why it picked McCann Healthcare Worldwide Asia Pacific as its Specialist Agency of the Year:

Winner

McCann Healthcare Worldwide Asia Pacific

McCann Healthcare enjoyed a successful 2009, breaking new ground both for the agency and for the industry. At the height of the H1N1 scare, the Japanese Ministry of Health turned to McCann Healthcare for help to stop the spread of the disease. This marked the first time the ministry had engaged an agency at a time of national emergency. McCann Healthcare surpassed 60 other agencies to become the ministry's official agency-of-record for National Health campaigns. Its appointment marked the first time a non-Japanese agency had been assigned to such a high-profile task.

Authorities in China, India, Singapore and Australia all followed suit, with each government handing McCann Healthcare major tasks in public health and social marketing. To top it all off, the United Nations Foundation appointed McCann Healthcare Asia-Pacific to help it tackle HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

Indeed, 2009 was the year that the agency's public health work truly came of age. It was also a year of growth for commercial business. McCann Healthcare launched over 20 big brands and secured numerous pipeline assignments this year.

The key highlights for McCann Healthcare included an increase in billings by 31 per cent through major new business wins in public health and social marketing, including swine flu, HIV/AIDS, child nutrition and lifestyle disease; confirmed key wins in consumer health and wellness throughout the region, and a broadening of its geographical footprint including a new branch in Bangalore and an acquisition of a full health service agency in Korea. The agency's talent pool showed a modest seven per cent increase in staff numbers. There were enhanced capabilities thanks to new talent development and significant initiatives."

Amar Urhekar added: "This award, coupled with the other creative and marketing excellence awards we have won throughout the year across markets, strongly validates my belief and conviction in the Evidence Activation strategy, our offer to clients and the quality of our talent across the region."

See McCann Healthcare Worldwide Asia Pacific video entry, plus all of the winners here:

http://www.media.asia/Awards/AOY/2009/SpecialistAgencyoftheYear.html

About McCann Healthcare Worldwide

McCann Healthcare Worldwide is an elite professional and consumer healthcare advertising agency network spanning 80 offices in 33 countries. Its network is comprised of four global advertising and promotions agencies - Torre Lazur Healthcare Group; RCW Group, McCann Healthcare group, and McCann HumanCare -- as well as the leading worldwide Medical Communications practice, consisting of Complete Medical Group and Caudex Medical. Another healthcare agency, Adair Greene-McCann, based in Atlanta, rounds out its offerings. McCann Healthcare Worldwide is a part of McCann Worldgroup, the largest marketing communications agency network in the world, and is the largest healthcare agency network owned by Interpublic Group [NYSE: IPG].

SOURCE McCann Healthcare Worldwide