HCB Health Named Global Agency of Record for Surgical Division of Alcon, World Leader in Eye Care

20 Brands Included in Full-Service Assignment

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Feb 15, 2011, 11:23 ET

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HCB Health, one of the nation's top 25 independent healthcare firms, has been named global agency of record for the surgical division of Alcon, Inc. Alcon offers the most comprehensive portfolio of eye care products in the world. With a wide range of ophthalmic surgical brands, the company specializes in products for cataract, vitreoretinal, refractive and glaucoma surgeries.

The full-service assignment will include multiple product launches and a broad range of related activities, including positioning and message development, branding, campaign planning, Web site development, print and digital communications, sales collateral, and convention promotions.

Steve Speares, vice president of global surgical marketing for Alcon, will lead the account from the client side, involving five global directors responsible for specific marketing sectors. Nancy Beesley, HCB Health's chief marketing officer, and Amy Smith, account director, will manage the account from the agency side.

"We selected HCB Health for this assignment because they blew us away with the quality of work they had done in the medical device arena," said Speares. "We knew right away that we had found an agency that could speak our language."

HCB Health began working with Alcon in October 2008, developing deep knowledge of the company's products and trusted relationships within its marketing organization. "Alcon brings to market some incredibly sophisticated surgical devices, and it takes a dynamic team of marketers to make that happen," Beesley said. "We're very fortunate that we get to work with these smart, insightful people and help drive the success of their surgical brands together."

Eye health is a mounting global concern. Many eye problems are age-related or associated with disease and can lead to debilitating vision loss. Cataracts and glaucoma -- the first and second leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide -- pose an escalating health problem as the world's aging population continues to expand. Other serious eye conditions include diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, detached retina, and vision loss caused by bacterial, viral or environmental factors.

Alcon leads the global battle to address eye conditions and fight eye disease through an unparalleled commitment to ophthalmic research and development and worldwide partnerships with eye care professionals.

Spending information for the account has not been released.

About HCB Health

Headquartered in Austin, Tex., HCB Health is the leading healthcare communications agency in the Southwest and one of the top 25 independent healthcare agencies in the nation. HCB Health serves the entire healthcare sector, from manufacturers of high-tech medical devices, high-science pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and genetic engineering products to physician groups, hospitals and managed care organizations, to patients and consumers.

One of the fastest growing agencies in its field, HCB Health has maintained a compounded 25 percent annual revenue growth since its inception. Capitalized billings for 2009 were $36 million.

HCB Health's clients, both domestic and global, include Alcon, Inc., Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI), Medtronic, the Menninger Clinic, Solis Women's Health, Sound Surgical Technologies LLC, Texas Oncology, US Oncology, Optima Health, the Scott & White Health Plan, Lanx, Inc., Spectrum Labs and GeoDigm Dental.

HCB Health is located at 701 Brazos, Suite 1100, Austin, Tex. 78701, telephone (512) 320-8511, FAX (512) 320-8990. For additional information, visit www.hcbhealth.com.