ID Media Augments Healthcare Offerings with New Agency Expansion - ID Health

NEW YORK, April 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ID Media, an Interpublic Group agency known for identifying and delivering accountable media solutions, today announced the launch of a new agency, ID Health, to expand its already robust healthcare and pharmaceutical offerings. The agency, which is based in New York, will be led by Michael Maher, who joins the company as president and will report to Chairman and CEO Lynn Fantom.

ID Health is a media agency developed to provide better business outcomes for healthcare brands, which are demanding more accountable media solutions to help them navigate increasing industry change and complexity.

The healthcare landscape is rapidly shifting – huge blockbuster drugs are fading while specialty drugs gain momentum; the Affordable Care Act is bringing millions more into the marketplace and shifting the burden of education from time-crunched physicians to consumers; and technological innovations like mobile platforms and EMRs are reinventing how healthcare players do business. Similarly, the media industry, particularly digital media, has increased in depth and complexity at an unprecedented rate.

Healthcare companies must navigate these rapid changes as it becomes more and more difficult to reach providers and consumers. They are looking for an agency that can drive efficiencies, one that can extend the value of their marketing dollar while reaching and engaging more targeted patient populations across all media platforms.

To provide comprehensive solutions for these challenges and better business outcomes for clients, ID Health will leverage its deep healthcare marketplace insights, innovative media solutions, bench of advanced research tools, and commitment to accountability to deliver quantifiable media results by driving costs down and engagement up across digital, TV, radio, and print channels.

"Given the current healthcare climate and rate of change in media, we recognize the need for accountability in the space," said Lynn Fantom, Chairman and CEO of ID Media. "ID Health was developed to address this problem – to face the challenge of reaching a target healthcare audience on a tightened budget head-on. Taking advantage of up-to-the-minute innovations in media is key to success."

The new agency will build upon ID Media's impressive healthcare client roster, which includes a wide range of pharmaceutical therapies, payers, providers and clinical trial recruitment. 

Formerly Senior Vice President, Marketing at Digitas Health, Michael Maher will be responsible for the direction and expansion of ID Health. With 20 years of experience in advertising and marketing, Michael has consistently provided expert marketing strategy for global and U.S. clients, including Sanofi, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer and Novartis, across all media channels, digital and traditional, to achieve marketing objectives spanning awareness-building, new prospect acquisition, and customer loyalty.

"The combination of ID Media's pedigree in accountable media solutions and our comprehensive knowledge of the healthcare media space make us an ideal partner for pharmaceutical and healthcare companies looking to advance their marketing presence," said Michael Maher, President of ID Health. "With tighter budgets and tougher-to-reach targets seeking more information, healthcare clients benefit enormously by having an agency like ID Health apply deep healthcare expertise and media innovation to deliver enhanced targeting, deeper engagement, cost advantages, and higher returns."

An award-winning marketing professional, Michael holds an MBA in Marketing & Finance, Media from Columbia Business School and a BS in Journalism from Boston University.

"As a full-service media agency uniquely dedicated to healthcare, ID Health is an exciting addition to the IPG family of companies," said Martin Skelton, PhD, Managing Director, Global Healthcare at Interpublic Group. "Navigating today's complex healthcare media environment requires an understanding of the challenges marketers are facing. ID Health's culture of accountability will redefine the way that healthcare marketers view media, especially when it comes to producing measurable results."

About ID Media
ID Media is an Interpublic Group media agency known for identifying and delivering accountable media solutions that create better business outcomes for marketers. Backed by a culture that's deeply accountable for results, our people drive costs down, engagement up across television, digital and print channels. We work with many leading brands, including American Express, Nationwide, Johnson & Johnson, Intuit, Nikon, Cayman Islands, and Match.com. ID Media is a seven-time winner of IPG awards for diversity and inclusion, as well as a five-time winner of "Best Places to Work" awards in both New York City and Los Angeles. For more information, visit http://www.idmediaww.com.

SOURCE ID Media