Med Ad News Honors Healthcare Communication Agencies at 24th Annual Manny Awards

HAMILTON, N.J., April 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM Canon has announced the winners of the 24th annual Med Ad News Manny Awards. The black-tie gala event, held at Pier Sixty in New York, included the naming of H4B Chelsea as Agency of the Year, Category I. The award honors the most outstanding healthcare communication agency with annual revenue of more than $50 million. Seventeen additional awards were bestowed throughout the evening to agencies achieving excellence in a variety of categories.

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To begin the evening, Faruk Capan, founder and CEO of Intouch Solutions, was named Med Ad News' Industry Person of the Year based on the testimonials of current employees who praised his leadership skills, vision, and decision-making abilities. During 1999, Faruk founded Intouch Solutions in the basement of his home with two employees. Fourteen years later, 400 employees strong and twice-named Med Ad News Agency of the Year in two different categories, Intouch Solutions increased its 2012 revenue 31 percent to more than $51 million.

In its third year as the lead agency of the flourishing Health4Brands global network, H4B Chelsea was recognized as Category I Agency of the Year. H4B Chelsea completed its second year as a Category I agency with another year of double-digit growth, an expanded client roster, a 65% pitch win rate, a unified business model, and more award-winning creative. 

The Category II Agency of the Year honor went to Giant Creative/Strategy. This category recognizes agencies with annual revenue between $25 million and $50 million. Following a stellar 2011 where it was a finalist for Agency of the Year Category III, Giant exceeded all expectations and grew more than 50% in 2012. Giant added 40 full-time staff, completed an expansion into new space, and added multiple new clients and brand assignments.

Agency of the Year Category III consists of agencies recording less than $25 million in annual revenue. A two-time finalist in this category during 2006 and 2007, The Navicor Group has been recognized as the 2013 winner. Navicor marked the end of 2012 with high double-digit growth, the realization of some significant short-term objectives, and its greatest success to date.

closerlook was the recipient of Med Ad News' Heart Award. This honor recognizes agencies' social responsibility and agency cultures that embody a high dedication to philanthropic and social causes. closerlook CEO David Ormesher continues to lead Bigger Future, a non-profit business and leadership training program based in Rwanda. Bigger Future is a three-year growth-acceleration program for high-potential business owners, currently serving 75 Rwandan companies.

Med Ad News' Vision Award is given for the idea, concept, or initiative that best exemplifies the healthcare communication agency of the future. In deciding the winner of this award, the Med Ad News editorial staff reviewed what new idea, concept, or initiative launched by an agency in the past year could have the greatest potential to transform the industry in a positive way and what was the most interesting and insightful step forward of the year. With a goal of shaping the future of digital health, Klick Health is this year's Vision Award recipient.

The Brand Team of the Year Award recognizes brand teams demonstrating exceptional passion, dedication, and teamwork as well as the ability to meet challenges, effectively communicate with clients, and implement new concepts. This Manny Award went to Palio+Ignite for the Bydureon launch in conjunction with the product's marketers Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca. For the world's first once-weekly treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D), the bicoastal Bydureon team stepped up and delivered the "music of continuous glycemic control" campaign to transcend borders and redefine T2D.

The Most Admired Agency honor was awarded to AbelsonTaylor. Candidates for Most Admired Agency were voted on by agency executives and Med Ad News staff based on the qualities they admire such as management strength, vision, creative track record, and strategic thinking.

Most Creative Agency was bestowed on Draftfcb Healthcare for the fourth consecutive year. The New York-based agency additionally captured the Manny statuettes for the Best Nonbranded Campaign "Get Your Shift Together" for Teva as well as the Best Philanthropic Campaign on behalf of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America.     

GSW's work for Stryker's GetAroundKnee System garnered top honor in three Manny Award categories: Best Consumer Campaign, Best Interactive Patient Campaign, and Best Medical Device Campaign.  

The Best Interactive Physician Campaign accolade went to ICC Lowe for its work on the "Itch Switch" campaign for the flea treatment Activyl for client MSD Animal Health.

CDM New York was recognized as the Manny Award recipient for Best Professional Campaign. The agency won this award based on its promotional work for the "Scream" campaign representing Pfizer's MRSA therapy Zyvox.

Brandkarma took the podium stand for the Best Self-Promotion Campaign category. The "Play Nice" ad showcases Brandkarma's playful side, but it also speaks to the agency's ability to take difficult-to-market brands and turn them into success stories for its clients.

The evening concluded with the Best Video Submission of the Year winner, which was voted on via text messaging by the Manny Award attendees. This second-time award was presented to GSW for Best Medical Device Campaign.

Med Ad News also bestowed gratitude to this year's event sponsors: Platinum Sponsors: ICC Lowe and Intouch Solutions; Gold sponsors: Calcium, Concentric Health Experience and Fingerpaint; and Silver Sponsor: HCB Health.

About the Manny Awards
For 24 years, the Med Ad News Manny Awards have paid tribute to the creative work of agencies serving the healthcare market, their people, and their contributions to the industry. Each year at this gala awards ceremony, Med Ad News and industry professionals come together to celebrate creative excellence in pharmaceutical and medical device advertising and to acknowledge those making significant contributions to healthcare communications. On this special evening, more than 600 industry peers join Med Ad News in honoring winners in a range of award categories.

About Med Ad News
The pharmaceutical industry's publication of record for 30 years, Med Ad News provides broad coverage and incisive analysis of the issues, events, trends, and strategies shaping pharmaceutical business, marketing, and sales. More than 16,500 readers – comprising corporate executives, marketing, sales, and product managers – receive Med Ad News 12 times per year. Med Ad News is a publication of UBM Canon Pharmaceutical Media Group. More info visit www.pharmalive.com.

About UBM Canon
UBM Canon, the leading B-to-B media company dedicated exclusively to the global $3.0 trillion advanced manufacturing sector, helps support the flow of information, commerce and innovation in such sophisticated segments as medical devices and pharmaceutical development. UBM Canon also addresses cutting-edge developments in broader areas of advanced engineering design and manufacturing, and manufacturing processes and packaging. UBM Canon is part of UBM plc (UBM.L) a global provider of media and information services for professional B2B communities and markets.

SOURCE UBM Canon; Med Ad News