StrikeForce Strikes Gold

NEW YORK, April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In an act reminiscent of David defeating Goliath, StrikeForce Communications—the independent healthcare agency that has been flouting tradition ever since it burst upon the scene in late 2009—has won the Gold Award for Best Product Launch at the National Advertising Awards held in Washington, DC last week. 

The agency, which was nominated in five of the ten award categories, also took the Silver Award for Best Branded Print Campaign.   

Both awards were for a ground-breaking DTC campaign for one of the world's largest manufacturers of women's healthcare products.

Mike Rutstein, founder and CEO of StrikeForce, credits the agency's 'precision pairing' approach for allowing it to choose the best people in the business and then link the talent to the strategy for the brand.

"Unlike the Goliaths of the industry, we are not tied to a bureaucratic structure, bound by bloated staff and stale ideas," he said, pointing out that traditional agencies often hide their outside talent behind the corporate facade.  "We, on the other hand, bring the outside talent out front. We make sure that they sign on for the life of the campaign and then assign them directly to the client team." 

Hiring the best people means better creative product, Rutstein added. The agency has been winning awards ever since its inception, when it landed the prize for best professional campaign for one of the world's leading eyecare companies. Budgets tend to be one-third less, thanks to the agency's unique business model. 

Last week's Gold Award for Best Product Launch is a case in point, according to Patricia Prugno, StrikeForce partner. Prugno, who is managing director in charge of client services and day-to-day operations, cites a fully-integrated campaign, with television, print, in-office, digital and web-based material all using an approach that is relevant yet unexpected.

The campaign is up for several other top advertising awards over the next few weeks.

For Rutstein, snatching the gold in the most sought-after category of advertising awards is proof positive that the agency's philosophy is sound.  "Healthcare is a regulated category with a lot of restrictions.  But the regulatory climate is no excuse for bad work, overused metaphors or flat results.  We believe that most healthcare brands deserve better. And we're determined to make that happen," he said.

Launched in the fall of 2009, StrikeForce has a stack of agency of record accounts on both the professional and consumer side. Clients have included industry giants such as Teva and Alcon, plus Pfizer (formerly Wyeth), Abbott Laboratories, Sepracor, Pozen, Orexigen and KCI.  The agency specializes in advertising for prescription drugs, OTC products and medical devices.

StrikeForce Communications is at 1, 3, 5 Little West 12th Street, New York, N.Y. 10014. Tel: 917-475-1876.  E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.strikeforcenyc.com.

SOURCE StrikeForce Communications