“With consumer expectations, demand and appetite dramatically changing, the healthcare industry has been put on notice. The viability of social as a channel has shaped a new form of communication across the globe. Gone are the days of consumers being satisfied with one-way dialogue. The social web has promulgated a transparency between brand and consumer the likes of which have never been seen and healthcare companies can no longer be the exception. Still, this shouldn’t be something CMO’s and Brand Managers cringe at. On the contrary this shift in communication should be welcomed.

Though social may not result in legal and regulatory becoming more lax overnight, they must become more inclusive especially in light of the FDA’s recently announced positive stance on social media. The definition of an adverse event does not extend as far as we all had originally anticipated and a brand's responsibility for social communication has been significantly reduced.

This monumental communications shift is still in its infancy but branded social experiences, such as Gilenya and Lunesta, have already amassed thousands of fans on Facebook while Boehringer-Ingelheim has succeeded in generating widespread engagement by using conferences and events as venues for live tweeting and Q&A. What’s more telling perhaps, is the way these social experiences have impacted the larger conversation. They are the first branded healthcare properties to invite two-way dialogue and they've increased brand-related conversation across the entire web, not only on their respective properties.

Extrapolate these results out over time and expand them to include more integrated tactics with paid media and a case can be made for more robust social strategies and tactics. Aside from the obvious external benefits, which include building awareness and informing preference, social can provide more immediate patient care, better access to information, greater adherence, connectivity of patient populations and more efficient dissemination of knowledge. Internally, social can help support stakeholder alignment, corporate communications, recruiting, culture and advocacy. The real-time element of social and the ability to scale messaging globally make it not only impactful, but time relevant and highly efficient.”

“It’s a cliché, but our business is built on its people. At the heart of this is the relationship we build with our clients. But what makes a successful client-agency relationship? We believe it’s all about trust.

The Oxford English dictionary defines trust as “firm belief in the reliability, truth or ability of someone or something,” and for us this captures the essence of what makes a great client-agency relationship. Our goal is for clients to see us as trusted advisors, an extension of their teams and a true partner. This means trusting our ability and insight and that we’ll ask the right questions to come up with the right creative or strategic solution; trusting us to deliver, or to say no to an idea if it won’t deliver; trusting us to address any concerns quickly and effectively; trusting us to share their values and behaviors and to care about their brands or programs as much as they do.

Achieving this goal requires hard work on both sides, but an agency that feels trusted and valued wants to excel for their clients so we believe it’s worth the effort.”

“Making Health More Human—it’s Evoke’s philosophy and it’s at the heart and soul of our strategic process.

The topic of health is pervasive and integrated into the lives of consumers as they seek to improve or optimize their health. At the core of every healthcare brand, is an idea and experience that motivates consumers to make a positive change to their health. More importantly, the change is one that consumers should feel good about making, both in the short- and long-term.

It’s never a one-size-fits-all change, so we use our customizable tools to get to the bottom of the idea and experience that’ll best drive consumers into making a change. Ultimately, we’re able to humanize healthcare communications through telling riveting, life-changing brand stories. We want to make “health” a conversation that consumers are excited to have—not one they must have or actively go out of their way to avoid.”