Publicis has acquired Langland and plans to replicate the advertising, design and marketing agency’s approach for a new global health and wellness agency network.
The Windsor, UK-headquartered agency had been one of Europe’s largest independent healthcare communications agencies, and has a staff of 100 serving clients across Europe and North America.
Langland chief executive Philip Chin (pictured above) said, “Our strategy is to scale and replicate the Langland brand internationally. Following discussions with Nick Colucci, CEO of PHCG [Publicis Healthcare Communications Group], it was clear that we would realise our ambition better and faster as part of the Publicis Group.
“The alliance will enable Langland to expand its capabilities into more diverse areas and provide our clients with considerable additional advantages through Publicis Group’s resources and global infrastructure.”
Chin will continue to lead the Langland business alongside the existing senior management team and report to PHCG group president Ashley Kuchel. However, co-founder Joanna Chin will step down from her role as Langland’s chief operating officer to pursue opportunities outside health and wellness communications.
Philip Chin told PMLiVE: “There will not be any significant change to the day-to day operation of the agency. No changes to client teams, or the way we work with our clients.
“That said we will be opening up an office in New York early in 2016, so we can collaborate closer with our US-based clients. This will mean that we will be adapting our systems and processes to link our New York office with the existing office in Windsor, UK.”
He confirmed that there are no plans to change the agency’s branding, saying: “PHCG wants Langland to remain as Langland, with everything the Langland brand stands for to be replicated globally to create a new global health and wellness agency network.”
The agency works with nine of the world’s top 10 pharmaceutical companies, launching and revitalising licensed prescription-only medicines and working on patient access and retention programmes for clinical trials.
Named as Cannes Lions Health Agency of the Year in 2014 and 2015, and Global Healthcare Agency of the Year in 2011, 2012 and 2013, Langland has won over 300 awards in recent years.
In PHCG Langland joins the largest health-orientated agency network in the world, and will sit alongside existing agency brands that include Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, Digitas Health LifeBrands, and Razorfish Health.