The best and brightest creative minds in the medical education and communications field were honoured again this year at the Communiqué Awards 2008.
Over 1,000 people attended the prestigious ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on July 10, and were treated to a spectacularly choreographed show, hosted by the legendary Dame Edna Everage.
Welcoming guests, managing director and publisher of Pharmaceutical Marketing and Communiqué, Mark Savage, said: “You must be very proud to know that the work you do makes such a difference to the health of the nation. The judging process has never been so demanding, robust and rigorous.”
This year the judging panel faced a daunting task in selecting the winners thanks to the record number of awards entrants and the outstanding quality of the work submitted. Martin Ellis, chairman of the judging panel who is affectionately known as ‘the headmaster’, said: “It is encouraging that more and more entries are patient-centric, demonstrating the fact that our industry is truly working in a collaborative fashion with healthcare providers.”
Colette Goldrick, external affairs director for Pfizer, was named Communiquétor of the Year and it was announced that she will take over from Ellis as chair of the judging panel following his retirement from the position this year.
Broadcaster and presenter of Radio 4’s Today Programme, John Humphys, who caught an expedient but not-so first class RAF flight from Basra in Iraq to be present, gave a poignant speech about the work of the Kitchen Table Charities Trust, this year’s sponsored charity. Just over £15,000 was raised through donations on the night for the Trust, which supports some of the poorest communities in Africa.
Glitz, glamour, a talk-show legend and a reporter fresh from a war zone: just another night in the proud history of the Communiqué awards. Until next year…
The annual Communiqué Awards, which recognise best practice in pharmaceutical PR and medical education, where held on Thursday 10 July at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
The awards are separated into three categories:
Education Awards
Campaign Awards
Premier Awards
Education Awards:
Best Professional Education Project
Best Use of Surveys or Data
Best Use of Meetings and Congresses
Best Medical Education Programmes – Global
Best Medical Education Programmes – UK only
Best Opinion Leader/Advocacy Development
Writing Excellence – Patient/Public
Writing Excellence – Professional
Best Professional Education Project
Sponsored by Hill & Knowlton 
WINNER:
Agency: Say Communications
Client: Boehringer Ingelheim
Campaign: Heart attack care: developing the Optimum Reperfusion Pathway
“An outright winner. They found a way to advance PT care in a life-threatening condition and provided clarity on a treatment pathway, which saves lives”
Finalists:
In-house: Abbott Nutrition & The Rarer Cancers’ Forum and echo
Campaign: Nutrition & Cancer: Everybody’s Business
Agency: Chandler Chicco Agency
Client: Pfizer
Campaign: PACE (PAin: Collaboration & Exchange) Driving Improvement in Pain Management Services
Agency: Cohn & Wolfe
Client: GlaxoSmithKline
Campaign: NICE Implementation Tool for Nurses Working in Parkinson’s Disease
Best Use of Surveys or Data
Sponsored by Right Angle Communications
WINNER:
Agency: Mandate Communications
Client: Prostate Cancer Charter for Action
Campaign: Because Men Matter Too: The Case for Clinical Nurse Specialists in Prostate Cancer
“This was such an effective concept. It was supremely executed and achieved the ultimate goal”
Highly Commended:
Agency: Mandate Communications
Client: National Kidney Federation and Roche
Campaign: The Parliamentary Dialysis Survey
Finalists:
Agency: Munro & Forster Communications
Client: British Thoracic Society
Campaign: Tuberculosis – holding the Government to account
Agency: Reynolds-MacKenzie
Client: World Cancer Research Fund
Campaign: An ‘Expert’ Combination
Agency: Virgo Health PR
Client: Boehringer Ingelheim Consumer Healthcare
Campaign: Highlighting the Pain
Best Use of Meetings and Congresses
Sponsored by 3Rock
WINNER:
Agency and in-house: Just:: Health PR and Pfizer Ltd
Campaign: ‘Brief Encounters’
“A very different and innovative style of meeting with a clever concept that was thoroughly executed”
Finalists:
Agency: AstraZeneca and Scarlett OH!
Campaign: REality Psychiatry
Agency: Litmus MME
Client: Pfizer Ophthalmology
Campaign: EYECAMPUS: Collaborative Learning in Ophthalmology, 3D Glaucoma – Diagnosis Day
Agency: Packer Forbes Communications
Client: Actelion Pharmaceuticals
Campaign: PAH & Scleroderma Mastermind
Agency: Weber Shandwick
Client: Gilead Sciences International
Campaign: HIV and the Body
Best Medical Education Programmes – Global
Sponsored by Solaris
WINNER:
Agency: Weber Shandwick
Client: Gilead Sciences International
Campaign: HIV and the Body
“A great programme – well executed with extremely thorough evaluation”
Finalists:
Agency: Huntsworth Health
Client: sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb
Campaign: Innovation and Excellence in Cardiovascular Education and Learning (I-ExCEL)
Agency: Innovex Medical Communications
Client: Pfizer
Campaign: Gaining a Clearer View Point
Agency: Phocus Medical Communications
Client: F. Hoffmann-La Roche
Campaign: The Process is the Product
Best Medical Education Programmes – UK only
Sponsored by Solaris
WINNER:
Agency: Litmus MME
Client: Pfizer Ophthalmology
Campaign: EYECAMPUS: Collaborative Learning in Ophthalmology
“This innovative non-promotional programme delivered excellent results”
Finalists:
Agency: Chandler Chicco Agency
Client: Pfizer
Campaign: PACE (PAin: Collaboration & Exchange) Driving Improvement in Pain Management Services
Agency: Huntsworth Health
Client: sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb
Campaign: ‘Stepping Up Vascular Protection’ medical education programme
Agency: Medicom Group
Client: Trinity-Chiesi
Campaign: Clenil Modulite Medical Education Programm
Best Opinion Leader/Advocacy Development
Sponsored by Ashley Communications
WINNER:
Agency: Virgo HEALTH
Client: Roche/GlaxoSmithKline
Campaign: Joined-Up Thinkers
“An innovative way of mapping opinion leaders with good benchmarking elements and great results”
Highly Commended:
Agency: Kendle Healthcare
Client: AstraZeneca
Campaign: AZpect Partnership
Finalists:
Agency: Athena Medical PR
Client: Pfizer
Campaign: Time Counts: Antifungals Advocacy Development
Agency: Red Door Communications
Client: Pfizer
Campaign: The Maraviroc Academy
Agency: Red Door Communications
Client: ProStrakan
Campaign: FASTforward Pan-European Advocacy Development Programme
Writing Excellence – Patient/Public
Sponsored by Red Health
WINNER:
Agency: FD Santé
Client: Baxter Healthcare
Campaign: Haemophiliacare.co.uk
“This site is informative without being patronising”
Finalists:
Agency: Resolute Communications
Client: Roche
Campaign: INSPIRE: Improving Quality of Life for Lung Cancer Patients
Agency: Resolute Communications
Client: Shire
Campaign: Osteoporosis Patient via Physician Educational Materials
Agency: Virgo HEALTH
Client: Roche/GlaxoSmithKline
Campaign: BREAKfree from Fractures
Writing Excellence – Professional
Sponsored by Red Health
WINNER:
Agency: Cohn & Wolfe
Client: Mundipharma
Campaign: Cancer Tales: Communicating in Cancer Care Workbook
“An extraordinary and courageous document”
Finalists:
In-house and Agency: Abbott and Weber Shandwick
Campaign: DETER RA Clinical Pack
Agency: Medicom Group
Client: Smith & Nephew
Campaign: ‘Touch’ Magazine
GO TO: Education Awards Campaign Awards Premier Awards
Campaign Awards:
Best Professional Campaign
Best Patient or Public Campaign
Best Healthcare Policy Campaign
Launch of the Year
Best OTC Product Campaign
Best Corporate PR Campaign
Best Use of New Media
Best UK Media Relations Campaign
Best International Media Relations Campaign
Best International PR Campaign
Judges’ Award for Best Local/Regional Campaign
Best Professional Campaign
Sponsored by Weber Shandwick Worldwide
WINNER:
Agency: Strategen
Client: Abbott
Campaign: Synagis EMBRACE Campaign and Beyond: Improving Management and Outcomes of RSV
“This campaign raised the bar, demonstrated tenacity in a difficult area and achieved real share of voice against other, high-profile disease areas. A great example of a true working partnership, with a tangible result”
Finalists:
In-house: Abbott Nutrition & The Royal College of Nursing
Campaign: Nutrition Now Campaign
Agency: Brand(x)
Client: Otsuka Pharmaceuticals UK
Campaign: Pletal Five-Star Campaign
Agency: Huntsworth Health
Client: sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb
Campaign: ‘Stepping Up Vascular Protection and the REACH Registry: a coordinated communications programme’
Best Patient or Public Campaign
Sponsored by Munro & Forster Communications
WINNER:
Agency: Munro & Forster Communications
Client: Department of Health
Campaign: FaCe It Campaign for Hepatitis C Awareness
“Across the board demonstrated creativity together with effective outcomes in a difficult-to-reach target audience”
Highly Commended:
Agency: Ash Healthcare
Client: Daiichi Sankyo UK and Brent tPCT
Campaign: A Passion for Fasting
In-house: The Hepatitis C Trust
Campaign: What Not to Share
Finalists:
Agency and in-house: Just:: Health PR and Pfizer UK
Campaign: SERIOUS QUITTERS ‘At the Races’
Agency: Red Door Communications
Client: Sanofi Pasteur MSD
Campaign: Tellher: A public education campaign about cervical cancer
Best Healthcare Policy Campaign
Sponsored by HGS Consultancy
WINNER:
Agency: Mandate Communications
Client: Bowel Cancer UK and Roche
Campaign: Screening Delivery: Maintaining the Progress on Bowel Cancer
“A really multi-faceted range of activities with some high-profile endorsement, and exceptional HCP feedback and response – resulting in significant and attributable clinical focus on both a national and local level”
Finalists:
Agency and in-house: Hanover and HּEּAּRּT UK
Campaign: HּEּAּRּT UK – Prevention is Better Than Cure
Agency: Mandate Communications
Client: Roche
Campaign: Stocking up: Keeping the Spotlight on Pandemic Preparedness
Agency: Mandate Communications
Client: Roche and The Hepatitis C Trust
Campaign: C the Light: Raising Awareness and Improving Delivery of Hepatitis C Services
Launch of the Year
Sponsored by Athena Medical PR
WINNER:
Agency: Virgo HEALTH & Clew Communications
Client: GlaxoSmithKline
Campaign: The UK Launch of Cervarix
“Despite not being first to market, this campaign was relevant and personal, it achieved impressive outcomes”
Finalists:
Agency: Virgo HEALTH
Client: Reckitt Benckiser
Campaign: ‘Fast Lane Frenzy’
Best OTC Product Campaign
Sponsored by Ash Healthcare
WINNER:
Agency: Virgo HEALTH
Client: Reckitt Benckiser
Campaign: ‘Fast Lane Frenzy’
“A creative and innovative campaign that clearly differentiated its product to a well-defined audience”
Finalists:
Agency: Munro & Forster Communications
Client: McNeil
Campaign: House of Calpol – Celebrating 40 Years
Agency: Myriad Public Relations
Client: SSL International
Campaign: Durex/Company Magazine ‘Play Safe’ Campaign
Agency: Virgo HEALTH
Client: Boehringer Ingelheim Consumer Healthcare
Campaign: PPS: The Hard Facts
Best Corporate PR Campaign
Sponsored by Reynolds-Mackenzie
JOINT WINNER:
In-house: Abbott
Campaign: Caring for our Community
“An external, corporate campaign that reached deep into the organisation to deliver clear benefits to both the local community and the company’s public image”
JOINT WINNER:
Agency: Brand(x)
Client: AstraZeneca
Campaign: GoSMART
“An innovative, internal communications programme with an engaging platform that incorporated best practice and thinking outside the box”
Best Use of New Media
Sponsored by Porter Novelli
WINNER:
Agency: Halesway Limited
Client: SSL International
Campaign: Durexhibit
“A clear winner because of the creative and impactful use of traditional and online technologies, enabling exchange of opinion amongst an extremely large and diverse peer group”
Highly Commended:
Agency: Red Health
Client: Bayer Schering Pharma
Campaign: Online Contraception Evening Surgery
Finalists:
Agency: Axon Communications
Client: Multiple
Campaign: WHAD 2007
Agency: Brand(x)
Client: Gilead Sciences Europe
Campaign: Gilead Symposium e-Awareness Campaign
Agency: Huntsworth Health
Client: Pfizer Endocrine Care
Campaign: Rise and Shine
Agency: OnMedica Group
Client: Organon
Campaign: Using eDetailing in a multi product, multi channel campaign
Best UK Media Relations Campaign
Sponsored by Cohn & Wolfe
WINNER:
Agency and in-house: Pfizer UK and Just:: Health PR
Campaign: Driving Champix Forward: NICE Guidance and Smokefree England
“Phenomenally well planned and executed, with the results speaking for themselves. It is the type of campaign you wish was one of yours”
Finalists:
Agency: Munro & Forster Communications
Client: Department of Health
Campaign: FaCe It Campaign for hepatitis C awareness
Agency: Reynolds-MacKenzie
Client: Roche
Campaign: Arthritis Drug Victory
Agency: Reynolds-MacKenzie
Client: World Cancer Research Fund
Campaign: Reynolds-MacKenzie Saves our Bacon
Best International Media Relations Campaign
Sponsored by Bell Pottinger Health
JOINT WINNER:
Agency: Biosector 2
Client: World Diabetes Foundation (WDF)
Campaign: ‘Diabetes in the Developing World’ Diabetes Press Summit Africa
“Two outstanding joint winners in a highly competitive category. Both were campaigns that many of the judges would have been extremely proud to have run themselves”
JOINT WINNER:
Agency: Cohn & Wolfe
Client: EULAR
Campaign: Pushing EULAR Up the International News Agenda
Finalists:
In-house: International Osteoporosis Foundation
Campaign: Beat the Break!
Agency: Virgo Health PR
Client: AstraZeneca
Campaign: ATAC 100 – Conquering New Heights
Best International PR Campaign
Sponsored by Hanson Search
WINNER:
Agency: mXm Medical Communications
Client: UCB Pharma SA and the International Bureau for Epilepsy
Campaign: Action Zone!
“A truly outstanding entry. The level of creativity and excellence in execution was exceptional”
Highly Commended:
Agency: Galliard Healthcare Communications
Client: Roche
Campaign: Lung Cancer Awareness Month 2007 – Affiliate Toolkit
Agency: Ketchum
Client: F. Hoffman-La Roche
Campaign: Can You Spot Lymphoma?
Finalists:
Agency: Cohn & Wolfe
Client: Mundipharma
Campaign: Communicating in Cancer Care
Agency: CPR Worldwide
Client: Bristol-Myers Squibb
Campaign: B Aware Campaign
Judges’ Award for Best Local/Regional Campaign
Sponsored by Edelman
WINNER:
Agency: Ash Healthcare
Client: Daiichi Sankyo UK and Brent tPCT
Campaign: A Passion for Fasting
“A highly targeted campaign, which was to a non-receptive audience and about an emotive issue. A fantastic local initiative”
Finalists:
Agency: Porter Novelli and DDB Health
Client: Bristol-Myers Squibb and sanofi-aventis
Campaign: Warning Signs! Pushing Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) up the agenda in Newcastle and Gateshead
Agency: Reynolds-MacKenzie
Client: Roche
Campaign: Arthritis Drug Victory
GO TO: Education Awards Campaign Awards Premier Awards
Premier Awards:
Campaign of the Year
Patient or Professional Association of the Year
Young Achiever of the Year
In-house Team of the Year
Communiquétor of the Year
Communiqué Lifetime Achievement Award
Best Small Consultancy
Communiqué Medical Education Consultancy of the Year
Communiqué PR Consultancy of the Year
Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Ogilvy Health PR
WINNER:
Agency: mXm Medical Communications
Client: UCB Pharma SA and the International Bureau for Epilepsy
Campaign: Action Zone!
“Absolutely briliant. So simple and yet so effective”
Patient or Professional Association of the Year
Sponsored by Red Door Communications
WINNER:
National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease
“Stunning media work and clearly excellently managed. An excellent campaign that really showed results. A very good example of patient support – and without a substantial budget”
Finalists:
The Motor Neurone Disease Association’s Research Foundation
National Kidney Federation
The Hepatitis C Trust
Young Achiever of the Year
Sponsored by TVF Communications
WINNER:
Kirsty Mearns, Resolute Communications
“Kirsty shows a profound understanding of the challenges in pharma, and demonstrates a real aptitude for raising the bar. An exceptional rising star”
Highly Commended:
Emily Goodenough, Novartis
Finalists:
Laura Chambers, Just:: Health PR
Elizabeth Park, Tonic Life Communications
Kelly Teasdale, Chandler Chicco Agency
Nicky Walsby (nee Parnell), Red Door Communications
In-house Team of the Year
Sponsored by 90TEN Healthcare
WINNER:
Communications Team, Roche Products
“Very sophisticated approach and some really clever thinking behind their new pitch process. A dynamic entry”
Finalists:
Novartis UK In-House Communications Team
Pfizer UK
Communiquétor of the Year
Sponsored by Huntsworth Heath
WINNER:
Colette Goldrick, Pfizer
“She is one of the most experienced in-house people within the pharmaceutical industry and is highly deserving of this award”
Communiquétor Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by Virgo HEALTH
WINNER:
Margot James
“Still passionate about PR, there is no better ambassador for the industry”
Best Small Consultancy
Sponsored by Brand(x) Communications
WINNER:
Just:: Health PR
“In just two years they’ve proved themselves to be extremely effective. Smart, innovative and brave – this highly ambitious team ‘just’ keep doing great work”
Highly Commended:
Reynolds-MacKenzie
Finalists:
90TEN Healthcare
iS Ltd
Communiqué Medical Education Consultancy of the Year
Sponsored by Pfizer
WINNER:
Medicom Group
“Another very impressive year for an agency that has defined ‘med ed’. Their understanding of the business is outstanding”
Highly Commended:
TVF Communications
Communiqué PR Consultancy of the Year
Sponsored by sanofi-aventis
WINNER:
Galliard Healthcare Communications
“A great year for this agency – and deserving of their top scores across the judging criteria”
Highly Commended:
Red Door Communications
Finalists:
Chandler Chicco Agency
Virgo HEALTH – The Power of Purple
GO TO: Education Awards Campaign Awards Premier Awards
