In the lobby of our New York office, the wall is painted with large green letters that read, “We Are Ketchum.” When I worked here more than 14 years ago, it was our rallying call. Returning as a boomerang, it was instantly clear that aside from those words, our logo and a few familiar faces – a lot has changed since I left.
For healthcare, an industry where I’ve now worked for more than twenty years, Ketchum also has evolved and is redefining creative boundaries to help clients break through in exciting and relevant ways.
And that’s why I returned. I wanted to work for a team that was undaunted by the many demands placed on companies – large and small – who seek to serve patients, physicians, payers, policymakers, but who are also looking for nontraditional ways of making a difference.
Our clients’ many stakeholders are no different than the consumers who have come to expect personalized, on-demand content in a multi-screen world that’s now entirely mobile. You need not only data, but insight and technology when learning how to reach audiences in meaningful ways that not only engage, but inspire sharing and dialogue on the tools, platforms and channels they turn to most for heath information. Even physicians are expecting our clients to deliver content that goes beyond product info, such as patient education, support programs and services.
Whether aligning conversations that impact patients and payers, forming reputation-building plans or social listening for insights into where patients gain inspiration from online communities, as healthcare communicators we share in our clients’ mission to improve health and we have fun delivering results while demonstrating deep commitment to their success.
What makes our jobs as communicators so important is that information is part of the cure! We are the connection between what patients discover online about the symptoms they’re experiencing and the treatment they receive from their physician. As an industry, we owe it to ourselves to get better at our work and find new ways to break through.
I knew I wanted to find a new agency home that understood all of this. And I was thrilled to discover that Ketchum has grown in ways that would enable me to serve the industry in new and exciting ways. I love this work because I believe we are contributing to outcomes – not only working with insights that inform strategies and deliver the best business outcomes, but also advancing health and improving patient outcomes.
I am privileged to be rejoining the agency and be a part of its continued evolution.
