healthcare marketing
Activate Health is a boutique advertising agency serving clients in the health and health technology industries. Our services include public relations, content marketing, advertising, video production and digital media. Our leaders have decades of experience in corporate marketing and healthcare-focused advertising agencies. As a result, our understanding of this industry is unmatched.
Our clients include leading health plans, health systems, mobile health providers, specialty pharmacies and health technology firms.
Focus
Portfolio
Avella Specialty Pharmacy, Dignity Health, LTCG, Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Cambia, AXIS Accident & Health, Innovative Health
HealthSparq Health Plan Member Flyer
Activate Health created an entire engagement toolkit targeting health plan members which included digital marketing, content marketing, social media and other traditional marketing tactics. Health insurers will ultimately cobrand these materials and distribute to large group customers in their local and national markets. This particular creative concept was executed across all mediums and was aimed at promoting financial incentives for pregnant members who selected hospitals in the company's "Rewards" program.
Regence BlueCross Member Engagement Campaign
We created a comprehensive marketing plan, fulfillment guide, infographic, social media strategy and direct mail/email outreach to educate plan members about the cost and quality implications of their healthcare decisions.
Tradeshow booth for an insurance administrator
This tradeshow booth was created to serve as a modular display environment and is currently used at a variety of conferences within the long term care and life insurance industries.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Billboard Ad
HealthSparq Infographic
HealthSparq Health Plan Member Flyer
Dignity Health Web Banner
Dignity Health Urgent Care Ad
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Ad
BCBSAZ | What is Medicare -- Part D?
Avella Specialty Pharmacy White Paper
LTCG Video
Activate Health Mobile Unit Video
Reviews
the project
Strategic Plan Report for Health Company
"Our timeframe was especially tight for this project but Activate Health met all of their internal deadlines."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Assistant Director, Health Plan Planning and Execution for Cambia Health Solutions
For what projects/services did your company hire Activate Health?
We engaged Activate Health to assist us with the development of our Strategic Plan Report.
What were your goals for this project?
This document needed to communicate strategic vision and goals to employees in a way that is both effective and compelling. This is a critical internal document that serves as a benchmark to ensure that our workforce is informed about our business direction and our future-state objectives.
How did you select Activate Health?
This agency came via a recommendation from a stakeholder marketing employee at the company.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
Activate Health assisted us with the development of this report, designing compelling visuals, sourcing photography and editing content to ensure the story was told in an appropriate and impactful way, while aligning all design efforts with our brand.
What was the team composition?
I worked closely with Activate Health's account manager who coordinated all internal efforts with their creative team.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Our timeframe was especially tight for this project but Activate Health met all of their internal deadlines. The report itself received leadership approval and was disseminated to employees when these efforts kicked off.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
The workflow was seamless and our account manager kept us in the loop on next steps and project milestones.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
Their team’s ability to manage projects effectively and meet tight deadlines while maintaining high-quality work was impressive.
Are there any areas for improvement?
There were no specific areas of improvement that emerged based on my experience managing this project.
the project
Marketing Video Production for Healthcare firm
"I’ve been pleased with their work to date and their ability to deliver content on time."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the CEO of a video production and creative services company serving all types of industries, including healthcare and healthcare services.
For what projects/services did your company hire Activate Health?
I collaborated with Activate Health to assist with script writing and support for a healthcare marketing video.
What were your goals for this project?
Explaining the path of a specialty pharmacy prescription for consumers, helping them understand the difference between retail pharmacies and specialty pharmacies.
How did you select Activate Health?
I engaged with Activate Health based on their knowledge of the healthcare industry after reviewing their capabilities and project samples.
Describe the video(s) and the process in detail.
Activate Health provided script writing and research for an animated video simplifying the complexities of specialty pharmacy services. They also assisted in this project through project management support.
What was your vendors' project management or feedback process?
I had access to their entire creative team and an account manager.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
My client was incredibly pleased with the accuracy of the script and the final product which was delivered on time and on budget.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Activate Health provided project management support on an ongoing basis, developing timelines, holding status meetings and ensuring that all deadlines were met.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
I was impressed by their understanding of their specialty pharmacy and pharmaceutical space and their ability to work with an outside creative firm seamlessly.
Are there any areas for improvement?
Not really, I’ve been pleased with their work to date and their ability to deliver content on time.
the project
Marketing Strategy for Specialty Pharmacy Company
"We have been impressed by the depth of their knowledge in the healthcare space."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I have served as the creative director and am now the manager of innovation and customer engagement at Optum Specialty.
For what projects/services did your company hire Activate Health?
We engage with Activate Health for ongoing marketing strategy, research and content marketing support in support of our specialty pharmacy division at Optum.
What were your goals for this project?
All of our key contacts at Activate Health have decades of healthcare experience. This knowledge, combined with their strong background in marketing strategy, have helped us reach our goal to communicate effectively with key prescribers and influencers in the specialty pharmacy space including payers, drug manufacturers, health systems and independent medical groups.
How did you select Activate Health?
We have worked with Activate Health over several years after conducting a review of their capabilities against other existing vendors. Initially, the company provided services to Avella Specialty Pharmacy prior to its acquisition by Optum, and has continued to provide support now that we are part of Optum Specialty Pharmacy.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
Activate Health provides competitive research, positioning, strategy and brand messaging, especially within our specific therapeutic areas that have high growth potential. For example, the firm assisted our team in the area of multiple sclerosis-specific therapies, providing market insights and supporting sales messaging and positioning. This work continued across other therapeutic areas and also included research, consulting and strategy to drive greater awareness and utilization of our infusion model. They have also helped our team develop white papers, blogs, nurture emails and other content marketing campaigns targeted at our prescribers and key influencers.
What was the team composition?
We are supported by their leadership team (CEO, Creative Director), an account manager, as well as Activate Health’s research, writing and design team.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Activate Health has developed content marketing campaigns that continue to drive lead generation for our team. For example, the oncology trends white paper developed by their team continued to support our lead generation and sales efforts for several years, driving consistent interest and downloads from oncology practices.
The value proposition/messaging exercise developed in 2020 has been implemented across therapy managers and drives creative execution of messaging for tactics across the division.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Activate Health has been willing to use our workflow tracking tool to provide ongoing project updates and in addition sends weekly status emails and conducts status updates for large projects. They consistently meet every deadline set, even when these timelines are very aggressive.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
We have been impressed by the depth of their knowledge in the healthcare space, especially given the complexity of our business model and the diverse stakeholders we serve.
Are there any areas for improvement?
We have been happy with the service levels, quality of projects and project speed to date.
the project
Written Content & Marketing Materials for Healthcare SaaS
“The depth of their expertise surrounding the health care market has been phenomenal.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the vice president of marketing at a software solution provider for the health insurance market.
What challenge were you trying to address with Activate Health?
We were seeking writing and marketing resources. Since our business offering is fairly complex, we needed a company with intimate knowledge of the health plan market.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They generate the content for our decks, white papers, and outreach supplies that we present to clients and prospects. In addition, they process our market research into digestible content and implement the actual design of these white papers and decks, as well.
What is the team composition?
Our primary point of contact is Sarah (Director of Client Relations, Activate Health). We also work with Laura (Founder, Activate Health) who often does hands-on work in generating written content. Since she used to work for a health plan, her market expertise has been a great resource.
How did you come to work with Activate Health?
They used to work for one of our sister companies that got absorbed. They had a remaining contract with that company, which got transferred over to our account. We tested them out, and they turned out to be a very reliable partner.
How much have you invested with them?
We spent between $40,000–$50,000 with them this year, but it’s been a total of $90,000 over the course of our engagement.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began in December 2016, and we’ve got an ongoing relationship. We work with Activate Health on a project-by-project basis.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve experienced great results from the assets they’ve provided—in particular, the white papers they created have generated new leads. Their marketing tool kits have received great feedback from clients about their helpfulness and readability.
How did Activate Health perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management has been excellent. We’ve never had to worry about them dropping the ball. All delays or deadline issues have been on our side; they’ve always been great at providing timelines and sticking to them. We communicate regularly through email.
What did you find most impressive about them?
The depth of their expertise surrounding the health care market has been phenomenal. Their ability to create market-facing content that’s interesting and easy to read is also impressive.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No. We’ve been really happy with them.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be upfront about your expectations. If they’re doing a writing project for you, make sure you have a very clear outline.
the project
Public Relations & Marketing for Wellness Company
"Their insight was valuable and the reason I would lean on them in the future."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We are a wellness company that has developed a smartphone application to record a person's sleep breathing to discern their level of risk for obstructive sleep apnea. I am the director of marketing.
What challenge were you trying to address with Activate Health?
As a startup company looking to enter the wellness marketspace, we needed assets that would help deliver our message and product to the space. We reached out to Activate Health to create those assets to display on our website and social media accounts.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Our biggest challenge is that we’re combating the mattress industry, which spends a tremendous amount of money each year telling people the key to a good night’s sleep is a comfortable mattress and being on the mattress for a specific amount of time. Our paradigm is that no matter the mattress or the time spent on it, if somebody has poor sleep breathing habits, a good night’s sleep is not likely. Our assets needed to convey the message that obstructive sleep apnea is treatable, and it is just as important to monitor as regular exercise or managing diabetes.
To help distribute our message, Activate Health produced a series of infographics for display on our website and social media accounts. Additionally, the same information included in those graphics has been implemented in 30- to 45-second animated movies.
What is the team composition?
I worked primarily with the owner.
How did you come to work with Activate Health?
I had worked with the owner’s husband at a previous job, and once she opened her own company, I had an opportunity with this startup to work with her. I was familiar with her background in healthcare and wellness, and I knew she would understand my goals and help build my brand.
How much have you invested with them?
We have been quoted at around $21,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our engagement began in July 2018. The bulk of the work was completed in August, but the animated videos were delivered in September.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We haven’t deployed the full campaign yet, but we are very happy with the concepts and test materials they have produced for us to this point.
How did Activate Health perform from a project management standpoint?
I could tell they were dedicated to the project. After our initial meeting about my objectives, they returned a week later with a statement of work and a project outline as to when deliverables would be ready. They met every one of their scheduling targets. Activate Health was in constant contact with me, letting me know the status of the project. They adapted well to my working schedule in a different time zone. Usually, if there was any delay, it was my doing because I didn’t provide feedback in a timely manner. Overall, their handling of the project was professional and on time.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their knowledge of health and wellness was their key competency. Their insight was valuable and the reason I would lean on them in the future.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, everything ran very smoothly. I can’t recommend any areas for improvement.
the project
Public Relations for Medical Device Company
“They accommodate the unique way I want to work with the press.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
We are a young start-up that is trying to disrupt the medical device community. I am the vice president of marketing and public affairs.
What challenge were you trying to address with Activate Health?
We wanted to bring hospitals’ attention to reprocessing opportunities for single-use devices.
What was the scope of their involvement?
The medical device industry uses specific trade media to target healthcare providers. There is hardly any discourse in public media around our industry, though we’re trying to change that. We speak about the challenges hospitals face and how reprocessing medical devices can help. We’re working together to pose an alternative to large manufacturer dominance and laid out a media plan that has several pitch ideas for various trade journals. We connect to work on getting my articles published, which typically happens on a monthly basis.
What is the team composition?
I am the direct contact with Activate Help and work with Sarah McLeod.
How did you come to work with Activate Health?
I worked with them in a former position. I inherited them when I came into that post and did a search for potential replacements. None of the other agencies I considered could meet my conditions as well as Activate Health could. I am very involved in press activities and like to write a lot of my own content. They were willing to work with me and follow a structure I needed.
How much have you invested with them?
We’ve spent $45,000–$50,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our current engagement began in August or September 2017 and work is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We’ve had tremendous success placing stories in trade journals. Press appearances are the number one metric I’m interested in. They know how important press is to me and they deliver on that. They also are helping me target more public print media outside the healthcare industry.
How did Activate Health perform from a project management standpoint?
They do extremely well and work with my conditions. We’re a small shop and they know how much I value my time. We only meet when we need to and we’re in contact three or four times a week via phone or email.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They accommodate the unique way I want to work with the press and a PR agency. They support my efforts beyond the way a typical agency would and they find proactive ways to think outside the box.
Are there any areas they could improve?
At times, some of their writers could adjust their writing styles to accommodate my perspective.
the project
PR & Marketing for Insurance Company
“The quality of their writing and design, as well as their ability to turn things around quickly has been wonderful.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I'm the senior vice president of sales at Ternian Insurance Group, which provides customizable benefit solutions for employer groups.
What challenge were you trying to address with Activate Health?
We engaged Activate Health to help support our development of marketing materials, including enrollment brochures, e-blasts, flyers, and white papers.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Activate Health provides copywriting and graphic design assistance for producing marketing materials, including white papers, enrollment brochures, e-blasts to brokers who market our products, event materials, etc. They continue to ensure that materials are evaluated regularly to stay in compliance with legislative and insurance guidelines, including our policies. They work on both materials for the client company that sponsors our programs, as well as on materials for individual members.
What is the team composition?
I mainly work with Laura (National Health Promotion Director, Activate Health), but others on my team have worked with a couple other staff as well. Laura does a lot of the copywriting on our projects, relying on her extensive background in the healthcare industry. Because she's already so familiar with our industry, there was no learning curve; she was able to jump right in from the start.
How did you come to work with Activate Health?
I wasn't involved in the hiring process, but I believe members of our team knew of Laura since our previous company was purchased under a company she'd worked for in the past.
How much have you invested with them?
Our monthly average retainer cost is about $2,500–$3,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
We've been working with them since 2014.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Thanks to their efforts, open rates from email marketing campaigns have definitely improved. We're very happy with the quality of their work overall and the extensive knowledge they're able to bring to the table. Laura, in particular, has been an incredible asset to us.
How did Activate Health perform from a project management standpoint?
Laura is very responsive, detail-oriented, and timely. We've had an excellent relationship with them overall, with no issues whatsoever.
What did you find most impressive about them?
Their attention to detail and responsiveness sets them apart. The quality of their writing and design, as well as their ability to turn things around quickly has been wonderful. Laura acts as the glue that holds our marketing materials together.
Are there any areas they could improve?
I can't think of anything. They've been an excellent partner.
Abiding by the client's tight schedule, Activate Health met all of the deadlines and the report received leadership approval. They managed the project effectively while maintaining high quality. The team kept the client in the loop at all times.