Media Relations, Advertising, Social Media, Marketing, Video
Industry: Healthcare/Association
Target markets: Independent community pharmacists, pharmacy owners, pharmacy students and recent graduates, healthcare policymakers and patients.
The Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (PSSNY), a nonprofit professional association of pharmacists, aimed to support the passage and implementation of NYRx, a bill to revolutionize Medicaid pharmacy billing in New York. The legislation would save pharmacists millions of dollars in annual losses to predatory pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s).
The Challenge:
NYRx was intended to remedy a complex issue that most New Yorkers do not understand. The opposition’s case, on the other hand, was simpler to articulate and easier to maintain as the status quo. It was also compelling, especially with the support of allies in indigent healthcare and other supportive service providers. Additionally, the opposition was well-funded, with backers that included Fortune 500 pharmacy benefit management companies. Pharmacists, as the only part of the industry that customers interact with face-to-face, often received customers’ frustration over issues stemming from other parts of the industry, including the opposition.
Our Approach:
Our team sought to humanize pharmacists, showcasing them as compassionate professionals dedicated to patient care, while distinguishing them from the greater pharmaceutical industry. We executed a comprehensive media relations and advertising campaign to communicate that NYRx would provide patients with more choice, reduce wasteful spending and help independent community pharmacies survive. In-person media events were held, including appearances at a joint legislative hearing on health, a rally at the Legislative Office Building, a pharmacy lobby day and regional press conferences in Westchester County and Buffalo. To reach key decision-makers, a surgically targeted digital advertising campaign was launched within the districts of the most impactful lawmakers. Additionally, three patient testimonial videos were produced featuring individuals from Albany, New York City and northern New York, each highlighting why pharmacists care deeply for their patients. The approach also included the launch of a podcast titled “I’m Not A Pharmacist,” which focused on industry issues, PBMs and patient care. Finally, the agency executed a soft rebrand of PSSNY by updating its fonts, logos and color schemes.
The Results:
Within three months of the target implementation date, our team secured 36 statewide media placements, raising awareness of NYRx’s benefits. The advertising campaign delivered 650,000 geotargeted impressions via a one-month Facebook and Instagram effort, reaching audiences critical to legislative outcomes. Homepage and banner ads on City & State New York’s website exceeded industry benchmark click-through rates, signaling strong engagement. The television and streaming campaign generated over 400,000 impressions to key audiences. As a result, NYRx was implemented as intended by the Legislative and Executive branches of New York’s government, proceeding without delay or repeal and demonstrating successful change driven by the campaign.