Adweek’s AgencySpy recently picked up the news surrounding Michele Hart-Henry’s appointment to Managing Director of CP Health. As mentioned in the coverage, Hart-Henry will lead the practice into its next phase of growth, shaping the strategic direction of the firm and expanding its opportunities for brands across health and wellness.
Check out the full article here.
Integrated Agency Brings Its ‘Defiantly Human’ Approach to Healthcare Marketing
Independent agency Connelly Partners (CP) has hired Michele Hart-Henry as Managing Director of its Connelly Partners Health (CP Health) practice. Building off of the agency’s work in healthcare over the past two decades, CP Health launched in 2021 as a dedicated practice and part of the agency’s integrated offering. After early wins and work for clients like Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, FluidEdge, and the Public Health Institute’s Tracing Health COVID tracing initiative, Michele joins the team to lead the practice into its next phase of growth. Tapping into her expertise across healthcare delivery, health technology, ancillary health products and services, and health insurance, Michele will reshape CP Health’s strategic direction and expand opportunities for brands across the health and wellness spectrum, as well as internationally.
“Based on all that COVID has wreaked around the world and in the marketplace, we are at the right time to bring Connelly Partners’ Defiantly Human approach to healthcare – to protect the the voice of the consumer and build relationships among brands and their audiences around shared values,” said Michele Hart-Henry. “Our goal is to engender good health by connecting people to what they need to ensure that their health isn’t a limitation, but rather, an asset.”
Before joining CP Health, Michele was Director of JPL Health, creating its first-ever health care vertical for the mid-size independent agency with offices across the Northeast. In addition, Michele led Nashville-based Decode Health through a repositioning as it turned its AI and machine learning capabilities from chronic disease management to also predicting the risk of COVID-19 spread. She also helped grow employer-sponsored onsite healthcare provider, CHD Meridian Healthcare, into a unique care delivery powerhouse. That company was eventually acquired by Walgreens. She has also held positions across Blue Cross and Blue Shield; Wilmington Trust Company (financial services); Ameritox (specialty lab services); Lingraphica (assistive technology, apps, software and tele-speech therapy); Blood Bank of Delmarva (blood products and testing services); and a long-term consulting role with Healthstat (onsite healthcare provider).
“2022 was a great first year for formalizing our health practice and bringing all of our health, Pharma, and wellness experience together into one dedicated unit. CP Health grew to being ranked as one of the 100 top health agencies to watch in the country this year,” said Steve Connelly, president and copywriter, Connelly Partners. “Michele has the requisite energy, experience and vision to take CP Health to the next level and we are over the moon excited to have her join us.”
As the practice has grown, so too has the team. Mary McMahon, based out of CP’s European hub in Dublin, Ireland, has been named Group Strategy Director for the Connelly Partners global network. While she remains part of the Dublin leadership team overseeing strategy projects, Mary will also be leading strategy for CP Health, which will be soon expanding into Europe.
CP Health provides a fully integrated healthcare marketing capability to holistically develop and measure strategy and creativity through implementation, optimizing campaigns with efficiency and effectiveness. With offices in Boston, Dublin and Vancouver, the agency provides global perspective and integration, while delivering local expertise based on clients’ needs.
“Nothing is more defiantly human than our need to be seen, heard and respected as individuals with unique care needs and unique life goals,” Hart-Henry said. “We exist to facilitate connections among people and the products, services, providers and therapies they need to achieve those life goals. Connelly Partners, more than any agency I’ve known or worked with, understands that good health starts with recognizing the value of all of those in the vast healthcare ecosystem.”
Michele joining CP closes the loop on a relationship she started with the agency more than a decade ago when she selected the firm in a national search for a new agency for her then-employer, an international financial services organization.
Eoin Welsh, Creative Director
“Figures show that roughly 90% of the money spent on advertising in the UK is wasted, because it’s neither noticed nor remembered.”
That’s how advertising legend David Trott started his talk at the TAM (TV Audience Measurement) Ireland Long Lunch event.
Which, as an advertising creative, is not exactly what I want to hear. We creatives like to think of ourselves as do-what-it-takes, blood-sweat-and-tears types, forever fighting the good fight.
Turns out, around 90% of that effort is for nothing.
So, what’s the problem?
Well, that’s the beauty of listening to Trott. In a cockney drawl thick enough to be served in a pint glass, he sweeps aside all the industry-speak and double-talk and cuts to the chase: If advertising doesn’t get noticed, everything else is academic.
So, is our industry in denial? Are we afflicted with a severe case of “Emperor’s New Clothes?” Do we put out work that’s so bare of sticking power that it’s barely noticed? Trott makes a pretty convincing case, and he’s got the data to back it up.
But why? Trott believes it’s because we’ve lost sight of who we’re talking to. He defines advertising as “the voice of marketing” – the interpreter who translates the language of marketing into the language of the real world. But we’ve become so wrapped up in the marketing and business side of our industry, that we’ve lost the ability to “talk normal.” To talk, well, like Trott.
We talk to show how clever we are. How much we know. How much research and study we’ve done. To show off, basically. As Tyler Durden said in Fight Club, “We’ve stopped listening and we’re just waiting for our turn to speak.” Problem is, no-one understands what we’re saying. So, it just gets ignored.
Trott then walked us through some of the straight-talking, iconic brands who never forgot who they were speaking to. While all around them were bragging their lips off to little avail, VW asked us to “Think Small.” Avis told us that they “Try Harder” because they’re only No.2. Nike challenged us to “Just Do It.” These were brands that refused to talk down to anyone. That made the effort to learn the language of the locals whose world they were guests in, while others just did that tourist-y thing of shouting louder in their own language, somehow believing that would help make them understand.
Trott is easy to listen to. He makes sense. He keeps it simple. And so he gets noticed. And remembered (I took no notes during his presentation, and didn’t need any to do this write-up).
So, what did I take out of all this?
Well, if we can all make work that “talks like Trott” – simple, engaging and intriguing – maybe we can learn to speak fluent, Everyday-Speak again. And stop talking to ourselves. Which, if memory serves, is the first sign of madness.
Recent pop culture has tended to revere more glamorous influencers in the beauty and travel sphere. But as of last year, the rise of finance-focused ‘finfluencers’ is helping people demystify money advice in easy-to-digest, punchy messages. And traditional financial institutions like banks are beginning to take note. In an interview with IMAGE, Director of Public Relations & Social Media, Alyssa Stevens, weighs in on how money talks in the digital age.
Read more in IMAGE here
Martin Byrne, ZOO Digital
The communications revolution has created a world where customer service is more important than ever. Whereas companies in the past could impose their systems, their language and their rules on the general public, the expectation now is that the customer is front and center in everything and it is the job of the seller to meet the client where they are, not the other way around.
This presents challenges for businesses who understand the need to deliver excellent user experiences, but are embedded in an older mindset.
We have helped numerous organizations to embed UX and design thinking into their everyday operations, and to bring their stakeholders along with them. Here, we look at the top five lessons we’ve learned from that experience.
Bigger and more established companies in particular are used to calling the shots. Even typically service-oriented organizations are challenged in today’s customer-first world. But, we are faced with less patience from users and excellent challengers in the field who set a high bar for customer expectations.
UX and more broadly CX is all about the customer. That’s why we test with real people every step of the way, your idea out to testers using usabilityhub.com, usertesting.com, playbookux.com, and in face-to-face interactions.
In addition to this, we keep these core tenets in mind when designing service flows for customers:
Evidence is more important than opinion when it comes to UX. Evidence gives you the power to ask for a budget and team because you can provide proof that there’s a problem to be fixed. When we map out user journeys, plot drop-off points and are able to show a pain point that is losing the customer business, then we have almost made our case. We gather that evidence from:
The last, and perhaps most convincing, piece of evidence we can present is the voice of the customer. There is nothing more powerful than video of a system test conducted with a user where they are shown having obvious difficulties with a process. You don’t need to do lots of these – anything more than seven and you’re seeing diminishing returns. But do them regularly as part of your process.
Your systems should be a pleasure to use for human beings, no matter what their demographic is. Marketing personas let you create campaigns and target people with more accuracy and bang for your buck. UX personas, if you need them, are more about function; Checking Account User, Returning Shopper, First Time Onboarder etc.
Our experience has taught us that we can ditch the personas and test with humans.
4. Be Prepared to Be Wrong
When it comes to CX and UX, being wrong is great. No really – it means you’ve discovered something through your evidenced-based process. If all your assumptions are right, be worried that you’re not asking the right questions. Set up your experiments to find out new stuff, not to validate what you already have in place.
Embedding UX and design thinking is a huge challenge for any organization and you can’t do it alone. Because the practice will affect everyone, you’ll need buy-in so that you’ve got a whole team behind you and can be effective.
We begin all of our UX projects by identifying the stakeholders (and blockers) who we will work with. We can then bring them through our process and make the case to embrace the need for a good UX process. That method is to show them evidence.
Scott Freeman, SEO Manager
When it comes to enhancing your website’s visibility on the internet, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a pivotal role. With a well-optimized website, you can attract more organic traffic and potential customers. Here are six essential SEO tips that can work wonders for practically any website:
Imagine you’re embarking on a safari, and you want to see the Big Five. It’s vital to know where they are, just like in SEO. Identifying and targeting the right keywords is like pinpointing the best wildlife spots. Knowing that, conduct research on keywords that are not only relevant to your business but are also commonly searched for by your target audience.
It may take time as well as some trial and error, but this is a vital step in the overall SEO process. Without a solid list of keywords to help your efforts, you’ll be lost in the bush. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush can help you discover keywords you never thought of and help you put together a comprehensive target keyword list.
Just as a thrilling safari adventure requires the right guides, your website needs high-quality, original content. Regularly publishing fresh, engaging content not only keeps your audience coming back for more but also pleases search engines.
Offer informative blog posts, articles, and guides that provide value to your readers. The more compelling your content, the longer visitors will stay on your site. Keep in mind that you want to incorporate keywords from your keyword list within your content. You can’t rank for keywords that aren’t present within the content of your site.
Metadata is like the compass that guides visitors through your website. Ensure that each page’s meta title (at an optimal length of 60 characters or fewer) and description (at an optimal length of 160 characters or fewer) accurately represent the content within. This not only improves user experience but also helps search engines understand what your page is about.
The more relevant your metadata, the higher your chances of ranking well in search results. Think about metadata as your window pitch to users in search results. It’s your first opportunity to grab them in SERPs (search engine results pages) so do your best to make that first impression a positive one.
Just as a safari vehicle undergoes regular maintenance checks to ensure a smooth journey, your website needs regular audits. Conduct a thorough audit to identify and fix any technical issues, such as 404 pages, slow-loading pages, or mobile responsiveness problems.
An audit will also identify problems with content such as duplicate content, pages missing meta descriptions, and pages with thin content. A well-maintained website is more likely to earn favor with search engines.
In the wilderness, having a clear trail to follow is essential for a safe and enjoyable adventure. Likewise, your website’s URLs should be clear, concise, and descriptive. Use keywords from your target keyword list in your URLs to give both users and search engines a better understanding of your content.
If your URLs look like gibberish, it’s high time you begin thinking about how to make them clearer. Don’t overcomplicate things either. Keep URLs related to their page and just add a relevant keyword (if possible) and give them some zhuzh. This simple step can significantly improve your overall SEO efforts.
Think of your website as a vast savannah, and your visitors as explorers. It’s essential to make their journey as smooth as possible. Create a clear and intuitive website structure with a user-friendly navigation menu.
Include logical categories and subcategories, making it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for. The more straightforward your website is to navigate, the better the user experience, which can lead to higher rankings.
These tried and true SEO tips can transform your website into a thriving ecosystem, drawing in visitors and boosting your online presence. Just as a safari through the African wilderness promises unforgettable experiences, a well-optimized website offers endless opportunities for growth and success.
Implement these tips, and watch your website’s search engine rankings begin to tick up and up. Just remember that SEO is a regular touchpoint and not a set-it-and-forget practice. So, go ahead and explore the vast landscape of SEO, there’s plenty to discover!
CP’s Director of PR and Social Media, Alyssa Stevens, appeared in a segment of “Taking Care of Business” on Ireland’s Midlands 103 radio. During the show, hosted by Ronan Berry, Alyssa was called upon to share her expertise on influencer marketing, specifically in the financial space. Finfluencers, as they’ve come to be called, have gone viral among Gen Z’ers on social media platforms, specifically TikTok.
Young people have turned to social media due to their lack of trust in traditional mediums, coupled with their lack of education in the financial space. Here, they receive peer-to-peer guidance and advice on how to invest their money from influencers. Alyssa explains that when selecting influencer partners to work with, it’s important that financial institutions (and agencies like CP) pick content creators who are authentic and relatable and produce easy to digest content for their followers. By doing so, these institutions can take advantage of the major opportunities, such as awareness and reach, that these influencers bring.
Listen to the full interview:
Megan Canoni, Assistant Media Planner
In September, I left Boston for Ireland and in a span of thirty days, I was able to experience famous landmarks, travel to four different countries, and meet so many fun and unique people from around the world. Here is a glimpse into my experience of CP Abroad in Dublin.
I spent my first week in Dublin, getting situated and exploring all the city had to offer. I visited the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College and many different museums. Outside of Dublin, I explored other areas of Ireland on day trips to Belfast and Kilkenny, where I got to witness the history and nature of Ireland that make the country so unique.
My first weekend trip away from Ireland was to Edinburg, Scotland. The city was a quaint, magical place that was filled with streets of cobblestone and small, family-owned shops.It truly felt like something out of a fairytale. During my time there, I experienced a piece of history as I witnessed Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral proceedings occur throughout Edinburgh. The moment was a unifying experience, as people from many different countries gathered to witness this historic moment.
My next daring adventure was in Barcelona, Spain. Scuba diving is something that has always been on my bucket list, and here I was able to cross that thrilling experience off the list! Being able to swim in the Mediterranean Sea, visit the beautiful Familia Sagrada, and explore the city on a Tapas tour, are just some of the experiences that gave me a better understanding of the history and culture of Barcelona.
The final trip I took was to Reykjavik, Iceland. Out of all of the countries I visited, Iceland was unlike anything I have seen before. There were volcanoes, waterfalls and even glaciers. I was lucky enough to go on a glacier hike. It was amazing to be able to explore something so breathtaking.
Although I spent my weekends traveling, I spent my weekdays working at our Dublin office. Everyone in the office was extremely friendly and welcoming, which gave me the ability to interact with co-workers that I would not have gotten the opportunity to do otherwise. Collaboration is a large part of CP culture and getting the opportunity to interact with others from different backgrounds has helped me gain a more holistic view of the world.
After all my traveling and living in a new country, I learned that the world is so much bigger than myself. It’s filled with so many different people, experiences, and perspectives that I have yet to witness. The CP Abroad Program gave me the opportunity to experience just a little bit of that.
CP’s Director of MKR Studio, Barry Frechette, has a passion for storytelling through film. A screening of his piece, Paper Lanterns, was recently co-hosted by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Government of Japan. The documentary follows Shigeaki Mori, a survivor of the atomic bombing at Hiroshima, as he searches for and connects with the families of the American POWs who lost their lives during this bombing.
It is a moving story about reconciliation and friendship between former enemies, whose lives were forever changed by the disaster. Frechette stresses that regardless of who we are or where we come from, we all can make a difference in the world. It is the smallest of steps that lead to peace.
Read more about the film here.
CP’s team of senior strategists and anthropologists regularly release insights on cultural, economic, and social shifts that can impact our clients. Here are their most recent observations.
Ecommerce app installs, sessions and now purchases are all way up year-over-year (particularly in recent months), including on historically social-focused platforms like TikTok and Instagram. These novel purchases are up so much that experts are exploring new opportunities for native content and stress a heightened need to focus on conversion metrics.
Brands need to evaluate their presence across all digital channels and begin to strategize how and where to expand product offerings and sales opportunities across organic content.
Sources: Forbes, Adjust, Digital Commerce
In the past four weeks alone we’ve seen Walmart, our largest, trusted retail institution announce major layoffs as they anticipate a weakening economy and see profits shrinking due to double-digit inflation. This has fueled consumer outrage on social channels. We’ve also seen an FBI raid of former President Trump’s home to seize classified materials taken when leaving office. News narratives have furthered Americans’ doubt of U.S. institutions creating a heightened sense of instability that we predict will grow into a full-fledged mainstream trend in the next few quarters.
The opportunity for brands is to be more communicative and intentional in curating messages of reassurance – both to internal and external audiences. Messages that reinforce good policies or practices, for example, create a sense of consistency and moral stability that consumers crave.
Sources: Gallup
Time-sensitive/recency forms of media—i.e. that content which is available for a limited period of time/never to be seen again—is an increasingly common feature, especially when it comes to social media.
Part of what’s appealing about time-sensitive content is that if you’re looking at it, it’s guaranteed to be current and relevant. That inaccessibility – which is the antithesis of the internet’s main characteristic, creates an exclusivity and specialness to the content. It can also feel authentic and proprietary, which is why WhatsApp has recently been working on a feature to block screenshots of media you’re only meant to view once – adding to its exclusivity and once-in-a-lifetime exposure.
Sources: Social Media Today, Axios, Hubspot, Better Marketing, Android Police
Poet Rupi Kaur’s recent world tour is being met with great fanfare, an extension of the growing popularity of poetry’s newest incarnation, Instapoetry. For many, the pandemic inspired more abstract self-reflection and exploration of emotions, which translates well into the “concise and luminous” poetry that’s become so well-received on Instagram.
Instapoetry’s most popular topics reflect shifting cultural priorities as people, especially younger people, call out topics older generations have often tried to sweep under the rug: mental health, romance, feminism, sexuality, and domestic violence.
Sources: The Poet List, Inside Hook, The Outspoken
Have you ever wondered why there’s literally no good ‘new music’ coming out on our streaming channels and airwaves? Well there’s a very good reason.
The music industry today is not as equipped to discover and nurture new talent. There are many reasons: fear of copyright lawsuits in an increasingly litigious industry, moguls who’ve lost confidence in new music, an unwillingness to take risks on new musicians with new sounds, gatekeeper prejudices, and an algorithmic listening environment that promotes standardization.
Businesses outside the music industry can learn from this creative drought by fostering more risk-taking by employees, getting them outside their comfort zone, creating new outlets, new team-pairings and special initiatives that promote creativity.
Sources: The Atlantic, Wbur
Policy changes and mandates surrounding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) are causing companies to adapt to avoid risk and position themselves for future rewards. Companies including American Express, Google, Ford, and more have recently been acquiring and launching new businesses to address emerging opportunities related to ESG initiatives, creating competitive advantages.
Companies who have strong ESG are prone to be more successful, have more loyal workers and are more likely to have strong investor interest. Most organizations today are rapidly developing and evolving their DEI initiative, as they should. Being an early-adopter of these initiatives can mean better retention and great business success.
Sources: McKinsey, Nasdaq, Intellizence, Biz Journals, TMF Group
All good things expire. Look out for more trends coming soon.