Mind and matter

Stuart Wilson founded Creative Lynx in 1986. In 2012, when the company became HAVAS LYNX, Stuart took the position of non-executive chairman. Below he writes about the values and beliefs upon which the company was built and I am proud to say still remain true today.

building up

It’s so easy to criticise big pharma. The Constant Gardener didn’t help and acts of altruism can wrongly be perceived as market development, but compared to bankers, politicians or energy companies I believe they have been a much greater force for good in society over the last 20 years. We quickly forget that drug and device developments have improved and extended the lives of millions.

In 1996 we launched Aricept for Eisai/Pfizer as the world’s first treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. At that time ‘Old People’ were, at best, given little more than tea and sympathy; at worst totally ignored. Our clients had a mountain to climb to promote an understanding of the appalling challenges Alzheimer’s sufferers and their families faced. Geriatricians knew what a game changer this drug was – but to change the perceptions of government, the payers and the media our clients invested not only millions of dollars but massive amounts of time, energy and commitment. I was proud to see how a client can look beyond stigma and ageism to fight for better social care… not just to sell their product but to genuinely try to improve lives. Nearly 20 years on and Alzheimer’s is now recognised as a difficult and life changing disease the world over. There are many other products in many therapy areas that have done the same.

So, back in 1986 when we started out on this long, creative road I believed the LYNX ethos shouldn’t be based on vacuous and transient consumerism. Instead we should use our talents for the greater good…in some small way. Of course, consumer work is more glamorous, especially when you are asked what you are working on by your mates in the pub…Carling, probably the best advertising job in the world… or is it? McDonalds? Nike?

Now, I know we’re part of a multinational advertising empire and that’s all well and good. At HAVAS LYNX we fiercely believe that we can help change things for the better and thankfully that’s how our clients think. And, nearly 30 years later, when everyone talks about ‘ethics’ or ‘business morals’ we can honestly say that’s where we came from, where we are, and where we will stay.

And, after 30 years, I can happily say that I am proud of our stance. It’s still difficult to explain what we are working on at a dinner party and sometimes it’s not that glamorous, but to my mind the main thing is it matters.

The above post was written by Stuart Wilson, Non-Executive Chairman of HAVAS LYNX

 

 

It’s not about knowing their shoe size. It’s about knowing what makes them tick.

Closed-loop marketing (CLM), by David Hunt
Part I: start, and therefore finish, with insight

My first experience of healthcare marketing, and indeed closed-loop marketing, was in 2004. Even then it was being presented as the ultimate sales tool – the silver bullet for customer engagement. Almost a decade later, the story remains the same. Truly bespoke experiences are as unique in their delivery as they are in their frequency.

I am fortunate enough to have worked on some amazing campaigns, with some amazing people. And with 10 years’ experience, I have come to realise that delivering a true closed-loop experience is not about the technology, it’s not about budget, it’s not even about expertise – it is about absolute commitment to the vision across an entire organisation. You need the full support of senior management, experienced marketers that truly understand their customers and products, an engaged field force looking for a competitive advantage AND a flexible IT infrastructure that is committed to dynamic innovation. It is only with complete dedication that an organisation can deliver a SUSTAINED, tailored experience.

Conversations often begin with technology – a ridiculous and bizarre starting-point. Technology is only the platform. It is the idea that truly counts. First we need to really understand our customers. In face-to-face interactions we each instinctively perceive their interest. We do this based on a reaction, we do not do this because they have spent 12 seconds digesting a piece of information.

Within CLM, we shouldn’t just be looking at page metrics. At best it is inconclusive, at worst it is misleading. Who led the interaction? What was the facial response? What was the real reaction? My wife and I recently had our first child. The use of customer relationship management systems by large superstores is both exceptional and well documented. As a result of our “tells” we received the right offers at the right times. It wasn’t because of a request on our part, it was because of an action observed on theirs. To deliver a true closed-loop marketing experience in healthcare, we need to design and study genuine interactions, interactions with meaning. The late Steve Jobs and his team afforded us a revolutionary piece of kit. It demands engagement, it ensures participation and if done right, it absolutely captures true reactions and true, actionable insights.

So how do we know what makes our customers tick? We typically default to traditional market research, which has both its values and challenges. Research of this nature is set-up to validate a story, it does not convey the nuances of our interactions. I believe in multi-disciplinary teams, and I believe in iterative product design. Led by the brand team, with valued input from the field and true digital creatives, we can create interactions that are worthwhile to the customer and loaded with insight for us. The customer tell. We can create a campaign designed around a conversation to support the field, support the business and, most importantly, to support the customer.

It is not always possible to augment traditional research with robust, integrated workshops and numerous prototypes, but if we want to deliver closed-loop marketing we need to do more than embed the technology, more than talk about the benefits, we need to start, and therefore finish, with insight.

Part II: roadmap to success

Part III: judging the impact