Havas this week launched Havas Consumer Health (HCH), a consumer health division focused on over-the-counter (OTC) health and wellness brands.
HCH will combine the expertise of two of Havas’ business units, Havas Health & You and Havas Creative Network, to create work for clients that changes “the way people think about health and wellness,” according to a press release. Stated.
The new agency will also primarily leverage its existing team, which has been focused on the OTC sector, which Habas said grew 54% in 2023. HCH focuses on behavioral economics, influencer and content strategy, and comprehensive media planning and activation.
Donna Murphy, global CEO of Havas Health & You and Havas Creative Network, calls the division a “uniquely blended agency” that drives the increasingly influential role of consumerism in health and wellness. I said that.
“We see this as a great opportunity to help brands accelerate their journey and bridge the delta in the siled consumer and traditional health advertising landscape,” Murphy said in a statement.
Havas is launching a consumer health division, as other big names in the pharmaceutical industry have taken similar paths in the past year or two.
Major pharmaceutical companies such as GSK and Johnson & Johnson have spun off their consumer health divisions, Haleon and Kenvue, respectively.
Dan Weeden will become HCH’s CEO and Paul Kinsella will become its chief commercial officer. In his statement, Weeden pointed to the growth of the “personalized health care” sector, which includes wearables, and the rise of consumers taking their health into their own hands, often at home.
“The most competitive brands recognize the value of separating their consumer health businesses to meet changing consumer needs,” Weeden said in a statement. “Consumers are increasingly empowered to make more informed and confident choices about how they take care of themselves. Our goal is to It’s about being visible, engaging and impactful, so that we can help our clients be chosen in this crowded and rapidly evolving field.”
The move to launch a consumer health division comes just two months after media giant Vivendi was reported to be considering separating several of its business units, including Havas.
This came after Havas announced its third quarter 2023 earnings showing organic revenue growth of 4.5%. The agency noted that Latin America has seen a significant growth of 51.1%, compared to 2.0% in Asia and 1.5% in Europe.
Last year, Havas also announced its latest creative initiative, Welltainment, focused on closing the health equity gap.
