Exactly 18 years after opening its doors for business, Lane Earl Cox (LEC) has been acquired by the new healthcare communications company, OPEN Health.

During the last 6-months, LEC has experienced significant growth in Animal Health business. In recognition of his contribution to the development of this aspect of the business, Jack Dolan has been given the additional job title of Head of Veterinary Health.

Jack has a degree in Agricultural Science and comes from a family of farmers and vets. Speaking of his new title, Mike Lane said "Jack has been fundamental in us winning and servicing some great new Animal Health accounts. He understands the science, the market place and customer mindset. This enables him to create work that delights the Client. We are thrilled at this development".

On the human health side of the business, Jack will retain his Senior Copywriter title. He has 20+ years in the industry and works on some of the Agency’s biggest accounts.

Lane Earl Cox are proud to announce the internal promotion of Harry Armfield and Kim Hughes to the position of Joint Creative Directors. Harry and Kim have already been working closely together for the last 2½ years and their partnership has resulted in the winning of PM Nurses Ad category in 2009 for Caelyx and the duo has successfully contributed to a string of important new business wins.

Harry has been with LEC for almost 3 years. He has over 30 years experience in pharmaceutical and consumer agencies, and at one time successfully ran his own medical agency, Faraday, as Creative Director Partner. Kim has been with LEC since 1994, and over the years has art directed some of their most successful campaigns.

Mike Lane, Managing Director of LEC, commented that “Much of LEC’s recent success can be attributed to the creative excellence encouraged by Harry and Kim. I was a client of Harry’s many years ago when I was on the client side. His writing ability and all-round creativity is to be admired. Combine that with Kim’s wonderful art direction and motivating presentations and you have a marriage made in heaven. Kim has been with us since virtually day one, nearly eighteen years ago. This recognition is tribute to her self-belief and dedication”.

LEC are proud to support the Bone Cancer Research Trust (BCRT) by sponsoring Matthew Baker for his 300 mile cycle ride from London to Paris

On 13^th April 2011, Matthew together with Team Takeda will be tackling the 300 mile, 4-day cycle from the heart of London to the Eifel Tower in Paris. The group are undertaking this marathon cycle to raise funds for the BCRT.

LEC will be supporting Matthew by covering his accommodation costs and return train travel from Paris. “This is a brilliant gesture” said Matthew. “It means that I can focus on raising much needed money for the BCRT knowing that every penny raised will go straight to this brilliant cause. Here at LEC we have supported the BCRT for the past 12-months through a re-branding project, development of core materials and a new website. We just wanted to do more to help patients fight this rare but devastating disease”.

Matthew has managed to raise nearly £500 in his first day of fundraising. To help him reach his £1,000 target, please visit www.justgiving.com/matthewbcrt

LEC’s Matthew Baker is chairing a Post Conference session at DigiPharm Europe 2010 on 1st October. The subject is The Growing Influence of the POL (Patient Opinion Leader) and should be a stimulating morning. You can read more about here http://alturl.com/45x9e

Fantastic news for LEC Communications (holding company of LEC Advertising and Athena Medical PR)!  We were featured in International Track, a league table that was published in the Sunday Times on 11 July.  International Track is one of seven league tables produced by a research and events organisation called Fast Track.  International Track ranks companies with the fastest growing international sales based on the previous two years’ accounts.  LEC were ranked 62 in the league and was in illustrious company. The business won three contracts in Paris and Brussels in 2008, which helped its overseas sales to grow 62% a year, between 2006 and 2008.

This is great news for LEC and Athena and is testament to the hard work in servicing our international client base. 

Inclusion in this league table raises the profile of both LEC and Athena among a highly prized target audience

LEC have bolstered their digital capabilities with the appointment of Michal Cwierz as Digital Technical Director.

Michal brings exceptional experience and expertise to LEC having previously worked on high profile digital campaigns for New Scientist, Computer Weekly, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce, Sony, AEG and Electrolux.

“Technically Michal is one of the most talented and versatile individuals that I have ever met”, said Matthew Baker, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Digital. “Michal will ensure that we deliver the most innovative, exciting and technically sound digital solutions. We now have the perfect blend of strategy, scientific know-how, creativity, writing and digital expertise under the same roof. This is an exciting time for LEC as we are looking forward to working with Michal to produce exceptional work”.

Michal will oversee web development, web design and software programming (for solutions such as interactive sales aids, mobile marketing, compliance tools, KOL mapping, websites etc), animation and video editing and work with the team on innovative social media campaigns.

LEC is pleased to announce that it has added Phadia to its list of clients. The agency won a pitch for Phadia’s allergy blood testing product ImmunoCap against strong competition.

ImmunoCap is a blood test which identifies specific allergens for patients that present with allergic symptoms. Confirming atopy together with the specific allergens enables better management of a wide range of common diseases including asthma, rhinitis and eczema. Food allergies with their significant impact and threat to life are particularly suitable for ImmunoCap due to its safety profile and the sensitive nature of the tests which can drill down to component level and identify severity and cross reactivity.

Commenting, LEC’s Managing Director Mike Lane said “This win is important to the agency as it is consistent with our plans to expand into other health- related areas so as to lessen our reliance on our traditional pharmaceutical sector. I’m particularly pleased as seasonal rhinitis is something I have suffered from since I was a boy and anything we can do to help similar patients, I’m sure will be welcomed by them.”

Pamela Pirrit, Phadia’s Product Manager commented “I am really pleased to be working with LEC on this project. Their pitch combined imagination with professionalism, bringing in creativity and appropriate digital touch-points and we are all very excited about bringing the allergy-testing message to the health care community”.

For further information contact:

Mike Lane    mike@lec-ad.com
Pamela Pirrit pamela.pirrit@phadia.com

LEC (Lane Earl Cox), one of the UK’s leading healthcare advertising agencies, are delighted to announce the appointment of Matthew Baker as Deputy Managing Director.

Matthew joins LEC from Huntsworth Health, where he was Director of Digital Communication & Director of Brand Strategy. LEC has brought Matthew on board to bolster their digital capabilities and to help drive the business forward. Matthew spent 5-years with Huntsworth Health leading their Pan-European and Global accounts and heading up their digital team that serviced the advertising, medical education and PR divisions.

Matthew will also be working closely with LEC’s sister agency Athena and will be pivotal in integrating the two businesses and offering additional digital expertise to Clients.

Mike Lane, Managing Director of LEC stated “We are thrilled that Matthew has decided to join LEC. We have always been proud of our ability to create innovative healthcare communication programmes. Matthew will help us to put digital at the heart of everything that LEC and Athena do and will add real value to our Clients brands”

“This is a brilliant opportunity for me” said Matthew. “We want to be the most inspirational and innovative agency. To do this we will integrate great thinking, creativity and digital to produce ground-breaking campaigns and ideas. I am really looking forward to working with the team to produce exceptional work”.

For further information contact mike@lec-ad.com

February 2010 saw the pan-European launch of Mepact (mifamurtide), 

LEC became extensively involved very early on in the pre-launch phase, soon after Takeda America acquired IDM Pharma, Inc. in May 2009.

Our strategic brand development activities included the organisation and facilitation of a series of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary ‘brand immersion’ workshops where all data and brand dynamics were examined and reconfigured to create a set of durable and compelling core brand values. 

These core brand values were then used as the basis for colour palettes, logo design, concept development, core sales materials development and other brand collateral, such as stakeholder information materials and exhibition panels. 

LEC also co-ordinated the translation, production and printing of all materials for use in EU markets, as well as a full EU field-force briefing at the launch conference to ensure that a full understanding of the relevance of all brand values was established throughout the entire organisation. 

Leading health care agency Lane Earl Cox is delighted to announce the appointment of Alison Squire as International Account Director.

Alison joins from HC&B Healthcare and has previously worked at leading agencies including Torre Lazur McCann Healthcare, Sudler & Hennessey and Paling Ellis KPR.

Alison is renowned for her strategic, communications analysis and project management skills. She is heavily results driven, a powerful motivator and an energetic team leader who is valued for her simple, straightforward and direct style. She will be leading the Abilify and Sustiva accounts for BMS and Caelyx for Schering-Plough.

Alison enjoys a challenge and has recently taken up canoeing with her first open water trip planned for early April.

LEC Scooped ad of the year in the Nursing Journal Advertisement of 2009 as judged by the target audience. The entry was "Good Hair Day" for Schering-Plough’s CAELYX which also was recognised in three other categories. The whole campaign comprising advertisement, detailing aid and mailing, was Highly Commended in the Craft Award for Hospital Campaign, the sales aid was nominated in the Detailing Aid category and came sixth in the target audience judged Hospital Journal Advertisement category.

Mike Lane, LEC’s Managing Director was highly delighted with the recognition and the fact that the campaign had done what it set out to do - stimulate sales.

As an IPA member since 2005, LEC has achieved IPA Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Accreditation for the second year running for the year 2008.

 Peter Hudspeth, LEC’s Client Services Director, said ‘...we are delighted with this news. IPA Continuous Professional Development Accreditation is a tribute to everything that has been accomplished with the agency’s people development activities’.

The past nine years of IPA CPD have given training and development a significantly higher place on the advertising industry’s agenda and has established a framework for best practice in attracting, retaining and developing talent.

The IPA’s CPD scheme encourages member agencies to provide developmental opportunities for staff, across all departments and skill disciplines. Individuals and their agencies share responsibility for ensuring that skills are constantly honed so that everyone operates at peak performance.

 LANE EARL COX, one of the UK’s leading healthcare communications companies, is pleased to announce two senior appointments to its creative and creative services departments.

Harry Armfield, Deputy Creative Director - Copy, joins from Langland where he worked on a number of key accounts. Harry has also worked at leading agencies such as Pan Communications, FCB Brussels, Saatchi & Saatchi and JWT Deltakos. Harry has experience across a broad range of therapy areas including: bacterial infection; HIV/AIDS; obesity; oncology; respiratory; urology and women’s health. Harry will be teamed with Kim Hughes, Deputy Creative Director - Art, at LEC.

Brian Cottee, previously at Grey Healthcare Group, joins LEC as Creative Services Manager. In addition to managing LEC’s busy internal studio, Brian will also oversee all aspects of production and further develop its comprehensive digital offering.

Jeff Daniels, Creative Director at LEC, commented: "Recent growth has stimulated us to expand our creative department significantly. Our strong client/agency relationships are predicated on our ability to deliver creativity across the board. The addition of Harry and Brian to our team will expand that capability. I have had the pleasure of working with both of them at previous agencies, and they will be working, variously, across our entire client portfolio."

The Directors of LEC are delighted to announce the appointment of Jeff Daniels as Creative Director of the agency.

Jeff has been involved in three other successful agencies in our sector - Publitek, Pan Communications and most recently held the post of Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Europe, for the healthcare division of Grey Global Group.

An Art Director by training, Jeff has augmented this by studying and specialising in strategic brand development and positioning. He has been involved in the overall creative implementation and tactical introduction of a number of major brands such as: Crestor (AstraZeneca); Exubera (Pfizer); Singulair (Merck Sharp & Dohme); and Spiriva (Boehringer Ingelheim/Pfizer), to name but a few. Jeff has built up excellent relationships with his clients over the years and enjoys participating in - and often leading - international cross-functional brand analysis and development teams on behalf of major blue-chip clients in the UK, the United States, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the throughout the Middle East.

Jeff serves as a permanent member of the Board of Judges for the New York Festival ’Global’ Advertising Awards, as well as being a regular HAAG and PMS Awards judge, and he has won more than 40 UK and international creative awards, and that’s not counting the dozens of other awards won by various creative teams working under his direction.