JANUARY 2025 TO PRESENT
Strategic and Creative Consultant
Various freelance strategy, creative, and writing assignments:
Point-of-Care Partners: multiple writing projects including EHR program training modules and implementation guides for J&J’s portfolio, and disease education about desmoid tumors for HCPs.
Fingerpaint Medical: multiple writing projects on brands indicated for postoperative pain, pulmonary arterial hypertension, dermatology, and PONV.
Six Therapeutics, a small biotech company: strategic and creative input for development of their investor’s presentation and creating company website. New category for me: wound healing.
eNOVA, an IQVIA scientific communication company: strategic and creative consultant focused on oncology and rare disease. Multiple projects, from uncovering insights and audience mindset mapping, writing whitepapers and Tedx Talk scripts, to running workshops for tactical planning.
HAVAS HEALTH NETWORK, AUGUST 2022 TO NOVEMBER 2024
EVP, Oncology Strategist
Responsible for leading strategy team and driving business across multiple accounts primarily focused in oncology, hematology and rare disease. Within first year helped to win 4 new business pitches resulting in over $15M in revenue.
WUNDERMAN THOMPSON HEALTH NYC, AUGUST 2020 TO AUGUST 2022
EVP, Director of Strategic Planning
Responsible for leading strategy team for the New York office. Was instrumental in developing a new insight/inspiration creative brief, creating new approaches to brand positioning and personality, driving insights for the 4th WTH Inertia Thought Leadership Study, and strategically leading new business endeavors that won. Focused primarily on oncology, rare disease, and mental health.
PIXACORE (INDEPENDENT DIGITAL AGENCY), FEBRUARY 2017 TO AUGUST 2020
EVP, Brand Navigator
Responsible for driving strategic and creative insights across business. Provided mentorship and training to account management team transitioning from DAOR to AOR model. Expanded opportunities outside traditional digital agency scope with additional strategic initiatives.
Challenging insights and strategic direction across the Celgene/ABRAXANE business, led to client decision to award Pixacore AOR without pitch, effectively unseating DDB Health as AOR. Refocused strategic approach to ABRAXANE leading to new positioning, development of brand plans, and new communication platform and campaign.
Other responsibilities included: new business development plan; strategic and creative consulting within Instrux network, which included leading repositioning initiative, creative campaign development and brand plan development for Eisai/LENVIMA; internal repositioning/branding endeavor for Pixacore from pure-play digital to full-service agency.
Strategy Consultant: August 2015 – February 2017
TBWA\WORLDHEALTH (FORMERLY LLNS), OCTOBER 2015 – February 2017
Brand Navigator/Creative/Content Steward
Drove strategic and creative content development and alignment across medical education, HCP, and DTC for Merck Biosimilars. Strengthened Merck relationship and confidence by leveraging expertise in the biologic arena. Participated in new business endeavors, primarily in high science and oncology categories. Developed content to final core selling tools (both branded and non-branded), including driving story development workshop with Novartis clients for launch of TAFINLAR & MEKINIST lung indication. Provided creative/copy leadership for campaign concept development of ZYKADIA’s first-line launch indication in lung cancer.
BMKD (DIGITAL START-UP AGENCY) AUGUST 2015 – DECEMBER 2015
Brand Navigator
Projects included corporate identity and branding initiatives for NewLink Genetics and BMKD. Led series of branding/positioning workshops and the development of creative briefs to kick-off corporate messaging and campaigns.
Additional Agency Positions: 1995-2015
CENTRON (SMALL NETWORK AGENCY), NOVEMBER 2010 TO AUGUST 2015
SVP Brand Navigator/Creative Director
As the creative and strategic lead on the Shionogi/OSPHENA business, both HCP promotion
(account and creative) and medical education were under my purview. Responsible for brand content strategy within network and other client partners. Drove the creation for a new brand story leading to the development of a “disruptive” nontraditional digital selling tools in record time for sales team. Sales team receptivity to EVA & DVA (emotional visual aid & data visual aid) increased utility of iPad selling tools by over 50%, which translated to increased engagement with key customers.
Creative lead across: Eisai oncology franchise, ALOXI, prelaunch and launch of AKYNZEO, pipeline products, established brands, and corporate branding initiative; NEXAVAR/Bayer/Onyx; Shionogi/OSPHENA; launch of new IUD, LILETTA/Actavis; NPP/digital social media projects and development of social media corporate policy for GRALISE/ Depomed; Seaside Therapeutics’ prelaunch initiative of new treatment for Fragile X and Autism; along with other daily project work. Repositioned Centron’s branding and self-promotion.
As senior creative/strategic lead, drove 4 pitch wins. Pitches and requests for proposals focused primarily on oncology. Initiated new business relationships and identified potential new business opportunities.
SAATCHI & SAATCHI HEALTHCARE ADVERTISING, JUNE 1999 TO JUNE 2010
VP Group Account Director, April 2007 – June 2010
Senior strategist and day-to-day manager for large brands/accounts, including AMITIZA/Takeda, BP SuccessZone/Novartis, FLUZONE, MENACTRA, Travel vaccines/Sanofi-Pasteur. As brand champion, conducted brand core-value and positioning workshops (among others) that redefined each brand and ultimately drove new strategies and creative campaign evolution. Within 6 months, increased the agency AMITIZA budget by 35%. Business lead across Pfizer’s Established Brands, ARTHROTEC, ZMAX, CLEOCIN, and LYBRIL. Drove strategy, as well as coordination of all Pfizer’s partners within and outside their business unit. Strategic lead of new business pitches, successfully expanding client roster.
SVP Creative Director Copy, June 1999 – April 2007
Strategic and creative/content lead on “the world’s fastest growing biologic”, ENBREL, both US and Global, for almost 8 years. Launched 6 indications to two distinct audiences in a co-marketing relationship between large pharma, Wyeth, and large biotech companies, Immunex and Amgen. Managed a team of 15 copywriters that was also responsible for ELOXATIN, TAXOTERE, and RILUTEK/sanofi aventis, PEG-INTRON/Schering Plough, vaccines/GSK, APTIVUS/ Boehringer Ingelheim, among others. Produced high-quality award-wining product; including Rx, Doctor’s Choice, Med Ad News, ENBREL Brand of the Year 2005. Drove strategic and creative campaign refresh and re-focused message for PEG-INTRON that resulted in the first increase in market share (over 10%) in more than 4 years.
TORRE LAZUR MCCANN, OCTOBER 1996 – JUNE 1999
Copy Supervisor
Brands included NEUPOGEN, HYCAMPTIN, prelaunch/launch prep REMICADE/Centocor, vaccines/GSK, RAPALYSIN/RETAVASE/Boehringer Mannheim, PRAVACHOL/Bristol Myers; prelaunch/launch prep for STEMGEN, which did not come to market.
Education: BA British Literature & MA Creative and Critical Writing, William Paterson University.
References available on request.
ValerieShane.com 