Biogen

Already known as a global leader in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of novel therapies, Biogen sought to improve its scale and business prospects by merging with Idec, a small but powerful pharmaceutical company. The merger was highly publicized and the new company, Biogen Idec, looked to Morrissey & Company, to help it establish a stronger reputation as a leader in innovative biotechnology research and development in the second half of 2004. The program included: develop a communications plan designed to solidify Biogen Idec as one of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world. This multinational plan included:

• Thoroughly researching Biogen Idec’s scientific personnel and prowess to pinpoint the people and topics most likely to benefit from communications support during the year after the merger
• Publicizing select research developments in appropriate scientific trade publications in order to underline the scientific foundation behind the company’s business development goals
• And, aggressively identifying and pursuing opportunities to make scientific news stemming from discovery research, particularly the progress of scientific and research partnerships with other reputable biotech companies

Visibility and awareness surrounding Biogen Idec’s scientific expertise measurably increased during the initial phase of program The company announced four times as many new partnerships and collaborations in 2004 than in the previous year. Media coverage of the company’s scientific news appeared in Bio-IT World, BioWorld Today, and Innovation Report, among others. The success led Biogen Idec to assign Morrissey & Company increased responsibilities for strengthening awareness of its scientific prowess in 2005.

NeoTropix

Armed only with strong intellectual capital and a small amount of seed money, NeoTropix asked Morrissey & Company to help launch the early stage drug development company in the highly competitive life sciences market. The challenge was to help the new venture stand out at a time of intense activity among far larger, better known and better funded drug companies. Morrissey & Company’s ongoing program includes:

• Developing a corporate brand that would resonate with investors, analysts and members of the life sciences industry
• Creating content for core messages and collateral materials, including an educational and easy-to-use website with compelling content and attractive art work
• Working with NeoTropix and their partners and investors to manage the release of key announcements demonstrating growth and momentum
• And, arranging interviews for the president of NeoTropix to increase visibility of the company.

Morrissey & Company’s program has helped NeoTropix begin to establish itself, created additional venture investment opportunities, and secured coverage in key biotech and business media, including the Washington Business Journal, Philadelphia Business Journal, BioCentury, VentureWire, BioWorld and BioSpace.

DUSA

After a successful launch of new products in 2003, DUSA Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:DUSA) knew it was imperative to maintain high levels of awareness and visibility in order to achieve their sales goals for the coming year. It asked Morrissey & Company to establish and reinforce relationships with leading dermatologists in the U.S., and to manage a full-scale media relations campaign to keep DUSA products at the forefront of doctor’s minds. The ongoing program includes:

• Identifying and pursuing top media targets in three key audience segments: consumer, dermatology and business press; and, arranging a satellite television media tour to reach broadcast audiences across the U.S
• Managing and conducting all media relations for the client, including drafting content and distributing news and announcements, as well as arranging media interviews with dermatologists and corporate spokespeople to bolster awareness of the DUSA product line
• And, providing expertise and marketing support to bolster the company’s visibility at industry events

Morrissey & Company’s successful strategic communications campaign continues to garner increased awareness and attention from consumers, industry influencers and doctors. Extensive coverage with top-level media coverage has been secured in outlets that include the New York Daily News, Allure, Prevention, Elle, Glamour, Vogue, The Boston Globe, Mass High Tech, and television networks representing ABC, CBS and Fox.

Shields Health Care Group

Shields Health Care Group, New England’s premier diagnostic imaging services provider, came to Morrissey & Company as a flourishing business. Their featured service, diagnostic scanning, was a success, increasing nearly 90 percent in a single year. But the company recognized that its early adopter advantage was threatened by the spread of diagnostic and imaging technology throughout the medical value chain. Hoping to solidify its reputation as the highest quality service available, Shields retained Morrissey & Company to help promote the company’s expertise and to launch its Shields CT Plus service. The program included:

• Creating positive visibility for Shields CT Plus by emphasizing the medical value of the scan among influential media
• Developing a thorough, consistent and focused broadcast and print media outreach campaign
• And, seizing opportunities for Shields’ executives to provide expert analysis of developments and issues within the imaging field.

Morrissey & Company’s program secured placements in The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, among others. Broadcast coverage highlights included a 30-minute feature show, dubbed “The Fountain of Youth,” highlighting the preventative benefits of Shields CT Plus, as well as a nightly segment on WLVI-TV’s HealthWatch that featured Shields CT Plus service. The agency also helped preventing Shields from being named in an ABC-TV 20/20 program examining the controversial aspects of full body scans.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Many years before the current focus on childhood obesity issues, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts devoted a significant portion of its community benefits program to create “Jump Up and Go!,” a multi-dimensional prevention initiative to help children, their families, and their communities become more physically active and develop lifelong healthy behaviors. Over time, awareness of the benefits of exercise for children caught up to Blue Cross’ leadership and requests for information about how to adopt “Jump Up and Go!” flooded the company from companies and communities throughout the nation. Blue Cross turned to Morrissey & Company to research, plan and produce an instructional video about the program, as well as a professional PowerPoint suitable for use in front of large groups.

Morrissey & Company worked closely with the executive in charge of Jump Up and Go! to understand the pattern of information requests about the program to ensure that final product would be ultra-responsive to audience needs. Previous broadcast media coverage of the program was tracked down so that the best clips could be consolidated into a short video segment that was embedded into the PowerPoint presentation. This segment was inserted into a presentation, which Morrissey & Company drafted. Messaging for the company and the program were carefully guarded in developing the presentation and film. Both were delivered in less than a month after the assignment was received, and Morrissey & Company also provided a refresher course on media and presentation techniques. The client offered high praise for the final product, which have not only helped it cope with incoming requests for information but also worked to improve the company’s reputation for childhood health expertise.