NEW YORK, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Just six years after their last entrepreneurial venture, Risa Bernstein and Charlene Prounis, co-founders of Accel Healthcare and former chairman and chief marketing officer, respectively, of Corbett Accel, have done it again. Today, they launched Flashpoint Medica, a new agency with a passion for identifying new opportunities in pharmaceutical marketing. Flashpoint is a member of the Omnicom Group of healthcare communications companies.
"We've been part of Omnicom since 1999, when we founded Accel," Bernstein explained, pointing out that the agency's track record -- a five-year climb from zero to $135 million in billings -- had made it among the most successful start-ups in Omnicom history.
Omnicom was also interested in the concept behind Flashpoint, which is based on the idea that there are moments in every brand's life when the timing is right, interests converge and connections are made. "We believe that advertising tools can serve as the sparks that ignite growth at those critical points when decisions are being made and action is being taken," said Prounis.
"A brand will experience a multitude of lifecycle 'flashpoints' that can catapult its growth trajectory," Bernstein added. "For example, the moment when the customer insight is first uncovered is a threshold 'flashpoint,' leading to that 'just right' positioning that secures a brand's legitimate place in the market. Additionally, we have identified some newer 'flashpoint moments' in our communications space, such as those between the sales rep and the doctor and between the doctor and the patient, when untapped opportunities can be leveraged."
The new agency -- which will also specialize in traditional core competencies such as full service brand development and promotion -- will evolve these new specialty areas to uncharted "space" in the pharmaceutical marketing communications arena.
"We want to make the sales reps more valuable to the doctors," Prounis said. "If the reps are better equipped to get a dialogue going, they're going to get more 'face time' with the physician." The same thing, she added, is true of the patient-doctor relationship. "We know that the patient is the future of our business, but we don't think the focus should be simply DTP or DTC. The doctor is still central. The critical juncture is the moment in time -- the flashpoint -- when doctor and patient interact."
Capturing that moment has become a mission for the two women, who have worked together for roughly 20 years -- first at Gross Townsend (now Grey Healthcare Group), then at Accel -- and who spent their entire careers sharpening their skills in the pharmaceutical marketing arena.
Prounis started out on the medical side. As a registered nurse, she was in charge of the comprehensive care unit at North Shore Hospital before switching sides and becoming a sales rep for Searle Laboratories. She holds a degree in nursing from Adelphi and an MBA from St. John's University, and she is a two-time past president of the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association.
Bernstein, who was managing director of Grey before starting Accel, is a magna cum laude graduate of Brandeis University. She is a firm believer in the importance of having senior executives directly involved in agency operations. "Our biggest asset is our intellectual capital," she said. "Every member of our core staff has come up the ranks with us. We all have the same passion for the business. We reject mediocrity, and strive to deliver inspired solutions at every point in a brand's lifecycle."
The other members of the Flashpoint management team are Helen Appelbaum, a trained pharmacist (she has a BS from the College of Pharmacy at Long Island University as well as an MBA from Pace), and David Frank, creative director.
Appelbaum, who is a partner in the new agency, was client service director at Corbett Accel and a member of the original Accel group. As such, she directed many of the launches that put the agency into the top 20 in the healthcare field. Frank has been managing director of BrandStreet, a consumer advertising agency, for the past five years and was previously creative director of Pace Communications and of Gross Townsend before it merged with Grey.
The agency currently has 5,000 square feet of office space in midtown and a roster of potential clients drawn from every corner of the industry.
Omnicom Group Inc. (http://www.omnicomgroup.com/) is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
Flashpoint Medica is located at 158 W. 29th Street, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10001-5300. Telephone: 646-823-0150. Fax: 646-823-0152. http://www.flashpointmedica.com/
Risa Bernstein, Managing Partner/Co-President Risa.Bernstein@flashpointmedica.com Charlene Prounis, Managing Partner/Co-President Charlene.prounis@flashpointmedica.com Helen Appelbaum, Partner, COO Helen.appelbaum@flashpointmedica.com David Frank, Creative Director David_frank@flashpointmedica.com
Flashpoint MedicaCONTACT: Julie Laitin of Julie A. Laitin Enterprises, +1-212-286-2424,jlaitin@julielaitin.com, for Flashpoint Medica; or Risa Bernstein, ManagingPartner/Co-President, Risa.Bernstein@flashpointmedica.com, or CharleneProunis, Managing Partner\Co-President, Charlene.prounis@flashpointmedica.com,or Helen Appelbaum, Partner, COO, Helen.appelbaum@flashpointmedica.com, DavidFrank, Creative Director, David_frank@flashpointmedica.com, all of FlashpointMedica