1. 60
AT THE HELM
Garnett Dezember,
president
PERFORMANCE
Growing steadily
HIGHLIGHTS
Headcount jumped
from 40 to 60
Won work for Biogen
Idec’s Lumiliximab
Immersed in work for
Genentech’s Tarceva
CHALLENGES
Preserving its culture
Landing more global
projects
For contact details,
service offerings and
client roster, see Agency
A-to-Z, beginning on
page 153
n
W
Navicor
Group
Specialty shop stays true to itself
while remaining on the cutting edge
hen the Navicor Group opened its doors
nearly four years ago, it did so with a twist on
the healthcare agency model: It would only
work with clients in the oncology and immunology
molecular edge, but in terms of the most appropriate
patients to receive treatment,” Dezember explains. The
company won Biogen Idec’s chronic lymphocitic
leukemia therapy Lumiliximab and added hepatitis B
therapy Viread to its list of assignments from Gilead Sci-
ences, joining Hepsera. Additionally, Dezember
proudly touts Navicor’s relationship with companies
like Merck and Biogen Idec by noting “we’re basically
their scientific agency of record.” The agency continues
to work with longtime client Roche Laboratories on
Xeloda and AstraZeneca on Ethyol.
The challenges faced by Navicor over the last year
were different than those encountered by other compa-
nies. As opposed to client defections and the accompa-
nying staff reductions, Navicor contended with the
preservation of its culture. Given that so many employ-
ees have encountered cancer and AIDS, the agency
tries to instill a sense of mission in them. “It’s usually not
so hard, to be honest. It’s why we don’t have to recruit as
hard as generalist agencies,” Dezember says. “Our peo-
ple feel that if they’re not doing something to enhance
the treatment of patients, it’s probably not worth com-
ing in. That’s not something we want to dilute.” To that
end, a percentage of the Navicor staff works with Camp
Sunrise, an oasis for children impacted by HIV/AIDS.
At times, Navicor’s work boasts more urgency than
that of other companies in the pharma-marketing biz.
“In the areas we work in, if a patient misses out on an
opportunity to get the best possible treatment, he or she
fields. “The thinking was that companies have so many
specialized products. There should be an agency that
has a similar level of specialization,” recalls Navicor
“Not every president Garnett Dezember.
Which isn’t to say that the positioning proved an
patient is going immediate hit. Both internal and external doubters had
to be right for to be assured, and “there was probably more skepticism
every therapy. within our own organization, to be honest,” Dezember Top: Part of a journal ad for Biogen Idec’s Lucid
Above: An unbranded ad for Gilead Sciences
notes. “It was up to us to define to [pharma companies]
It’s incumbent what our special expertise was. Once we did, they had a
on us to reach lot of regard for what a specialized experience can do might not get a second or third chance. That’s not a
out to the right for them.” It’s that regard which has allowed Navicor to responsibility we take lightly,”Dezember notes.
grow steadily during its first few years, jumping its head- Moving forward, then, it’s no surprise that Navicor
people” count from 40 at the start of 2007 to 60. The firm’s flexi- plans to focus on remaining true to its positioning, even
—Garnett Dezember
bility has something to do with it as well, as it happily if it means turning down other opportunities. The com-
works with global oncology and immunology behe- pany hopes to work on more global projects.
moths and cancer/AIDS/hepatitis upstarts alike. “Marketing, especially the kind of marketing we do,
Navicor spent the last 12 months immersed in its has to change,” Dezember says. “Not every patient is
work on Genentech’s cancer drug Tarceva, won at the going to be right for every therapy. It’s incumbent on us
end of 2006, which sated the firm’s desire to “be a part of to reach out, whether directly or through healthcare
something on the targeted edge of therapy—not just the providers, to the right people.”—Larry Dobrow
mmm-online.com R JULY 2008 R MM&M 121
![60
AT THE HELM
Garnett Dezember,
president
PERFORMANCE
Growing steadily
HIGHLIGHTS
Headcount jumped
from 40 to 60
Won work for Biogen
Idec’s Lumiliximab
Immersed in work for
Genentech’s Tarceva
CHALLENGES
Preserving its culture
Landing more global
projects
For contact details,
service offerings and
client roster, see Agency
A-to-Z, beginning on
page 153
n
W
Navicor
Group
Specialty shop stays true to itself
while remaining on the cutting edge
hen the Navicor Group opened its doors
nearly four years ago, it did so with a twist on
the healthcare agency model: It would only
work with clients in the oncology and immunology
molecular edge, but in terms of the most appropriate
patients to receive treatment,” Dezember explains. The
company won Biogen Idec’s chronic lymphocitic
leukemia therapy Lumiliximab and added hepatitis B
therapy Viread to its list of assignments from Gilead Sci-
ences, joining Hepsera. Additionally, Dezember
proudly touts Navicor’s relationship with companies
like Merck and Biogen Idec by noting “we’re basically
their scientific agency of record.” The agency continues
to work with longtime client Roche Laboratories on
Xeloda and AstraZeneca on Ethyol.
The challenges faced by Navicor over the last year
were different than those encountered by other compa-
nies. As opposed to client defections and the accompa-
nying staff reductions, Navicor contended with the
preservation of its culture. Given that so many employ-
ees have encountered cancer and AIDS, the agency
tries to instill a sense of mission in them. “It’s usually not
so hard, to be honest. It’s why we don’t have to recruit as
hard as generalist agencies,” Dezember says. “Our peo-
ple feel that if they’re not doing something to enhance
the treatment of patients, it’s probably not worth com-
ing in. That’s not something we want to dilute.” To that
end, a percentage of the Navicor staff works with Camp
Sunrise, an oasis for children impacted by HIV/AIDS.
At times, Navicor’s work boasts more urgency than
that of other companies in the pharma-marketing biz.
“In the areas we work in, if a patient misses out on an
opportunity to get the best possible treatment, he or she
fields. “The thinking was that companies have so many
specialized products. There should be an agency that
has a similar level of specialization,” recalls Navicor
“Not every president Garnett Dezember.
Which isn’t to say that the positioning proved an
patient is going immediate hit. Both internal and external doubters had
to be right for to be assured, and “there was probably more skepticism
every therapy. within our own organization, to be honest,” Dezember Top: Part of a journal ad for Biogen Idec’s Lucid
Above: An unbranded ad for Gilead Sciences
notes. “It was up to us to define to [pharma companies]
It’s incumbent what our special expertise was. Once we did, they had a
on us to reach lot of regard for what a specialized experience can do might not get a second or third chance. That’s not a
out to the right for them.” It’s that regard which has allowed Navicor to responsibility we take lightly,”Dezember notes.
grow steadily during its first few years, jumping its head- Moving forward, then, it’s no surprise that Navicor
people” count from 40 at the start of 2007 to 60. The firm’s flexi- plans to focus on remaining true to its positioning, even
—Garnett Dezember
bility has something to do with it as well, as it happily if it means turning down other opportunities. The com-
works with global oncology and immunology behe- pany hopes to work on more global projects.
moths and cancer/AIDS/hepatitis upstarts alike. “Marketing, especially the kind of marketing we do,
Navicor spent the last 12 months immersed in its has to change,” Dezember says. “Not every patient is
work on Genentech’s cancer drug Tarceva, won at the going to be right for every therapy. It’s incumbent on us
end of 2006, which sated the firm’s desire to “be a part of to reach out, whether directly or through healthcare
something on the targeted edge of therapy—not just the providers, to the right people.”—Larry Dobrow
mmm-online.com R JULY 2008 R MM&M 121](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/navicorgroup669-1-110118214352-phpapp01/85/The-Navicor-Group-MM-M-Top-60-Agencies-1-320.jpg)
