Client: Actavis/Zdravlje Actavis

Subject: Corporate communications during the period 2004 – 2009



Renowned pharmaceutical company Zdravlje was founded in 1953 in Leskovac. At the end of the 2003 it was privatized by Icelandic company Pharmaco, whose name was later changed to Actavis. Today, Zdravlje Actavis is one of the most modern companies and one of Europe's factories with the highest standards and quality of manufacturing generic drugs.

Actavis is one of the world's leading players in the development, manufacture, and sale of modern generic pharmaceuticals. Founded in 1956, the Company has led an assertive program of expansion, making more than 20 acquisitions in the past several years and operations in more than 40 countries across the globe, which makes Actavis one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical companies in the world.

In addition to manufacturing operations at Zdravlje Actavis, the company’s Serbian branch is also active in the field of marketing and sales executed via the company’s representative office in Belgrade.



The agency has been cooperating with Zdravlje Actavis company since March 2004, when the need for establishing continuous communications activities was recognized. After finalization of acquisition by the Icelandic company Actavis (then Pharmaco) at the beginning of 2004, the new management decided to initiate cooperation with the Profession Group team, as its local agency, for the following reasons:

• specialized for the corporate communications – at the time when it took over communications for Zdravlje Actavis, beside GlaxoSmithKline, PRofession Group cooperated also with pharmaceutical company Schering AG Berlin. This fact made it unambiguously clear that the agency had an in-depth knowledge of the sector and that the long-standing cooperation with the globally renowned companies indicated quality and professional standard of the agency
  
  
• high standard of service - PRofession Group has had opportunity to compare its performance and abilities with an international group of agencies, which has also competed for the cooperation with Zdravlje Actavis, and which has provided PR services to Actavis in a number of European countries. Actavis’ Vice President of Corporate Communications decided to entrust this job to Profession Group, since the past performance and evident competence have justified the recommendation of local management.
  
  

From year to year, our cooperation with Actavis has been showing strong growth. Following the opening of Actavis’ regional representative office in Belgrade, in 2005, our work expanded to the service of full account management for production (Zdravlje Actavis in Leskovac), sales and marketing (representative office in Belgrade).

During these processes, the management of Actavis Serbia has been changing, but our cooperation continued. The degree of mutual coordination between client’s management and our team is one of excellent examples of good practice in the communications field.

1. Creation of Communications strategy
2. Creation and implementation of operational communications plans
3. Crisis management: creation of crisis communications strategies, consulting and execution
4. Consulting in all matters related to communications
5. Media relations
   • Maintenance of relevant media network
   • Press office services (full service: press releases writing and distribution, organization of interviews, special features creation, responding to the media inquiries, etc...)
   • Press briefings, press conferences and press visits
   • Creation of dedicated press kits
6. Support to marketing activities
7. Creation of dedicated brochures
8. Organization of the special events and joint promotions
9. Creation and adaptation of the advertising materials and creation of advertising campaigns
10. Organization of the specialized external support (media buying, creative agencies, etc.)
11. Photo and video production
12. Press and video clipping

Annual communications strategies and plans of operation have been prepared every year in accordance with detailed inputs provided by company’s management. We have been tasked with the overall design of communications strategy, which implied alignment of local needs and priorities with the global corporate guidelines.

During four years of activities, excellent cooperation with the management has enabled us to execute all planned strategies and reach our targets. Owing to understanding of management strategies and priorities, and an in-depth knowledge of communications processes, we have succeeded in affirming results of company modernization. We have affirmed Actavis as the new owner of Zdravlje, supported all important business activities and results, affirmed the management and overcame all communications challenges, which presented themselves before the company in transition.

In addition, we have provided support in all activities of sales and marketing through well designed and effective companies for the segment of portfolio that may be advertised and promoted, in accordance with the law.



Owing to the understanding of business processes and interests of our client, but also to excellent cooperation with all relevant media, our work in the area of crisis management is preventive above all. We create the conditions that will prevent crisis situations, while all potential crises are mitigated or stopped through a timely assessment, communications planning, fast reaction and quality of information.

Our openness to inquiries from the media in all situations has built great trust betweens us, which is especially important in situations that may be delicate for the business or image of a company. We place great emphasis on the client management’s high level of awareness and readiness to work closely with the agency and media in those situations. That is of key importance to successful communications during a crisis.



Press office

The agency has established a good journalist network and keeps regular contact with all relevant media. The journalist network consists of journalists and editors of daily newspapers, agencies, electronic media (radio and TV), business magazines, weekly magazines, life style magazines, specialized magazines, regional and local media. During the past four years the agency has generated 400 articles published in print media, about 100 TV reports, many reports in the local media and radio programs. Agency is available to journalists 24/7 throughout the year and responds to all inquiries with great promptness and quality.

The agency has organized many interviews and wrote numerous statements. Agency is proactive in its operation, with minimal additional engagement of company’s management, since the basis for our communication with media is an extensive and approved press material. However, all interviews and statements always receive the final authorization by representatives of the management, in a very efficient procedure that does not take much of their time.


Press briefings, press conferences and press visits

In line with the PR plan, agency has organized numerous meetings between management and journalists, and visits of journalists to the headquarters of Actavis company, its branch in Malta, and primarily, the production facilities of Zdravlje Actavis in Serbia.



Agency has supported company’s marketing activities targeting sales growth, in the following ways:

• design of PR campaigns in support to marketing and sales activities dedicated to a specific portfolio
• creation of an advertising strategy
• selection of an adequate external partner (creative agency and media buying agency) and monitoring of their work and coordination of work with these partners

Agency has created dedicated brochures and special publications for corporate promotion. Activities included writing of texts, selection of illustrations, design and preparation for printing.

This type of activity was executed both in the segment of corporate promotion and promotion of the product portfolio. The best example of this activity is the special supplement on 24 pages, which was inserted in a reputable business magazine “Biznis”. That issue of the magazine was promoted at a conference organized by the international “Economist” magazine in Belgrade, in the presence of many businessmen and representatives of the Government of Serbia.

Additionally to the corporate supplement, we prepared a brochure dedicated to the osteoporosis program, which represents a significant therapeutic group in the company’s portfolio. Through an attractive design, in accordance with the legal requirements, we promoted company’s products, called for prevention, educated and informed the reader.



During the long-standing cooperation, agency organized numerous special events, including events to promote projects, successful individuals and groups, who are sponsored by the company. Further, the agency initiated joint actions, including promotion of company’s partners. This type of activity targeted the corporate promotion and achievement of business objectives, as well as the support to marketing activities.



Agency prepares regular monthly reports on executed activities and generated publicity. Additionally, agency also prepares quarterly and annual reports, as well as special themed reports, as requested by the client.