People flock to the Emerald Isle for its lush landscapes, deep history, and rich heritage. As one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, Ireland is a fierce competitor in the global tourism arena. No small task considering the neighborhood.  While tourism is essential to Ireland’s economy and its four million citizens, the island nation is also recognized as a player in attracting foreign direct investment.  From Microsoft and Facebook, to Hubspot, Log Me In, and Lilly, companies have been flocking to Ireland for the past 20 years or so to take advantage of low corporate tax rates, an educated workforce, and relatively stable economy.

So when Frank Keane, Partner and Head of International Business at MKO Partners and Co-Founder of Ireland, Gateway to Europe invited me to attend a program in New York City on foreign direct investment in Ireland, I was intrigued.  I must admit in my current role, I am focused on the growth of our marketing and public relations firm here in the US and took his invitation as a welcomed opportunity to learn more about how Ireland markets itself for direct investment.  It was my understanding that the trend of enterprise businesses flocking to Ireland seemed to be tapering off, but then again, that would be more of a reason for Mr. Keane’s diligent work in marketing his country to attract foreign investment.  “If you’re not out there, someone else will get the business. The same principle applies to Ireland. We have a compelling story and we need to be in front of people explaining how business can benefit from our unique geo-political and business friendly environment,” said Mr. Keane.

The mid-April lively program featured CEOs from the US who made the move to Ireland along with Ireland-based service providers who help foreign businesses get started in Ireland. Panelists consisted of Ireland-based companies offering HR, payroll and tax services, to industry leaders in business process outsourcing such as SouthWestern,and they talked about the ins-and-outs of doing business with and in Ireland.  CEOs of American-based companies made their case for the opportunities and the challenges of getting started in Ireland, and touched on a wide range of topics: from getting office space quickly to hiring the right talent, to partnering with telecom and technology providers.  But marketing aside, the fundamental question remains: why would American businesses invest in Ireland when there’s uncertainty in Europe?  I attended  “The City National Economic and Investment Forum 2013″  in New York several weeks ago where Austan Goolsbee, former Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, questioned the fundamental setup of the Eurozone. The strength of the Euro, which may dissuade or slow investment continues to be a hot topic with investors.  The rocky road in Europe is lined with other pitfalls such as Europe’s complicated politics and with Greece, Spain and Italy’s woes…so why would Ireland tie its fortunes to Europe?  Isn’t the message off here a bit?

The reality is that enterprise businesses are not in business for shot-term gains. They are in it for the long run. And while opportunities for foreign direct investment are abundant around the globe, European economies are more mature and offer more stability for businesses in the medium and long term.  High flying growth is easy in emerging markets and when you start from a low threshold or zero, isn’t it?

Here’s why the message and the title of the venture of Mr. Keane and his colleagues is spot on. There’s plenty of data and indicators that make the case for investment in both the US and Europe, here are two that I found interesting: The transatlantic economy between the US and Europe is still the largest, garnering 40.8% while Developing Asia comes in second with 28%, according to the International Monetary Fund’s latest round of data. The US and Europe “account for nearly 60% of total inward stock of foreign direct investment and almost 75% of the outward stock of foreign direct investment,” according to AmChams, The Case for Investing in Europe.

So, even in times of uncertainty, the long-term bet for stability certainly seems to continue to be on the United States and Europe. As for Ireland, there are plenty of reasons for international firms to consider direct investment, including one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world at 12.5% for active businesses. In 2011, Forbes named Ireland as the best country in Europe in which to do business. The Economist Intelligence Unit placed Ireland 11th globally out of 82 countries, naming it as one of the most attractive business locations in the world.  “Ireland is the only English speaking member of the Euro with an excellent, well-educated workforce. Also, business costs including energy, private rents, office rents, services, construction and labor have all become more competitive here in Ireland,” said Frank Keane. These are not simply key marketing messages; these are realities of the business eco-system on the ground in Ireland; the nature and essence of the product, if you will.

As developing economies around the world mature, and more mature economies prosper, the competition for foreign direct investment will undoubtedly heat up even more. Until then, Mr. Keane and his colleagues recognize that marketing Ireland is a business imperative. From a pure marketing perspective, a proactive marketing plan seems to be well in the works focusing on American foreign direct investment in Ireland; from symposiums in key American cities, the web, to networking events and media. Everything else remaining constant, including due diligence, geo-political events and the ups and downs of the global economy, it appears that American firms with long-term aspirations would be hard-pressed to have access to a more rational foundation for doing business in Europe outside of Ireland. 

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The obvious reality is that every sector in the United States ought to be positioning itself in light of strong consumer sentiment and data.  Let me quickly set the table by restating a few key points from my previous post about market conditions and business climate that are relevant across industries, but are certainly applicable to healthcare equipment makers, manufacturers, and distributors:

• The stock market is at or near an all time high
• The business media seems to be whistling a happy tune about the comeback of the American Consumer
• Earlier this year, according to Bloomberg.com Macys’, Target and Gap reported sales that topped sales estimates in January, 2013
• This past February, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment climbed to 76.3 from 73.8 in January
• Ernst & Young cited stronger global markets and calls the US markets “very positive” in its most recent forecast.
• With property values rising and the job market strengthening, Americans seem to be poised for an uptick in wealth

So, what does the comeback of the American consumer mean to Healthcare consumption? From 10,000 feet, two things: 1) The American healthcare consumer will have more money and more confidence to spend it and 2) that confidence and willingness to spend will be tempered by impact on the collective psyche still felt from the 2008 market crash.

Who will benefit from this consumer wealth effect?  Consumer medical specialties, like dentists and cosmetic dentists, plastic and cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists, fertility specialists, bariatric surgeons, and those companies who are selling to them, as well as hospitals and surgi-centers who will deliver care in these service lines. We believe that other specialty areas will also see benefits such as certain areas of orthopedics, We see a healthy return of discretionary income spending in the aforementioned areas. At a recent meeting of Plastic Surgeons in New York City, a Baltimore based doctor said: “we’re seeing people coming off the street and dropping a $1,000 to $1,500 on procedures, and that hasn’t happened in a long time.”  As I write, there’s a strong bi-partisan push in the senate to repeal the medical device tax. I wouldn’t hold my breath if I am a device manufacturer or distributor. Just as a reminder, the 2.3% excise tax is on the gross sales price of taxable medical devices. Regardless of whether the medical device tax is repealed or not, companies who better position themselves in this climate relative to the American consumer, will have a whopping advantage over those who don’t.

Here’s how healthcare device companies and distributors can better position themselves in light of the coming wealth effect:

1. Down-line Education – Three pronged approach: 1) Get out in front of the market by arming your buyers with the information they need to make an informed buying decision for your products. Include information on what the wealth effect could mean for both their business and patients.  It is likely that they themselves are feeling the wealth effect personally. Of course, buying certain equipment will put your buyers in a better position to serve the needs of their patients who will now feel more comfortable in spending discretionary dollars on healthcare services. 2) Consumer down-line education through web and digital strategies will provide fertile ground to drive consumer education and show buyers your commitment to their success.  3) Peer-to-Peer education for buyers of healthcare devices and products. Down-line education must have a strong digital component, especially with the rise of mobile and the coming of Google Glass, which will once again revolutionize mobile. [A quick aside: I was one of the privileged few to recently accompany a Google employee on a Google Glasses tour and indeed healthcare must be prepared for the coming revolution, but that's a post for another day.]

2. Brand Like You Mean It – This is a great time to get back into the market with a healthy respect for your customers. Communicate with them on a level that they come to expect and specifically communicate value.  Your visuals must be stunning, your value lasting.  Now, I have been on the record and continue to be by saying that branding is “not what you do,” it’s a “result of what you do.” For those companies who have been lacking in promoting their products and services to exceed market expectations, the time to start building a foundation for your brand has never been better than right now. This is especially true now because some of your competitors will inevitably continue to rely on the same strategies, thinking the same old ways, or their size, or whatever will produce results in this environment. Good, let them. For companies who consider themselves brand leaders in their space, don’t rest on your brand laurels, because your customers will now need more information to make buying decisions, and have more access to information about your products and your competitors’.

3. Mobile & Digital Will Drive Marketing Strategy – Linkedin just surpassed 1 million doctors and nurses worldwide. Our own proprietary research shows that as of January 27, 2013, there were 500,000 people who have identified themselves in the United States as “dentists” on Facebook and 33,000 in the same category on Linkedin. There were 2,918 people who identified themselves as “general dentists” on Linkedin. Combine that with Healthcare topics being the most consumer-searched subject online in the United States, and you now have an idea of how important the digital environment is to your business. Educating the consumer and the market about the value of your products in the digital world is crucial to building consumer awareness and driving demand to your customers (doctors, dentists, hospitals, surgi-centers, clinics). Web and digital content must meet the expectations of the market, and if it doesn’t your company risks brand erosion. Positioning your products juxtaposed against value – remember, your customers and the consumer is once bitten and twice shy by now – will go a long way to making the case for your products. Your digital reputation and your customers’ must be spotless, because it is your reputation. So, move away from creating social pages and posting to meaningful digital strategies. Location strategies relative to how you sell should play a critical part. For example: if you’re selling an intra-oral camera, or gastric sleeves, you may want to share with your customers who else the in the area is using your technology via a mobile map application.  The very least you ought to do is mobilize your websites to make it easier for your sales force and your clients to access your products and services.

4.  Be a Category Creator – In Why It Pays to Be a Category Creator (Harvard Business Review, March 2013), the authors found that “category creators experience much faster growth and receive much higher valuations than companies bringing only incremental innovations to market.” Researchers found that category creators, while only 13% of the companies studied, accounted for 74% of the group’s growth. Consider the dental industry’s fore into sleep medicine. It was a blue ocean strategy, which opened up a new market for dentists and provided patients with yet different way to utilize and view their dentist. Whatever category you choose to create, and at the risk of overstating the obvious here, it has to be both ethical and make sense for the patient. So, be creative, you may surprise yourself.

It’s an exciting time to be in healthcare. Being nimble and entrepreneurial and taking advantage of selling into the current climate no matter size of your company is a virtue and highly accretive to growth in this environment.  So, jump right in, the water is fine.

Abe Kasbo is CEO of Verasoni Worldwide
Follow @akasbo or facebook.com/verasoni

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With rising property values and the job market strengthening, Americans seem poised for an uptick in wealth. In normal times, a wealth-effect makes things interesting for financial services firms. It gets more interesting when we couple it with the JOBS Act, which will provide hedge funds and other financial service firms the ability to market and in the process giving investors greater transparency. This will thrust more managers into the public and media spotlights, raising awareness of their firms and products. Public spotlight will also make it easier for investors to compare managers and options within their global investment strategies, heightening the competition for investment dollars between mutual fund families, private equity firms and hedge funds – including fund of funds.

While The JOBS Act is creating an unprecedented environment for hedge funds to market themselves, we believe there will be an indirect impact on related financial services industries like Mutual Fund Families, Wealth Advisory Firms, and perhaps even banks because the JOBS Act thrusts hedge funds into a more open market where they may have to compete with each other and other investment vehicles outside their class.  Whether you’re a hedge fund, Fund Family, or wealth management firm, you may already know that institutional, accredited and non-accredited investors remain cautious because lessons from 2008 continue to loom large in the collective psyche. Those firms who understand how to develop effective strategies, and not simply employ marketing communications tactics and ride the American consumer comeback, will surely come out ahead.

Below are six ideas to help your firm navigate the tricky intersection of the JOBS Act and the American Consumer Comeback.

1. Brand Wisely Not Quickly – Financial services firms will now be enticed and encouraged to “brand your firm.” Keep in mind that savvy marketers understand that branding is a combination of “what you do” from a marketing communications perspective, how you perform, how you treat clients and a multitude of other variables that translates into how clients feel about you…this only happens over time. So “branding your firm” is not a product that you can or should purchase as a “branding program”. Branding is a multivariate process, but only those who understand this point will truly be on the way to effectively branding their firms and separating themselves from the competition. Keep in mind that it took decades for Vanguard, Blackrock, Fidelity, TRowe Price, The Man Group and others to become a brand. So, the time is now to build your brand’s foundation through strategies rather than tactics. As for hedge fund of funds, “Niche oriented hedge fund of funds that differentiate themselves by either focusing on a specific strategy, region, fund structure or investor type [and] …those fund of funds that can clearly articulate their differential advantage will be able to not only grow their assets, but command premium fees,” said veteran hedge fund marketer Don Steinbrugge of Agecroft Partners in his January 2013’s Post on AllAboutAlpha.com.

2. Be Ready To Compete Publicly and Transparently – Work from the digital world backward and understand that your web reputation is largely your reputation. So ensuring that your website speaks to the breadth and depth of the aspirations of your clientele and that your website is mobile ready is paramount to the success of your marketing efforts. Your collateral, key marketing messages, media and conference appearances, sales presentations, your website and social media platforms must be integrated. We would argue that outperforming your competitors is no longer based upon your market returns; it’s also based on how you are perceived in the marketplace, which has a direct impact on growth and asset under management.  Certainly in the case of hedge funds, as the qualified investor pool grows, the more attention the media will pay to the industry, the more questions people will have. Consider Timothy Spangler‘s latest column on Forbes.com entitled The Simple Truth About Hedge Funds. The column attempts to introduce hedge funds to the general public by casting light on some of the perceptions or ideas that the public may have about the industry. It’s a natural cycle, as the media focuses more on hedge funds, hedge funds will have to provide answers – publicly in the media and in conferences – and privately as more potential investors are subjected to the same media messaging.

 3. Be a Category Creator – In Why It Pays to Be a Category Creator (Harvard Business Review, March 2013), the authors found that “category creators experience much faster growth and receive much higher valuations than companies bringing only incremental innovations to market.” Researchers found that category creators, while only 13% of the companies studied, accounted for 74% of the group’s growth. Think of Bank of America’s highly successful breakthrough “Keep the Change Program” campaign. E*Trade and Raymond James, both of which are attempting to re-categorize their market based on the new investor and consumer realities. While there are plenty of reasons to discount this approach if you are a hedge fund, private equity or wealth management firm, consider that Fidelity recently went to market with “Get More Out of Your Investment,” where the investor can earn “up to a $2,500 deposit bonus when you open up and fund a Fidelity IRA or brokerage account or add to an existing one.” So, be creative, you may surprise yourself.

4. Marketing Is Here To Stay – Everyone will be marketing, it’s a matter of how you define it and make it work for your firm. For hedge funds and private equity firms for example, your digital reputation must be spotless because you may or may not have a front facing advertising campaign. Though, if you appear on CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg or speak at a conference and happen to catch an eye of an investor, be assured that it is highly likely, if not a certainty, that they will visit your website and Google your firm and you personally to learn more; this behavior works across the board from institutional to individual investors. Capitalizing on traditional media through digital redistribution of print, video and audio is one way of doing it. So are your integrated digital strategies in order? If not, take a look at PIMCO (yes the link to PIMCO’s twitter feed is intentional) as a best practices model.

5. Reposition for Value – E*Trade is doing it, so is Raymond James. Both firms seem to have understood that even with an anticipated wealth effect looming, the individual investor, and we would argue institutional and the accredited investor, are all demanding value. In their recent advertising campaigns both firms are appealing to the value-based investor suggestion that the firms will “keep less” and so “you, the investor will keep more.” We believe that the experience of the recent downturn continues to drive investor behavior from institutions to individuals. Just because the JOBS Act has opened the door, it does not mean that investors will be lining-up at it ready to do business. Investors will ask more questions and demand more clarity. Your firm’s value statement should be at the core of your marketing strategies.

6. Media: Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile – While the traditional media still has its lure providing a valuable platforms for financial services firms, the move to digital and self-owned media creation and distribution is the way of today and the future. Investors will seek information on their time and at their pace, something television and newspapers – at least in their current form – are not able to do yet.  Also note that stories on the web, positive and negative, can go viral quickly, affecting your firm’s reputation as is the case with the New York Times most recent story about LPL Financial. In this new normal of mobile media world, firms who strategically position themselves for this reality and execute against it will outpace those who don’t.

Abe Kasbo is CEO of Verasoni Worldwide a fiercely independent marketing and public relations firm in Montclair, NJ.

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However, the unfathomable speed that is moving technology and media is creating a dangerous intersection for CEOs and CMOs who may be left feeling like they are drinking from a fire hydrant when it comes to marketing communications; so are now seeking more clarity on the subject than ever before. Strategic integrated marketing decisions in this space, and acting on them or not, will obviously affect brands and sales outcomes, but only if one can sufficiently separate the hype from the realities.

Below is our take on some of the realities and what dental companies and distributors can expect in 2013 in the marketing communications space. Here are our predictions for the New Year!

PREDICTION #1

Companies Will Be More Mobile or Will Lag Behind

According to Hubspot, in 2012 more people bought more smartphones than PC’s. Fifty-percent of US adults own a smartphone or tablet and 66% get the news on those devices.  In the second half of 2012, tablets outsold PCs.  By the end of 2013, we predict mobile will play a more strategic role with companies in the dental space, including the adoption of mobile branded content platforms, mobile ads and location based marketing.  Naturally, dentists have already moved in that direction, as their behavior typically follows the consumer market.

We believe the strong attachment to mobile devices will mean that those companies who move in a measured and meaningful way will also position themselves to own the mobile device behavior of their clients and salesforce.

PREDICTION #2

Editorial Branded Content Will Prevail

Research tells us that branded editorial not only drives organic search to your website, but also influences the reader.  Editorial content must be married with a mobile and social distribution to your company’s relevant network. Everything else is simply fluff.  So companies will seek to better align their mobile and content strategies to keep their products more in reach and top of mind.

We’re never wild about business terminology, but we just came across one that fits this prediction: “Newsjacking”!  Simply put, brands and companies must generate their own news and become their own publishers.  Sales professionals and dentists are a smart bunch, so companies who position their content in a way that they can be perceived as a resource will win over time.  Last but not least, companies will create once and publish everywhere!

PREDICTION #3

More Digital Bounce to Engagement, Branding & Sales

According to a 2012 study cited by Hubspot, one-third of CMOs say more than half of their budgets have shifted from traditional to digital marketing in the past year, yet the same study showed companies with 50+ employees spend almost 20% of their marketing budgets on tradeshows.  Where’s the intersection?  Companies in the dental space will begin to integrate digital strategies into their tradeshow presence to carry relationships formed at tradeshows well beyond that event.  Companies will go beyond email, to engagement on social and through peer-to-peer activities and brand story telling via mobile microsites. Companies who engage in this space will also see more earned media as a result of organic search.

PREDICTION #4

Company Website Shall Be Responsive or Be Gone

Since all data is pointing towards the supremacy of mobile search going forward, dental companies who are seeking a competitive position in the digital space – and who isn’t? – will make their websites responsive. Since mobile devices vary in screen sizes, users will grow increasingly frustrated in viewing a traditional website on a mobile device, and if the experience is frustrating, research tell us that they will find an alternative in about 4 seconds.

PREDICTION #5

Move to Big Data in Dental

Companies will look for strategic edges through integration of big data. Companies in the dental space will demand more access to fragmented data either to help access a market or make better decisions on how to drive sales.

PREDICTION #6

Social Media Will Break Out of Its Silo

Brands will understand that likes and followers mean very little unless they are engaged. Companies in the space will capture mindshare by recognizing that will no longer place their brands in social media silos but develop a more integrated approach to telling their stories and engaging their audience. Companies in the dental space will use social media to drive inbound marketing strategies and not simply for branding purposes.  Mobile will drive access, meaningful content and the platforms will drive engagement.  Social media will evolve in the space to serve as a key platforms for brand KOLs and media engagement.

PREDICTION #7

Advertising Still Useful, Not Dead, Monetize to Digital

The era of branded print and digital advertising is over in our opinion, but that doesn’t mean that the medium is dead. In fact brand print and digital advertising can be quite useful if integrated with their digital cohorts.  Successful companies in the space will drive print to web, drive print to social, and drive print to mobile and more.  The integration will deliver more data to help CEOs and CMOs make better decisions as they look for growth in 2013.

Finally, No doubt technology will continue to transform how brands communicate their value proposition in 2013 and beyond. It’s important to note that, regardless of technology, the basics of integrated marketing communications strategies still apply. That’s one prediction that we know will last through 2013 and beyond.

–

Abe Kasbo is the CEO of Verasoni Worldwide a fiercely independent marketing and public relations firm located in Montclair, NJ. Follow the company here: @twitter or facebook.

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MONTCLAIR, N.J. — A new nationwide study conducted by AhHa! Insights, the research division of Verasoni Worldwide, examined the top 150 downloaded mobile health applications (mHealth) among iPhone and Android users through March 31, 2012.  With more than 46 percent of the American population now owning smartphones, more and more people are turning to mHealth to help manage, monitor and improve their health. Mobile healthcare applications make up an increasing share of the apps available in the Android and iOS app markets. Though in this study, in regards to the iOS market, only apps available for the iPhone were examined.

The results show that weight loss and exercise applications are more heavily downloaded by far than any others.  The study examines the adoption of mHealth as a part of personal health management. It also provides further insight as to what health categories people may be interested in when using mHealth applications to manage their health and wellness.

Key findings include:

• Weight Loss and Exercise apps dominated the top 150 downloaded mHealth apps on both the iPhone and Android devices.
• iPhone users are seven times more likely to pay for a mobile healthcare app than Android users.
• Medical reference applications were downloaded ten times more by Android consumers than by iPhone consumers.
• Weight Loss and Exercise comprised 60 percent of total downloads. When “Weight Loss” and “Exercise” were removed from consideration, the following are the top six categories, in order:
  • Women’s Health
  • Sleep and Meditation
  • Pregnancy
  • Tools and Instruments
  • Reference
  • Emergency
• Top grossing applications for both Android and iPhone combined were Exercise, Weight Loss, Sleep & Meditation and Women’s Health.

“While mHealth is in its infancy, the potential of mHealth applications is well on its way. Though, no where in the top 150 applications for both iPhone and Android did we find significant downloads of connected medical and health applications such as blood pressure monitoring that delivers feedback to physicians offices, so it appears that the real potential of mHealth in terms of monitoring, diagnosing and providing real time results falls short here,” said Abe Kasbo, CEO of Verasoni Worldwide. “What this study tells us is what people are downloading. We do not know if and how these mHealth apps are being used or if they are having the desired effect that both their publisher or user has in mind,” continued Kasbo.

The study was conducted by AhHa! Insights, the research division of marketing and public relations firm Verasoni Worldwide. To view the entire study please visit http://verasoni.com/ahha3/mobile-health-applications-2012-study/.

About Verasoni Worldwide

Verasoni Worldwide is an integrated marketing and public relations firm with offices in Montclair, New Jersey and New York City. Verasoni Worldwide delivers expertise to multiple markets including healthcare, financial services and banking, government, travel and hospitality and not for profit.  Verasoni Worldwide develops and implements meaningful, cut-through marketing communications strategies for clients.  Verasoni Worldwide is a pioneer in the integration of digital and traditional media, including public relations, advertising, brand development, reputation management and global marketing communications strategies. To learn more visit www.verasoni.com Facebook.com/verasoni. Twitter: @verasoni.

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There is no shortage to the aspirations of the Mobile Health Applications market (mHealth) in the United States and around the world. Healthcare players from life sciences companies, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, insurers and beyond are scrambling to make sense of the opportunities that 4G mobile applications can deliver for their business enterprise and for improving patient health.  They have already been experimenting with other digital platforms such as web and social media, yet mHealth carries a disruptive rumbling in a marketplace that is searching to capitalize on the promise of even more data through hyper-mobile inter-connectivity.

As with many industries, innovation is key in healthcare, not simply on the clinical and pharmaceutical side, but in the seemingly sleepy, yet ever-important areas such as patient access and compliance. After all, patient behavior – how people use these healthcare applications – is key to the success of mHealth applications. We define success as raising awareness or improvement of a person’s particular health condition.

I hope you enjoy our report and find it relevant and insightful.  As with our other research projects, blogs and reports, we welcome your feedback.

Abe Kasbo
CEO
Verasoni Worldwide

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Executive Summary

About the Verasoni Worldwide AhHa! Insights 2012 Mobile Health Applications Study:

Media and technology move at an exponential and extraordinary pace.  The subsequent rapid adoption of devices and platforms also happens at a swift tempo leaving healthcare providers, including life sciences companies, pharmaceuticals, hospitals, physicians and dentists, and healthcare professionals to wonder how to use these platforms, which platforms to choose and what type of investment in applications would make solid business sense.

People today have unparalleled access to healthcare information via the web, and that number will surely continue to increase due to the mobile web, with the proliferation of smart phones and tablets.  Indeed, mobility is driving growth in healthcare applications and delivering unprecedented access to healthcare information and tools to people who want to be engaged in both their healthcare and well-being. This presents a unique set of challenges for those healthcare enterprises hoping to capitalize on mobile health or mHealth opportunities.

This study looks at the behavior of people and what applications they are downloading with respect to health, wellness and medical mobile applications. In looking at download data, it appears that adoption of mHealth is growing at a furious pace.  The rapid rise of  mHealth does require healthcare enterprises to develop a more nimble entrepreneurial mindset relative to the digital world. Yet, we caution, as far as we have come in “connected healthcare,” the market is still at its infancy, much like the web of the early 1990s.

Since the mHealth app world is massive, this study looked at the top 150 mobile health applications downloaded.  We defined “top 150” by the number of downloads.  We looked at the top 150 on two platforms, Android and iOS (iPhone only) for a total of 300 applications downloaded in the United States only. The factor of inclusion was the number of downloads specifically for the iPhone and Android devices.

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project (Half of Adult Cell Phone Owners Have Apps on Their Phone, November 2, 2011), of adults who download apps to a cell phone, “11% of all adult cell phone users” have reported downloading “an app that helps them manage their health.”  We thought it would be useful, through this study, to look at what types of apps are being downloaded to gain a better understanding of how people may be using these apps and the types of health related issues apps are being used for.

Study Scope & Limitations

This study is a snapshot in time and looked at the total number of mHealth applications downloaded through March 31, 2012.  The study reviewed available data from Xyologic, iTunes and Google Play.  However, data was primarily sourced from Xyologic, because, in our opinion, it offered a more comprehensive data set relative to the parameters of this particular study.  It is important to note that this study and its sponsors by no means endorse or have been paid by Xyologic.

We looked at health related mobile applications categorized under “Medical” and “Health and Fitness” for both Android and the iPhone. Because there are thousands of applications, we decided to focus on the top 150 Android and the top 150 iPhone mHealth applications downloaded in the United States only.

Data acquisition was done within a period of two weeks, to better provide a consistent comparison among download numbers. We approached our study as any user who may actively search for health related apps.  Searches were conducted by search term “top [health/medical] apps,” since this wording yielded more top ranking applications than other attempted searches, including “top ranking [health/medical] apps,” “best [health/ medical] apps,” “[health/medical] apps by download,” among others.

Although Xyologic tells the total number of downloads of applications across sectors including healthcare, we could not obtain the top 150 apps across all sectors in order to compare the top 150 healthcare app downloads against the total universe. Nonetheless, we have been able to obtain the total app download number which we think gives us some perspective on how mobile health apps are faring with respect to downloads.

While some iOS applications may work on the iPad, we specifically studied downloaded mHealth application data for the iPhone only. This study looked at the top 150 healthcare apps within the totals across the aforementioned platforms (a total of 300 apps – 150 for the iPhone and 150 for Android).

Data Sources

This study relied on data from Xyologic.com.

Xyologic as a Source and Its Limitations

Xyologic.com was used as a primary source for download information and although they do not publish their formula for determining application download rank, it is closely tied to the number of downloads per month, price and the publisher’s other successful applications.

We focused primarily on the number of downloads as a factor for inclusion, including:

1. Number of (US only) downloads since an application was released
2. Category (e.g. exercise, nutrition, reference, etc.)
3. Subcategory when applicable
4. Cost if any
5. iPhone and/or Android Market

In correspondence about the origin of its statistics, Xyologic.com told us: “We daily scrub Google’s and Apple’s app stores, most of the information is obtained this way. Download numbers are statistically estimated from the public app store’s data and our private database of real download values.”

General Limitations

Within the app categories, there was some overlap. The following categories included apps that overlapped:

1.“Reference” and “Medication”
2.“Sleep and Meditation” and “Mystical”
3.“Weight Loss” and “Nutrition”
4. “Tools and Instruments” and “Medical History, Tracker”
5. “Tools and Instruments” and “Reference”
6. “Reference” and “Emergency”

Key Findings

1. Medical applications, such as Emergency, Medication and especially Reference, were downloaded more by Android users than by iPhone users.  There were also a greater number of such applications available for Android. Reference applications, for example, were downloaded ten times more by Android consumers than by iPhone consumers.

2. Android consumers were more likely than iPhone consumers to download a Weight Loss application in March, but total download numbers showed the reverse. (See “Category Total Downloads.”)

3. There were more top Sleep and Meditation applications available to iPhone consumers than Android’s, (See “Number of Apps by Category”).

4. When total download numbers are considered, (“Category Total Downloads”) Weight Loss and Exercise comprise 60%. When removed from consideration, the following are the top six categories, in order:

a. Women’s Health
b. Sleep and Meditation
c. Pregnancy
d. Tools and Instruments
e. Reference
f. Emergency

5. Top grossing applications for both Android and iPhone were Exercise, Weight Loss, Sleep and Meditation and Women’s Health. However, the Android market’s top grossing applications were, in order, Reference, Exercise, Weight Loss, Tools and Instruments and Sleep and Meditation.

6. Downloads for paid applications were 7 times higher for iPhone applications than for Android applications.

MHealth Apps on the iPhone Dominate Android

The top 150 mHealth apps on iPhone far outpaced downloads of the top 150 mHealth apps on Android.

Chart 1: Top 150 mHealth Applications By Platform. N=300

Platforms and Low Acquisition of Device Costs Driving Growth

Be it Android, Apple (iOS: iPhone & iPad), or Google Play the potent proliferation of these devices have become the springboard to the growth of mHealth applications market.  Healthcare, already high on the list of search categories in the United States, will surely translate to mobile web applications.  But the question remains, how?  According to the Pew Research Center’s most recent study, “Nearly half (46%) of American adults are smartphone owners as of February 2012, an increase of 11 percentage points over the 35% of Americans who owned a smartphone” in May of 2011. The Pew study seems to corroborate the trend found in Nielsen’s Q3, 2011 study which showed that feature phones held a 57% market share, while smartphone penetration was at 43%.

We surmise that the lower cost of smartphones and tablets will naturally spur growth in the sale of these platforms and provide more fertile ground for growth of the mobile applications market including healthcare related applications.

The promise of the 4G era will take our new interconnectedness beyond just the social aspect and mobility will ultimately lead the way.  According to the Deloitte Research Open Mobile Survey 2011-2012, the healthcare sector is “thought to be the most promising new mobile growth channel…Seventy-eight percent (of study respondents) stated that the healthcare/life sciences sector held the most potential.”

Robust Downloads of Healthcare Applications

While “Angry Birds” it is not, mHealth mobile applications, as a genre, appear to be downloaded at a furious pace. Like the rest of the applications landscape there are “free” apps and “paid” apps in the mHealth space.

Weight Loss Is the Heavy:  Weight Loss Apps Dominate By Far

We found of the top 150 apps across iPhone and Android platforms, mHealth applications related to weight loss and exercise far outpaced other healthcare applications.  Of the top five apps for iPhone and Android, “Lose It” and “Calorie Counter & Diet” combined for over 24 million downloads (12,400,000 and 11,700,000 respectively).  The top 5 is rounded by “Pregnancy Tracker” at just over 2.5 million downloads, a running app “IMAPMYRUN” at 2.4 million downloads and “Period Tracker Lite” at just over 2.2 million downloads.

Chart 2: Top Five Downloaded mHealth Apps: iPhone & Android

For the iPhone, weight loss continues to dominate with “Lose It” with almost 12.5 million downloads as the number one downloaded app in the Top 150 followed by “Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker” at almost 12 million downloads. “Pregnancy Tracker” follows in third place with just over 2.5 million downloads, closely followed by “IMAPMYRUN” at 2.4 million downloads, and rounding out the Top 5 most downloaded mHealth apps is “Period Tracker Lite” with just over 2.2 million downloads.

Chart 3: Top Five iPhone mHealth Apps: n = 150

Of the top 5 Android apps, three of the top five are weight loss related apps led by “Calorie Counter MyFitnessPal” at 8.5 million downloads, “Calorie Counter – FastSecret” at just over 4.3 million downloads and “Alarm Clock Plus” at just over 3.6 million downloads (we included this app as part of the healthcare genre because we considered it a sleep related application). These are followed by “Instant Heart Rate” at just over 3 million downloads and “Noom Weight Loss Coach” which rounds out the top 5 with 2.8 million downloads.

Chart 4: Top Five Android mHealth Apps: n = 150

Exercise Leads in Category

Exercise is the leading category across both iPhone and Android.  Exercise is ahead by almost three to one.  Exercise leads the field with 102 apps or 34% of the top 150 apps on both iPhone and Android. Exercise is followed by reference (34 or 11%), Weight Loss (31 or 10%), Sleep and Meditation (26 or 9%), Women’s Health (21 or 7%), Tools and Instruments (19 or 6%), Medication (15 or 5%), Pregnancy (14 or 5%), while ‘Other” which encompasses disparate and various health applications comes in at 38 or 13%.

Chart 5: Number of mHealth Apps By Category: iPhone & Android. N = 300

Chart 6: Percentage of mHealth Apps by Category: iPhone& Android. N = 300

Healthcare App Categories by Platform: iPhone

Exercise is the leading app category for iPhones by a wide margin. The number of exercise apps is three times the next nearest category, Sleep and Meditation. There are 58 apps in the “Exercise” category making up 39% of the top 150 apps followed by “Sleep & Meditation” apps at 16 or 11%.  “Weight Loss” apps represent 9% of the total with 14 apps, followed by “Women’s Health” apps with 11 or 7% and “Pregnancy” (9 or 6%).  “Nutrition” and “Tools and Instruments” were found to have 8 apps out the total, each respectively representing 5%, followed closely by “Medication” with 7, also at 5%, while 19 or 13% of various healthcare apps in the top 150 are placed in the category of “Other” on the iOS platform.

Chart 7: Number of iPhone mHealth Apps by Category: n = 150

Chart 8: Percentage of iPhone mHealth Apps by Category: n = 150

Healthcare App Categories by Platform: Android

Not unexpectedly, on the Android Market, “Exercise” leads the way with 44 apps taking a 29% share of the top of 150 healthcare apps through March 31, 2012. It is followed by “Reference” with 28 or 19%, then by “Weight Loss” with 17 apps or 11%, then “Tools & Instruments” at 11 or 7%. We found 10 “Sleep & Meditation” and “Women’s Health” apps respectively with each taking a 7% share of the top 150 apps on the Android market, followed by “Medication” with 8 or 5%.  We found 22 various apps that we were unable to categorize with a coherent medical or healthcare related label, similar to what we discovered for iPhone.

Chart 9: Number of Android Apps by Category. N = 150

Chart 10: Percentage of Android Apps by Category. N = 150

Weight Loss is the Heavy: Category Dominates Total Number of Downloads on iPhone & Android

With almost 50 million downloads through March 31, 2012, “Weight Loss” apps clearly dominate the field outpacing the next category by almost 2 to 1.  “Exercise” follows “Weight Loss” with almost 26.5 million (21%) downloads, followed by “Women’s Health” at almost 10.5 million (8%) downloads.  We found just over 8.1 million (6%) “Sleep and Meditation” apps were downloaded while just under 7.5 million (6%) “Pregnancy” apps were downloaded during the same timeframe. Just over 6 million (5%) healthcare or medical “Tools and Instruments” were downloaded, while approximately 18.3 million (14%) “Other” healthcare apps within the top 150 apps were downloaded.

Chart 11: Number of Downloads by Category: iPhone & Android

Chart 12: Percentage of Downloads By Category: iPhone & Android

Weight Loss Category is Tops on iPhone

The category “Weight Loss” leads the way on iPhone with almost 31.5 million downloads which accounts for 46% of the top 150 healthcare apps downloaded from iPhone, nearly three times as many as the next category, “Exercise” which followed with almost 11 million or 16%.  “Women’s Heath” tracks third on iPhone with over 7.3 or 11% million while “Pregnancy” followed at almost 5 million downloads or 7%. Almost 4.5 million “Sleep & Meditation” apps were downloaded, or 7% of the total healthcare apps downloaded.  Just over 8.5 million healthcare apps fell into the “Other” category.

Chart 13: Number of iPhone Downloads By Category

Chart 14: Number of iPhone Downloads By Category

Weight Loss Is Tops on Android Too

It appears that “Weight Loss” as a category doesn’t have that much more day light between it and the following category “Exercise” relative to its peer on iPhone.  “Weight Loss” apps were downloaded just over 18.5 million times or 31% of the total number of apps downloaded in the top 150 healthcare apps.  It is closely followed by “Exercise” at almost 15.5 million downloads or 26%.  Healthcare or medical “Tools & Instruments” were downloaded just over 4.7 million (8%) times, while “Reference” and “Sleep & Meditation” were downloaded just over 4.3 million (7%) and 3.7 million (6%)  times respectively.  “Emergency” healthcare apps were downloaded just over 3.1 million times and represent 5% of the total number of downloads in the top 150 healthcare applications on the Android market, while “Women’s Health” applications were downloaded  just over 3 million (5%)  times and just over  6.1 million (10%) applications were downloaded that fell into the “Other” category.

Chart 15: Number of Android Downloads by Category

Chart 16: Percentage of Android Downloads by Category

The Business of Free and Paid mHealth Apps

There are free and paid apps in the “apposphere” and the same, of course, holds true for mHealth applications.  Of the top 150 mHealth apps across iPhone and Android, we found that people indeed paid for healthcare apps.  Prices range from $.99 to $7.99 in the top 150 mHealth apps.  The top five paid apps across iPhone and Android closely mirror the top five in the total universe studies. Naturally, “Exercise” led the way with just under 2.2 million paid downloads, a narrow lead over “Sleep & Meditation” with just over 2.1 million paid downloads, followed by “Weight Loss” with just under 1.8 million paid downloads, with “Women’s Health” trailing with just under 1 million paid downloads while “Other” representing a multitude of paid mHealth apps were downloaded just under 2 million times.

Chart 17: Paid App Downloads by Category, Android & iPhone

Paid Apps by Platform

On iPhone, just over 2 million “Sleep and Meditation” applications were paid for, followed by “Exercise” at just over 1.8 million and “Weight Loss” with almost 1.6 million.  “Women’s Health” paid apps were downloaded just over 800,000 times.  There were just over 1.6 million downloads for “Other,” representing a variety of health apps.   It is interesting to note that downloads for paid applications were 7 times higher for iPhone applications than for Android applications.

Chart 18: Paid iPhone App Downloads by Category

Paid apps on the Android devices were downloaded much less than for iPhone. Since we wanted to cover as many categories as possible, we looked at eight categories instead of five.  “Exercise” leads the way with just under 350,000 with “Weight Loss” a distant second at just over 200,000 paid downloads.  “Tools and Instruments” paid apps were downloaded just over 111,000 times, followed closely by “Sleep and Meditation” at just under 110,000 times.  A significant drop off from there to about 66,000 paid downloads for “Reference” with “Women’s Health” following at 57,600, “Emergency” at almost 50,000 followed by a compilation of paid mHealth apps that we categorized under “Other” with almost 90,000 downloads.

Chart 19: Paid Android App Downloads by Category

What We Know. What We Don’t Know.

It is important to note that companies like Nike and others are leading the way with connected gadgets like the FuelBand that allow users to wear a wrist band and measure how active a user may be during the day and delivers that data through a Nike FuelBand app. According to Wired.com (January 20, 2012), the real value in FuelBand could be in “helping you manage and track activities over time to achieve fitness and weight-loss goals.” How people respond to the feedback they receive from the app and what they do about it is, of course, unknown.  Mayo Clinic has developed an app for the iPad that allows patients to learn about recovery after heart surgery, access their plan of care and ask questions about their progress. This information is then transferred through the app to the patient’s healthcare team for monitoring and response.

We know that the mobile market will continue to grow and by every measure it is anticipated to surpass the desktop market.  We also know that healthcare applications are being downloaded at a brisk pace, though in this study we only looked at the top 150 healthcare applications across two platforms (iPhone and Android).  What we don’t know is how and if these mHealth apps are being used and to what extent. We don’t know if these applications are having a positive impact on the user’s healthcare as and if intended by the app itself.

Conclusion

Weight loss and exercise dominate the top 150 mHealth apps across  iPhone and Android.  Free apps dominate relative to paid applications, but since we do not have access to usage information it is not possible to determine if paid apps are used more than free apps or vice versa.  What is clear is that there is no shortage of consumer healthcare applications.  Yet,  download data is insufficient to determine whether people are actually using each app for its intended purpose and actually receiving a health benefit.

As mobile devices and networks continue to grow, it is reasonable to state that consumers will drive the mHealth market. Further, as mHealth continues to be adopted, it could present new ways of reaching consumers / patients via the app market, though we are still uncertain what impact any of these mHealth apps are having on improving the health status of those using them because there is no significant data available to us at this time that addresses the subject, and certainly, it’s very early in the game.

This exercise has also shed light on the fact that the most downloaded mHealth apps are not those that allow people to monitor their heart rate and send it to their cardiologists within seconds.  The most popular downloaded apps are weight and exercise related.  Our findings here seem to ring true with experts in the field like Francis Collins whose said in her article “The Real Promise of Mobile Health Apps” in American Scientific (July 10, 2012), that the most popular mHealth apps downloaded “pale next to the potential mHealth to aid in medical research and health care.”

As we have stated earlier, we believe that we are still early in the mobile health applications game.  The potential for mHealth will be encumbered only by our imagination and our ability to be compliant with the requirements of the technology and processes of the various mHealth applications.  At the risk of overstating the obvious, more data and research is needed about how people are using mHealth applications, because ultimately, the technology is already there. This begs the question, will we adjust our behavior as people and patients to allow the technology to do its intended job?

Acknowledgements
Abe Kasbo, Research Director
Rachel McLaughlin, Research Associate
Christine Falco, Editor
Sasha Idriss, Associate Editor
Edith Moczarska, Graphic Designer

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Sasha Idriss

If you’re having difficultly landing a public relations job or internship this summer, or looking to supplement your income with a great part-time gig, you should consider working as a brand ambassador. You can build your resume by working the promotional events planned by major brands.

Trade shows, concerts, and festivals usually have corporate sponsors. Whether it’s as a lounge, booth, or food truck, the brand will usually have a presence at the event. Alternatively, a consumer tech company may be launching a new smartphone this year, so they are planning an interactive product launch to raise awareness and generate buzz. This is where brand ambassadors come in.

Brand ambassadors represent the brand and convey its character and values to the public. Tradeshows, conventions, concerts, festivals, product launches, and in-store samplings are some of the events that brand ambassadors work. Their job is to provide a positive interactive experience with the brand and make the human connection that is lacking in traditional marketing and public relations campaigns.

Here’s why PR & marketing students and grads should consider the gig:

Exercise in Strategy.

These are the events you will hopefully be planning one day, so this is a great exercise in reverse engineering the strategy involved in the event.

• Location. This is your target market and demographic. Is your event taking place at a luxury mall? Then the brand you are representing is trying to compete in the high-end, lifestyle market for affluent consumers.
• Talking Points. Who wrote these talking points? It’s the public relations or marketing department or agency. Think of the specific messages involved – this is what differentiates the product or brand from others in the marketplace.
• Giveaways and Surveys. At these events, brand ambassadors give away freebies like t-shirts, ask visitors to check in on Foursquare and encourage them to fill out surveys for a chance to win a prize. Not only do these actions build goodwill, they are used to measure the success of the event. They are factors in the number of impressions and ROI.

Opportunities for Networking.

There is usually an agency or corporate representative on site to make sure the event is running smoothly. (This may also be you one day). When the event is over, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the event planning process and to connect for advice and future opportunities. Don’t neglect to network with your team, either. They are likely planning on moving up as well and could be future agency contacts.

It’s fun!

I’ve worked product launches, concerts, games, festivals, conventions and fashion shows, and each one was a blast! Being a brand ambassador requires an outgoing, energetic personality, so you’re surrounded by a great group of people. As you gain more experience, you’re eligible to go on tour across the country with the promotions team. A colleague of mine is currently touring at summer music festivals for an auto brand.

To become a brand ambassador, register with an event and promotional staffing agency. Brand ambassadors are usually considered independent contractors and only work when the agency has an upcoming event in the area. Most brand ambassadors work with several agencies to ensure steady work.

The downsides are typical of freelancers: there may be dry spells (especially if you don’t live near a major city), payment usually takes between two to six weeks for processing and you’re always looking for new opportunities. The pay usually makes up for it though – it’s much more than what most other college students make in regular part-time jobs.

Despite those potential drawbacks, working as a brand ambassador is a fun way to build experience until you land your internship or job.

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Sasha Idriss is Associate Account Manager at Verasoni Worldwide, a marketing and public relations firm in Montclair, NJ.

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Uncovering Crusaders

The searing affect of our new interconnectedness is the ability to effectively mobilize people on vertical issues without the involvement of the mainstream media. Obama’s campaign, perhaps better than anyone, understands the power of our new interconnectedness through its micro-donations campaigns. Micro-donors in themselves may generate a money-bomb, but the $3 donation actually sheds light more about particular issues or platform than it is about the money. From the campaign’s perspective, the received $3, but more importantly the money helps identify people who are motivated and allows them to stay connected to them. These are the campaign crusaders.

Crisis Management & Public Relations

From Washington to Wall Street, the game continues to change. Jami Dimon and his team inherently understood how the new interconnectedness could have driven even a bigger wedge between Wall Street and Main Street and took to the airwaves and the web at the same time.  In a classic case of crisis management, he admitted the problem at hand, issued an immediate apology, answered questions at – a very friendly – Congressional Hearing.  In his testimony, Mr. Dimon was contrite and forthright both in his demeanor and answers (even though it seemed like some members of Congress were apologizing to him).  Kudos to him and his crisis management team on taking the reigns and getting out front in managing the crisis.  JP Morgan seemed to understand the consequences from Main Street (remember it’s in the retail banking business now) if its approach would have been aloof like BP or indifferent / dear in headlights like AIG.  No matter what happens going forward in the house of JP Morgan, from this point on, dare I say that Dimon and his team delivered real value to shareholders and the markets in the way they handled the crisis.  But Dimon and JP Morgan et. al. be forewarned, while your communications strategies seemed to save the day, people will watch your deeds more than your words.

Social Responsibility

It seems that after every crisis companies pump up the volume on their social responsibility campaigns. Yet, in their efforts to show contrition, social responsibility campaigns seem to be “turned on or rolled out” after a crisis rather than smoothly continuing as part-and-parcel of existing integrated campaigns.  Transparency is an essential ingredient to any social responsibility initiatives. As well intentioned as they may be, they will always need to be deeper and more meaningful in the coming days because of hyper digitization of our lives.  Social responsibility initiatives must transcend “talking points” and deliver meaningful programs that drives value to both the community and the corporation or government sponsor.

Talk is cheap, but transparency is golden.

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Abe Kasbo is CEO of Verasoni Worldwide, A Marketing and Public Relations Firm based in Montclair, NJ.

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-New Health and Wellness Talk Show Debuts on WOR 710 AM Radio-

MONTCLAIR, NJ. July 3, 2012 - Verasoni Worldwide, a marketing and public relations firm, is pleased to announce the launch of Health Navigator, a new healthcare and wellness radio talk show debuting July 8, 2012 on WOR710 AM Radio. Health Navigator will air every Sunday from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Health Navigator is a new health and wellness talk show that will dissect the latest healthcare trends and fads, to separate sound health and medical advice from the hype.  The show will feature leading physicians and health practitioners who will tackle timely topics such as how to navigate our complex healthcare system, the benefits and drawbacks of barefoot running, sports concussions,medical weight loss, women’s health issues,  vaccination controversies, nutrition and food, among other relevant health topics.

Health Navigator is enthusiastically sponsored by Raritan Bay Medical Center serving Greater Central Jersey and Staten Island.  The hospital is located in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge, New Jersey.  Health Navigator is part of the medical center’s community outreach and patient education initiatives.  The show is hosted by Abe Kasbo, CEO of Montclair, NJ-based marketing and public relations firm, Verasoni Worldwide.  The show is produced by Montclair, NJ resident Hannah Wylie and co-produced by Haledon’s, Sasha Idriss.

“We’re pleased to partner with WOR710 AM on this exciting show to help reach more members of our community and more importantly, we hope that Health Navigator makes a real positive impact on the health status of our listeners and our community,” said Mike D’Agnes, President and CEO of Raritan Bay Medical Center.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to join WOR’s esteemed line-up.  We’re happy that WOR will carry our show and we’re thankful to our sponsor Raritan Bay Medical Center for making it happen,” said Abe Kasbo. “Our goal is to  be an indispensable resource for patients who are seeking expert, real world advice on health and wellness topics,” continued Mr. Kasbo.  The show will also be promoted via pre-and-post-show press releases, social media and the show’s page on www.WOR710.com.

About Verasoni Worldwide

Verasoni Worldwide is a full-service marketing and PR agency with offices in Montclair, New Jersey and New York City. Verasoni Worldwide delivers expertise to multiple markets including healthcare, financial services and banking, government, travel and hospitality and not for profit.  Verasoni Worldwide is widely recognized as a leader in developing and implementing meaningful, cut-through creative campaigns for clients.  Verasoni Worldwide, of the leading nj public relations firms, is a pioneer of the integration of digital and traditional media, including public relations, advertising, brand development, reputation management and global marketing communications strategies. To learn more visit www.verasoni.com . Facebook.com/verasoni. Twitter: @verasoni.com.

About Raritan Bay Medical Center

A New Jersey state-designated primary stroke center, RBMC, with locations in Old Bridge and Perth Amboy, is one of less than two percent of hospitals nationally to achieve re-designation as a Magnet Hospital, recognizing nursing excellence, and is a recipient of the American Stroke Association Get with the Guidelines^SM - Stroke Silver Performance Achievement Award, and the American Heart Association Get with the Guidelines^SM – HeartFailure Gold Performance Achievement Award. The hospital’s Human Motion Institute is devoted to providing superior outcomes and patient satisfaction in all areas of musculoskeletal treatment, and its Institute for Weight Loss at Old Bridge provides individualized medical and surgical weight loss options. Other specialty services including the Center for Wound Healing, Center for SleepMedicine, Center for Women and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy programs. RBMC’s Medical Pavilion at Woodbridge provides urgent care services without an appointment 365 days a year, an obstetrics and gynecology physician practice and outpatient physical therapy services. To learn more visit www.rbmc.org.

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“We are proud of our brand and as leaders in the field, we want to ensure that we invest in our brand and reputation just as we urge our clients to do the same.  We are pleased to select Verasoni Worldwide as marketing and PR counsel to help us rebrand. This is an important step towards communicating our brand value to our partners and clients in a meaningful way,” said Dr. Matthew Kreiger, Founder and CEO of Million Dollar PPO.

“Dentists come to rely on Million Dollar PPO to grow and transform their practice. These branding and marketing communications efforts we are undertaking with Verasoni Worldwide are an important part of our overall national growth strategy,” said Jason Siruchek, Chief Operating Officer of Million Dollar PPO.

“We are very pleased to be selected by Dr. Kreiger and Million Dollar PPO as marketing and PR agency of record.  Million Dollar PPO has an extremely compelling value proposition that delivers tangible results for its clients and partners, and we are excited to be in a position to help proselytize this great brand,” said Abe Kasbo, CEO of Verasoni Worldwide.

Million Dollar PPO provides dentists across the United States with relevant tools to help them become more profitable, through efficiency. Million Dollar PPO works at the intersection of great dentistry and great business to allow dentists to be more profitable, deliver quality dental care to patients while reducing the stress of running a dental practice.

About Million Dollar PPO

Based in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Million Dollar PPO is a national dental practice-consulting firm led by Dr. Matthew Kreiger and Jason Siruchek. The Million Dollar PPO team delivers proven strategies and systems that transform ordinary dental practices into efficient and profitable businesses. To learn more about Million Dollar PPO please visit: www.milliondollarppo.com, facebook.com/MillionDollarPPO.

About Verasoni Worldwide

Verasoni Worldwide is a full-service marketing and PR agency with offices in Montclair, New Jersey and New York City. Verasoni Worldwide delivers expertise to multiple markets including healthcare, financial services and banking, government, travel and hospitality and not for profit.  Verasoni Worldwide is widely recognized as a leader in developing and implementing meaningful, cut-through creative campaigns for clients.  Verasoni Worldwide is a pioneer of the integration of digital and traditional media, including public relations, advertising, brand development, reputation management and global marketing communications strategies. To learn more visit http://www.verasoni.com. Facebook.com/verasoni. Twitter: @verasoni.com.

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