Case Study: Healthy Town//PhRMA
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) came to The Wayne Johnson Agency to be part of the team to design and implement a two-year pilot project called HealthyTown. The purpose of HealthyTown was to identify two diverse host cities, Fresno, CA and Jackson, MS and launch a community-wide effort to not only bring attention, but teach people how to live healthier lifestyles and prevent chronic diseases like Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, Mental Health and Asthma.
This pilot program could then serve as an example of best practices, and how other communities could embrace similar community-wide health and wellness efforts.
In developing the program, The Agency assembled a unique collection of partners in order to provide a strong local foundation. We effectively garnered support from elected officials on both-sides of the partisan aisle, non-profit organizations, individual business and their organizations, ethnic-based groups and the medical community, including every local medical professional organization.
The first challenge was gaining trust for a national organization in a tight-knit community like Fresno. Through our grassroots, hands-on approach, PhRMA and subsequently the HealthyTown program became an effort that had real community input and ownership.
The Wayne Johnson Agency embarked on a robust media communications effort using both paid and earned media. We utilized and expanded existing grassroots communications networks and successfully earned numerous media features and hits in every major English and Spanish television, radio and print outlet in the Fresno media market.
Overcoming these challenges and working successfully within the local community nuances and alliances, The Wayne Johnson Agency turned PhRMA’s HealthyTown into a model that can offer significant benefit to communities and organizations embracing health, wellness and chronic disease prevention.
The success of the program and efforts of the team translated into HealthyTown winning the “Best use of PR to Consumers” award at the Medical Marketing and Media Awards in New York City.