Ogilvy CommonHealth Hires Industry Vet Contess as President of Its NJ-Based Consumer Marketing Group

PARSIPPANY, NJ--(Marketwire - Feb 7, 2012) - NJ-based Ogilvy CommonHealth Consumer Care (OCHCC), part of Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide (OCHWW; www.ogilvychww.com), representing the largest assembly of creative talent in the world of healthcare communications, today announced the appointment of Neil Contess to president of the group.

Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide is a part of the Ogilvy & Mather network (www.ogilvy.com) and a WPP company (NASDAQ: WPPGY) (www.wpp.com). The organization also houses and maintains individual Ogilvy CommonHealth and Ogilvy Healthworld brand identities within the marketplace.

Mr. Contess joins OCHCC with more than 25 years of agency experience from which to draw. A natural innovator with a proven track record gained from having led a number of the most successful agencies in the advertising and marketing services businesses, Mr. Contess comes to OCHCC with an eye toward working closely with the cross-discipline teams at OCHWW to grow client brands and build upon the rich foundation of the group's consumer efforts to date.

Mr. Contess recently tenured as CEO & president of Euro RSCG Shake. Mr. Contess and partners sold the entrepreneurial marketing shop they'd founded (Shake) to Euro RSCG in 2007. Among his many professional accomplishments to date: Mr. Contess is responsible for helping to build an award-winning marketing services agency (Dugan Valva Contess Inc.) from near scratch to achieve both "Agency of the Year" and "Agency of the Decade" status for the 1990s (according to marketing publication, Promo Magazine). He led the global integrated marketing and promotions practice at Wunderman for Young & Rubicam and, following that, managed the North American region for Bates/141 Worldwide for several years.

"I couldn't be more thrilled to lead Ogilvy CommonHealth's consumer group as we're in the midst of significant and exciting changes in the healthcare industry," Mr. Contess said. "With increasing regulations and changes in the way people access healthcare, our clients are not only in need of better, more effective solutions to convey their messages to consumers, but also need to convey how the lifestyle choices consumers make can impact their overall well-being. Additionally, with the natural contraction of the 'traditional' healthcare industry comes great opportunity to broaden the industry's -- and the public's -- perception of what 'healthcare' truly means. I know I'm joining a team of professionals who are already thinking along these lines, and I can't wait to see what we'll accomplish together," he added.

OCHWW managing partner Marc Weiner agrees: "Increasingly, medical professionals and consumers are redefining healthcare by putting the emphasis on 'health' -- preventive medicine and wellness -- rather than 'care' -- the treatment of a condition or illness. As health and wellness become more important to medical professionals and consumers, it will also become an important platform for growth as we move forward. Neil is exactly the right person to lead that charge," Mr. Weiner concluded.

Mr. Contess has been honored with a large number of professional distinctions over the course of his career, including a two-year term as president of Marketing Agencies Association Worldwide (MAAW), several MAAW awards, a number of Effies (an industry awards show developed to recognize, educate, and encourage effectiveness in marketing), along with a Global Marketer Diamond Award for "Best Direct Marketing Campaign."

Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, with 65 offices across 36 countries, provides marketing services, including brand identity and development, clinical trial recruitment, digital/interactive services, direct-to-consumer, direct-to-patient, global integration, managed care marketing, market research and analytics, media planning and buying, medical advertising and promotion, medical education, public affairs and relations, relationship marketing, and strategic consulting. The network also offers scientific communications and publications services through a wholly owned separate legal entity.