Sources familiar with the matter confirm that pharma giant Sanofi, which makes Allegra, Plavix and Ambien among many other products, has expanded its relationship with Digitas Health. As the hed says, the company is specifically consolidating digital creative duties for Pasteur (its vaccines division) with the Philly-based agency, which already had a pre-existing relationship with Sanofi as one of its media partners.
As a result, Publicis Modem is no longer working on Pasteur (example of PM’s work here), though sources say the New York-based unit has been working with Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (now home to Digitas/Razorfish Health) to help transition the relationship.
In other Modem-related news, Kim Easley, who has spent nearly two years as the agency’s VP/director of creative resources, has resigned and is heading back to her former life as a recruiter. We’ve been told that if need be, Publicis Modem will now be tapping into the creative resourcing function at Publicis NY, which has been working more closely with PM since the latter’s recent restructuring.
Update: Just to clarify, here’s a current rundown of Sanofi Pasteur agency partnerships:
– Creative AOR for Healthcare Professionals: Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Innovations
– Creative AOR for Consumer: Kaplan Thaler Group
– Digital Media: Digitas Health
– Off-line Media: Optimedia
– Digital AOR: Publicis Modem
As of January 1, 2012, digital AOR will transition from Publicis Modem to Digitas Health.