Saatchi & Saatchi — Enhancing Core Services for a Premier NYC Health Advertising Agency
A world-class UX practice was established at Saatchi & Saatchi Health in New York — producing award-winning work for clients like Abbott Freestyle, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca while significantly increasing billables.
Role: User Experience
- Recognition
- Award-winning work
- Business outcome
- Increased billables
Overview
For Saatchi & Saatchi, a renowned advertising agency in New York, the engagement focused on embedding UX practices into the core offerings of Saatchi & Saatchi Health. The scope included establishing UX practices, increasing billables, and fostering a user-centered design culture within the organization.
Company impact
The UX practice took root during a period of exceptional momentum for the wider group — an agency scaling its digital capability inside the largest health communications network in the world.
- Publicis Groupe revenue (2011)
- €5.8B
- Digital share of revenue
- 52.4%
- New business (record)
- $7.9B
- Digital / RM / analytics work
- 30–35%
- A landmark year for the group: led teams through a period when Publicis Groupe achieved 5.7% organic growth and €5.8 billion in total revenue — with digital at 52.4% of the total and a record $7.9 billion in new business, driven by exposure to the digital sector, high-growth countries, and strategic acquisitions worth an estimated €400 million in additional full-year revenue.[^1]
- Award-winning healthcare creative: a key role in design and UX for healthcare product launches, including Sanofi Pasteur campaigns recognized by the Rx Club Awards — the healthcare industry's premier creative awards show — for creative excellence.[^2]
- Doubling the digital practice: accelerated digital, relationship marketing, and analytics to 30–35% of a 170-person agency's work, doubling from prior years — part of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, the largest health communications network in the world.[^3]
Challenge
The primary challenge was integrating the value of UX into the agency, a critical transformation that required a comprehensive reimagining of the firm's approach to its services. This involved pitching and securing new business, creating compelling proposals, and cultivating a deep appreciation for user-centered design and design thinking across the agency's diverse departments.
Approach
The approach involved building a world-class design organization, starting with a foundational team and expanding it to include a range of disciplines such as UX design and research. Expanding the scope of UX practice was also vital, incorporating methodologies like A/B testing, usability testing, ethnography, and heuristic evaluations to refine product development and user research. Additionally, a hands-on leadership style was essential, providing mentorship, fostering a design culture, and collaborating closely with various stakeholders throughout all stages of the design process.
Outcome
The proactive integration of UX led to the creation of award-winning work and strengthened the agency's presence in the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors, serving notable clients like Abbott Freestyle, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca. The emphasis on user-centered design and UX practices significantly increased billables and positioned the agency as a leader in delivering comprehensive, innovative solutions. Collaborative efforts with stakeholders, combined with the use of cutting-edge tools, enabled the creation of interaction design and UI work that set new benchmarks in the industry.
Reflection
Reflecting on this engagement at Saatchi & Saatchi, it is clear that the holistic incorporation of UX and user-centered design principles can radically transform an organization's offerings. The engagement highlighted the essential role of a well-rounded UX practice in creating groundbreaking solutions, particularly in advertising within the health sector. The integration of various disciplines, methodologies, and collaborative efforts demonstrated the transformative power and limitless potential of a holistic UX approach in shaping industry-leading solutions and experiences.