Making the World a Better Place Through Marketing and Communications
Published on February 27, 2020, at 7:48 p.m.
by Hannah Fogus.
According to PRSA, the official definition of public relations is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” What if that relationship could directly save people’s lives? In some cases, it can. That is the case for W2O — a company that combines communications with health care to make an impact on the lives of others.
Who is W2O?
W2O is a marketing communications health care firm that influences the environment of global health care by the work its staff members do. The agency has various teams — ranging anywhere from analytics, digital, social media, strategy, or production — that work collaboratively to deliver successful campaigns for its clients. Its teams have communicated their campaigns in over 40 countries, backed by its international teams in the U.K. and Switzerland.
The campaigns W2O has produced so far have made a positive impact on not only its clients but also patients. W2O helped Susan G. Komen, a nonprofit breast cancer organization, increase its site traffic by 76% and increase mobile sessions by 69%. By increasing Komen’s site traffic, more people know how to support breast cancer patients — which can directly save someone’s life.
The company has 15 locations across three countries — the U.S., Switzerland and the U.K. — with 13 offices in major U.S. cities offering great work benefits in all locations. These benefits include flexible vacation time, maternity leave, bonuses, retirement savings and income protection. There are amazing upsides to working for W2O, because senior managers expect great work from their employees in return — and the employees don’t disappoint.
W2O’s outstanding work has won a multitude of awards. Jim Weiss, founder and CEO of W2O, prides the firm on taking advantage of using scientific data analytics to create and execute its campaigns in the most powerful way that guides action.
The employees
Along with its impactful work, W2O’s employees have also been recognized. Kevin Johnson, president of W2O marketeching, was named to MM&M’s class of 40 under 40 honorees — an honorary list to recognize young, cutting edge minds in the health care and pharma fields. The awards ceremony for this exclusive list will take place on May 12, 2020, in New York City. A company is not a company without its employees, and W2O’s employees go above and beyond.
The employees have proven themselves to be a valuable asset to the company. Jennifer Shaughnessy and Angela Gillespie gave their personal accounts of what it has been like to work at W2O so far.
Jennifer Shaughnessy
Jennifer Shaughnessy said the mission of W2O is “to make the world a healthier place through
marketing and communications.” This mission seems to be the driving factor in how the company operates — a mission that directly influences people’s lives.
Shaughnessy joined W2O in March of 2019 and as a managing director at the San Francisco office. She said her experience with
W2O “has been a wonderful ride.”
The main reason she got into health care communications was the impact her work with the company is making on people’s lives. “The impact you can make, even in the smallest way, is incredibly rewarding,” said Shaughnessy. “The science our client partners are pursuing is inspiring and literally changing the lives of people.”
One of her favorite parts of her job is the daily variety of her work at W2O. “There is no playbook. Each day is different, and everyone has a role to play,” said Shaughnessy. “It is one of my favorite things about my career.”
She has worked at other public relations agencies in the past and compared those experiences to her time at W2O. “What makes W2O different is we are an independent agency,” said Shaughnessy. “We are really empowered to lead, and your voice is heard all the way to the top. We truly are a community to bring wellness to people.”
Shaughnessy’s personal experience at W2O illustrates the employees’ passion for bringing health and wellness to people. She embodies the mission of W2O as a whole.
Angela Gillespie
Angela Gillespie is one of many notable leaders at W2O. Gillespie obtained her bachelor’s degree in speech communications from The University of Alabama where she competed in public speaking events. “The education I got at Alabama was fantastic,” said Gillespie. “Taking public speaking classes and competing in public speaking events gave me skills everybody should learn. It gave me the confidence to present myself professionally.”
After her education at Alabama, she has gone on to do great things in her career. She recently became the chief operating officer at W2O in New York City.
Previously, she ran the San Francisco W2O office for many years. Moving from the San Francisco office to New York City, she described a few differences between the two atmospheres. “San Francisco is very laid back, professional, but more laid back,” said Gillespie. “New York is a work hard — play hard culture.”
Gillespie shares Shaughnessy’s fiery passion for bringing health and wellness to people. “I am someone who is mission-driven,” said Gillespie. “I need to do something that is impactful. At W2O, I know that every day I come to work, we are making the world a better place through marketing and communications. At the end of the day, I know my work has touched someone’s life.”
Gillespie is a great example of what a leader looks like at W2O — someone who is mission-driven, passionate and multidimensional.
The reward
Listening to personal employee experiences at W2O was true evidence of how rewarding a job combining health care with public relations can be. Directly impacting people’s lives just by going to work each day can bring a huge sense of fulfillment.
W2O inspires passion and creativity by changing the lives of others. The relationships between W2O staff and their clients directly save the lives of people.
W2O gives employees the reward of coming home after work and being able to describe how they brought health to the community. What more could you ask for?
