Born: Chicago, Illinois USA
Worked in: While Anne’s base has always been the US, she has done
work for Bayer in Canada, Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, Panama, Brazil,
Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Italy, Poland, France, the UK, Germany,
Switzerland, Greece, Spain, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, China, Korea,
Thailand and India.
Name an innovative idea or business solution for whichyou are most proud. Anne’s ability to lead in a time of crisis andencourage her team to think and act differently to ensure total responsiveness to the Aleve brand’s needs.
On December 20, 2004, results from the NIH ADAPT study linked Aleve and other medications to increased cardiovascular risk. The results made national news headlines, immediately resulting in a 50% decline in Aleve sales.
Months later, the FDA ruled there was insufficient evidence to support this link, but the damage had already been done. Aleve was the #3 analgesic brand in the category, with a core user group of arthritis and joint pain sufferers.
Anne led a team that worked swiftly and decisively to execute a response plan. The response started with an immediate wave of rational-based communication including TV, print and digital, reassuring consumers of Aleve’s safety. This was supported with a PR campaign leveraging scientists and doctors to reinforce the safety of Aleve. A second wave of communication boldly
returned to more emotional communication around efficacy. Aleve launched its first ever Superbowl TV spot, with the goal of confidently proclaiming Aleve’s transformative power for arthritis sufferers to a broad audience base.
This effort resulted in the biggest turnaround in over-the-counter (OTC) drug history since the Tylenol crisis. By the end of 2005, sales were up 70% and achieved levels higher than pre-ADAPT in 2004. The brand regained its #3 share position in the category and reinstated its safety and efficacy perception.
What role does innovation play in your marketing strategy today? Given the nature of the over-the-counter healthcare category, Anne needs to continuously bring fresh perspective to the way that brands are marketed and often find new and innovative ways to position the older familiar brands like Aspirin or Alka-Seltzer.
Anne doesn’t innovate for the sake of doing something new and different. She innovates to meet a need and improve the quality of the work. To ensure innovation is warranted, adopted, and successful, she holds true to her approach that all works begins with a clear vision and a keen understanding of your target audience. From there, she connects the necessary group of people with the knowledge and expertise to bring the Brand vision to life, and empowers them to turn over every rock and do their best work. She is able to establish the Brand’s vision by understanding the Brand, and then creating a strategy that drives the Brand forward.
Innovation has been key to the exceptional growth of the One A Day brand over the past nine years. Anne inspired the idea that the brand be positioned as complete multivitamin plus nutritional that offered specific benefits. This multiplus strategy has driven both product innovation and communications development over the years. Today OAD is a $300 million dollar franchise that has consistently grown share over the past decade and is known as a category leader in innovation.
Dictionary definitions aside, how would you characterize innovation in the work you do? At worst, challenging the process by which you get to great Work; at best, changing it.
Any other interesting aspects to your international background? Anne’s father was a doctor. Once a year, he made a trip abroad to spend time giving premium medical care to those who could not afford it. He put great stock in helping others and doing good deeds. Anne has taken this example with her to promote healthcare around the world via her work for Bayer HealthCare.
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