WebMD Hires O&M, Launches Global Branding Campaign

Healthcare information provider WebMD Inc. launch a global branding effort and named Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide as its ad agency of record.

The integrated campaign, aimed at obtaining an estimated 32 billion consumer impressions over the next three years, includes television, radio, Internet, print and billboard advertising — as well as direct mail and presence at trade shows.

Billings were not disclosed. The tagline will be: “Health Has a Home Page.”

“Our objective in reaching out across so many media is to capitalize on our already strong identity to become the preferred Internet healthcare brand for leading names in any field — whether it’s a top brand in news like CNN, major branded portals like Lycos, MSN and Excite, or a publishing icon like Reader’s Digest,” said Jeff Arnold, chief executive officer of WebMD, which has partnerships with all those companies.

“WebMD is strategically positioned to become one of the Internet’s most powerful brands,” said Shelly Lazarus, chief executive officer of Ogilvy & Mather. “We will utilize our distinctive 360-degree branding approach to establish the WebMD name across a wide range of media to reach its audiences at all possible points of contact.”

As previously announced, Healtheon Corp. and WebMD have signed a definitive agreement to merge to form Healtheon/WebMD. Privately held WebMD, founded in 1998, offers a suite of Internet-based services and information for physicians as well as healthcare information services and online communities for consumers.