Propel integration with end-to-end agency services

Big ideas don’t happen by accident. They happen where people feel free to think differently. At Propel Health Communications, culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the engine that drives our work and the reason we show up every day with purpose. As an agency rooted in rare disease and specialty brands, our culture is our creative advantage. It fuels how we think, how we collaborate, and how we make meaningful connections with the people and communities we serve.

We believe that great work starts with intention, grows through inspiration, thrives on integrity, and shines with individuality. These values guide everything we do—from the strategies we shape to the partnerships we build. They’re not just part of our mission; they’re how we live.

At Propel, we create space for bold ideas, celebrate diverse perspectives, and never lose sight of why we’re here: to make a real difference. Whether we’re launching a brand, crafting a campaign, or simply sharing a coffee and a brainstorm, we lead with heart and hustle.

Our culture is why clients trust us. It’s why teammates stay. And it’s why we continue to grow—not just in size, but in strength, purpose, and possibility.

Our commitment as leaders is to protect, preserve, and evolve our culture, because culture isn’t static: it evolves, adapts, and grows as our agency does. It’s what makes us a thriving destination. When we build a workplace where people thrive, the agency thrives, and our clients feel the difference. Culture can’t be created—it’s built, day by day, brick by brick, by the people who believe in what we’re creating. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built at PHC—and even more excited for where we’re headed. Because when culture leads, everything else follows.

It’s easy to talk about physicians like they’re machines—diagnosing on command, juggling patients, checking boxes. But behind the white coat is a person under pressure, navigating impossible expectations in a deeply strained healthcare system.

On average, US physicians see 20+ patients a day, spend 16 minutes per visit, and spend nearly 2 hours after hours on documentation. And yet, we (unrealistically) expect them to remember every detail of our brands, engage with every message, and stay “digitally activated” across channels.

We need to stop treating doctors like algorithms and start treating them like humans, with a little more of the empathy and compassion that we expect them to impart on their patients.

Before we build anything—a message, an experience, a campaign—we ask: Who’s on the other side of this? And what might they need that they haven’t even articulated yet?

Designing with this kind of awareness means going beyond data. It means tuning in to their emotional bandwidth, cognitive load and lived experience. It means remembering there’s a real human at the center.

Sure, AI can scale content. It can automate, optimize, personalize. It can profoundly change our world in ways we haven’t begun to fathom (that’s a conversation for another day). But it can’t understand what a doctor feels after their tenth difficult conversation of the day, or what not to say when someone’s burned out. Or how to guide a doctor to listen to a parent sob after receiving a life-changing diagnosis about their child. These are, for now, still deeply human skills. And ones we need to protect.

It means we create with purpose, putting physicians’ (stated AND anticipated) needs at the forefront of our minds as we build brands. We lead with relevance. We earn attention, not demand it. And we recognize that the most effective communication isn’t about volume, it’s about resonance.

When we create with this compassion, we don’t just improve engagement metrics—we improve experiences. For the doctors doing the work. And the patients relying on them to get it right. Because sometimes, it really is life or death.

In rare disease communities, patients and caregivers are more than just stakeholders—they are the experts of their lived experience.

Unlike more prevalent conditions, rare diseases often lack widespread awareness, robust data, and established treatment pathways. As such, the firsthand insights of what it’s like to live with the condition become increasingly important to closing these gaps and facilitating meaningful change.

For pharmaceutical companies, improving patient outcomes is the driving force behind efforts to develop game-changing treatments. Yet too often, engagement with patent communities is limited to one-off collaborations vs a commitment to ongoing dialogue.

Imagine what’s possible if we partner with patients early and bring them to the table consistently to share their perspectives or co-create resources throughout a brand’s lifecycle. There are opportunities during the research and development phase to allow the patient voice to inform clinical trial endpoints and trial recruitment and retention best practices. Similarly, patients can provide information that is instrumental to shaping market access strategies, disease education, and treatment support and adherence programs.

In the rare disease space, where information and data tend to be limited, patient partners can help companies better understand the real-world impact of a condition from diagnostic delays to daily challenges of living with the condition—physically, mentally, financially, logistically, and socially.

Companies that move beyond transactional patient engagement and continuously seek to listen, collaborate, and act on patient insights build stronger, more trusted relationships with the rare disease communities they serve. When the patient voice is the North Star, innovation leads to impact, including successful brands and improved patient experiences.

In the ever-evolving landscape of advertising, the difference between a fleeting campaign and one that drives real impact lies in the strength of the idea behind it. Conventional advertising often focuses on building awareness and sparking initial interest, but great advertising goes beyond recognition—it creates momentum. This momentum is what transforms an idea from a simple message into a movement, one that resonates with both consumers and healthcare professionals in meaningful ways.

Big ideas in advertising do more than just capture attention; they shift behavior and foster engagement. To achieve this, brands must move beyond self-centered messaging and meet audiences where they are. By crafting campaigns that seamlessly integrate into consumers’ lives, whether through cultural relevance, emotional connections, or innovative storytelling, advertisers can create enriching experiences that feel authentic and impactful.

The most powerful advertising campaigns are those that people talk about without being prompted. These are the campaigns that make headlines, gain organic traction, and even attract the involvement of cultural icons or influencers. They don’t just exist in one space; they evolve, spreading across different channels and adapting to different audiences. A campaign with true momentum doesn’t remain static; it grows, shifts, and continues to engage long after its initial launch.

Momentum in advertising is not just about visibility; it is about driving demand and inspiring action. It has the power to influence consumer choices, shape industry trends, and, in the case of healthcare marketing, even propel health forward by encouraging positive behavioral change. When advertising moves beyond the transactional and becomes transformational, it has the potential to leave a lasting imprint on culture, communities, and ultimately, people’s lives.

The brands that succeed in today’s fast-paced world are those that understand the power of big ideas and the momentum they create. They recognize that impactful work is not just about selling a product but about starting a conversation, fostering connection, and inspiring real change. By embracing this approach, advertisers can go beyond short-term gains and build brands that truly stand the test of time.