NEWS & VIEWS

Big wins for Brightworks at the OPMA SKUY Awards

by Neil Follett - February 15, 2017

Having spent over 16 years in pharma marketing, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with some pretty amazing marketers – people who are smart and passionate, and have a way of inspiring everyone around them to be better.

I’m proud to announce that two such people have been recognized for their work at the Ontario Pharmaceutical Marketing Association’s SKUY Awards. Taking place this year at the Toronto MaRS building, the SKUY Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in Canadian pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing – and I can’t think of two more deserving winners.

I want to congratulate Jen Spearen for being recognized as the Industry Marketer of the Year and our own late friend and colleague Cam Bradley for being recognized as Agency Marketer of the Year.

– Neil & the Brightworks team

Jen Spearen, OPMA SKUY Industry Marketer of the Year

Currently a Director of Marketing and Clinical Education at BD, Jen has spent over 18 years working in the diabetes space. Over the course of her career, she has been a powerful patient advocate, working tirelessly to advance diabetes education at leading companies such as Eli Lilly, Bayer – and now BD.

Having been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age, Jen is driven by her desire to improve the lives of people living with diabetes. From sitting on the Diabetes Hope Foundation’s scholarship committee to challenging her Bayer marketers to live as diabetes patients for a month (so they could better empathize with patients), she is constantly pushing the envelope and looking for ways to improve the patient experience.

Jen is an amazing client to work with – her passion is infectious. We look forward to seeing what new initiatives she has in store for 2017!

Cam Bradley, OPMA SKUY Agency Marketer of the Year

There are few marketers – and frankly few people – like Cam Bradley. Over the years he spent as our Vice President of Client Services, Cam made a huge impact on our company, our culture and our clients. He was universally respected and brought a unique blend of creativity, energy, humour and passion to everything he did. Whether it was helping us gain AOR status with a key client or driving the strategy and creative that would win us dozens of awards, he did it with style and grace.

Tragically, in 2016 Cam was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was a devastating blow but one he did not let slow him down. He worked until the day before his first chemotherapy treatment, and in those last months, he remained committed and positive. Cam was determined to leave his clients and his team in the best possible place he could.

Cam made Brightworks a better agency, a better team, and in the end, he made us truly appreciate the value of time well spent.