Stephen Neale
Senior Vice President, Executive Creative Director
AbelsonTaylor
A Deliverer of Iconic Campaigns
“Stephen Neale deeply immerses himself in the science of our products, working closely with us to elucidate the ‘brand voice’ that clearly communicates the perfect patient and the perfect occasions to select our brand,” says client Joe Hoholick. “Stephen is an exceptional creative director who respects and treasures partnership with his advertising teams and his clients.”
Like all outstanding creative directors, Stephen gets results. His iconic advertising has established new standards for making pharmaceutical products more approachable and understandable, both for doctors and patients.
“Stephen’s innovative campaigns clearly communicate three important messages: 1) What the drug does; 2) Who the drug is for; and 3) When and how to use the drug,” continues Hoholick, who believes that clients are the best judge of a creative director’s talent. “This simple—but crucial—formula is setting a clear standard for useful pharma communication.”
As the creative driver behind some of the most memorable campaigns in medical advertising history during his 28 years with AbelsonTaylor, Stephen has pioneered new creative territory in many areas, particularly in developing powerful icons.
This is evident in the TV commercials for Allergan’s Aczone, which replace people’s faces with magnifying hand mirrors to capture the insight that, during a breakout, women with acne feel like their blemishes are the only thing anyone sees.
Stephen also proves that icons aren’t restricted to pictures or imagery in Teva Oncology’s “In a Word” campaign, which communicates the company’s commitment to patients via one important word embedded within the headline of each ad, e.g., “MOTHER” within “CHEMOTHERAPY” and “POP” within “APOPTOSIS.”
Of prime importance, Stephen transitioned seamlessly in his career from group creative director to agency executive creative director. He hires great minds, nurtures his staff’s talents, and leads his teams to always go after memorable and iconic visuals to connect people with brands.
“Motivating consumers who are appropriate candidates for our product is paramount in our mission to serve patients,” notes Hoholick. “Over the past decade, Stephen’s creative leadership and the work of his teams have consistently provided the spark and spirit that help us connect effectively with our target audiences.”
