Fisika developed and branded Alaré, a proprietary software now ready to be submitted for approval with FDA and Health Canada.
Montreal-Based and women-owned Fisika underwent a rebrand in 2022 and through that process, their team was also focused on using their pharma knowledge, strong strategic thinking and tactical execution to anticipate changes within the pharma marketing space – and prepare for them.
The agency’s focus is on identifying unique spaces and solutions beyond the obvious to create what it calls “Fisika moments.” In Greek, fisika refers to whatever comes naturally. In practice, naturally doesn’t come easily and Fisika “moments” are when the agency delivers surprising solutions that later seem obvious. This often means expanding into atypical areas for a marketing agency including going deeper into technical expertise.
“Our core business in marketing is still very prominent, we are a true mix of traditional marketing knowledge – and a unique blend of diversified expertise,” says Lisa Barbusci, one of the agency’s
three partners.
This year, as the Program for Women’s Cancer Research moves to a new location, Fisika developed an event identity that elevates the female chefs who are donating their time to the culinary experience.
Barbusci and fellow industry veterans and business partners Anna Tsouluhas and Priscilla Benfeito have been at the helm of Fisika for four years and have about 25 employees and a roster of North American and global clients.
Fisika will often say seeing is believing and its natural approach is designed to create excitement, relevance and actionable outputs – or Fisika moments – while delivering more than expected.
The agency’s evolution since 2020 sees it taking on more types of clients and project-based work, from supporting consensus guideline development to strategic workshops and leveraging electronic medical records systems to allow it to respond to client needs.
For the last year, Fisika has been working with the board members of the Canadian Society of Nephrology to design the association’s long-term strategic plan. The agency has led qualitative research and multiple workshops to ensure the members’ voices are present and relevant to the strategies in support of a unified long-term vision for the association in Canada.
The agency rebranded the non-profit Ronnie’s Joy, and is supporting its mission to increase awareness of the gaps in care when it comes to grieving after the loss of a child.
Fisika has also run Delphi process for consensus building which is a credible method that leverages experts for recommendations and guidelines. Fisika’s role involves bringing experts together, crafting necessary surveys, and helping translate the knowledge through publications.
Fisika developed patented software as a medical device called Alaré. “Personal diagnostic tools have a growing role for patients and providers. Technology is literally at our fingertips and tapping into that was something we wanted to do as a company,” Tsouluhas says of leveraging their independence to embark on R&D in accessible tech.
Alaré allows healthcare professionals to use a phone’s built-in microphone to assess the sound of inhalation to help determine if a specific inhaler type is suitable based on a person’s “peak inspiratory flow.” Fisika has been working on Alaré for several years and the app is now ready for submission to Health Canada and the FDA. The agency recently finalized the branding and user interface. Owning the R&D for this project aligned with the agency’s focus on a sustainable business model while giving it the freedom to guide future investment opportunities to best serve both patients and clinical trial research in the respiratory space.
On a smaller, but very poignant scale, Fisika also designed the visual identity and digital presence of family-founded charity Ronnie’s Joy Foundation, which was established in memory of Ronnie Joy Hollander, a two-year-old girl who passed away of sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC). The organization supports bereaved families in Montreal, and raises awareness and funds for research into SUDC.
Over the last four years, Fisika has worked with the Division of Radiation Oncology at McGill University Health Centre and its Program for Women’s Cancer Research (PWR), which works to improve outcomes for women with breast and gynecological cancer. The agency developed a brand identity for PWR, and for this year’s fundraising event, the campaign is spotlighting chefs who are donating their time to the experience.
“We don’t like to only call ourselves a marketing agency. We stand out at supporting strategic development and solving problems, which then turn into Fisika moments,” says Benfeito.
CONTACT:
Lisa Barbusci
Partner
lisa@fisika.ca
