McKinney Health Launched Patient Ambassador Programs
Healthcare marketers can now leverage unscripted patient narratives to influence brand perception and outcomes.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Advertising
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McKinney Health has debuted the Living Experience Ambassador Programs (L.E.A.P.), a new initiative designed to integrate authentic, unscripted patient voices into pharmaceutical marketing. The program is currently being deployed for clients including Biogen and Galderma.
Why it matters
This initiative attempts to preserve human-centric narratives within the clinical healthcare system by avoiding traditional actor-based advertising. By focusing on lived patient experiences, the agency seeks to improve engagement and industry understanding of patient outcomes.
McKinney Health, a 2026 MM+M Agency 100 honoree, has launched this program for clients like Biogen and Galderma. The scale of the agency is grounded in its status as a subsidiary of Cheil Worldwide.
The players
McKinney Health
A healthcare marketing agency and subsidiary of Cheil Worldwide that was recognized as a 2026 MM+M Agency 100 honoree.
Laura Catalusci
The executive director of advocacy at McKinney Health who previously held leadership roles at FCB Health New York, YuzuYellow, and YuzuZest.
Biogen
A global biotechnology company that focuses on developing therapies for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
Galderma
A dermatology-focused pharmaceutical company specializing in medical and aesthetic skin treatments.
The details
The L.E.A.P. program utilizes a no-actors, no-scripts methodology to capture patient testimonies, aiming to remove the polish often associated with pharma marketing. To execute this, the agency integrates its account, strategy, and creative teams into the client’s workflow to ensure that patient narratives remain central to brand messaging. The strategy relies on prioritizing emotional authenticity over traditional commercial structures to drive engagement.
Timeline
McKinney Health debuted the L.E.A.P. program on September 28, 2026.
Market Landscape
The launch follows the industry-wide focus on patient-centricity established by the MM+M Agency 100 ranking criteria. It marks a departure from traditional scripted commercial production in favor of direct advocacy integration.
Operators should evaluate whether moving away from scripted talent improves trust and conversion within their specific therapeutic categories. Assess the operational cost of coordinating authentic patient participants against the potential long-term benefits to patient-outcome metrics.
The takeaway
Authentic patient engagement can serve as a key differentiator in crowded healthcare markets. Review your current creative production workflows to determine if integrating unscripted advocacy could improve your brand's resonance with patients and providers.
Further reading
For more trends in agency-client collaboration, see Advertising.
Live Poll
Do you trust pharmaceutical companies to handle patient stories with genuine care and authenticity?
