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Life After CNTO411 Blog for Michael Parks: Pitch360
Member of the ePharma Pioneer Club^TM

Guest Michael Parks, former Vice President of Corporate Communications for Centocor, Inc., talks about his experience as a corporate blogger and his transition to the founder and President of Pitch360, a PR consultancy company he founded to transform the way small companies communicate to their customers, key stakeholders, and mainstream and social media.

• Guest: Michael Parks, Founder and President of Pitch360 Inc.
• Live Streaming Audio Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 2 PM Eastern US time.
• Duration: 30 minutes
  
  
• Go to this Pharma Marketing Talk Segment Page at the time indicated above to listen to the LIVE show via streaming audio on the Web. You will also be able to participate in an online chat with the host and speakers to ask questions!

Background
You may have noticed that Centocor's corporate blog, CNTO411, has been dormant for several months (see "New Year's Resolutions for Pharma Marketers" and "'Corporate Blog' is an Oxymoron"). But what you may NOT know is that the creator of that blog, Michael Parks, no longer works for Centocor and no longer contributes to CNTO411.

Parks, nevertheless, is moving on with his new life as a "PR hack" for hire for small companies. His new company, Pitch360, "gives a big voice to small companies," says Parks.

Here's the press release:

Michael Parks, former Vice President of Corporate Communications for Centocor, Inc., an operating company of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) today announced the launch of a public relations consultancy, Pitch360 Incorporated (www.pitch360inc.com) . Pitch360 is a public relations, marketing communications, and issues management consultancy that leverages its vast pharmaceutical and biotechnology experience to transform the way companies communicate to their customers, key stakeholders, and mainstream and social media.

“After nearly 15 years serving the pharma industry and growing from that experience, I wanted to design a consultancy that specifically caters to the next generation of companies that promise breakthrough therapies for patients,” said Michael Parks, Founder and President of Pitch360 Inc. “In particular, small companies can now bypass the trial-and-error process of their predecessors and immediately put breakthrough strategies to work for their business.”

Created with the changing needs of the industry in mind, Pitch360 uses its relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry to stay ahead of ‘status quo’ thinking so that they can bring forward ideas that rise above that of their competition. Through well established networks of healthcare providers, experts in government, regulatory and policy matters; creative media talent, as well the healthcare, business, mainstream and social media; Pitch360 has the tools and experience necessary to provide breakthrough strategies that companies can implement to deliver on their business objectives.

“In today’s economy, companies are looking for value and innovation,” said Mr. Parks, “Pitch360 provides affordable communications solutions using breakthrough strategies that will deliver outstanding results.”

Pitch360 has a wide variety of services available for companies and not-for-profit groups, including strategic counseling, issues management, and investor relations and delivers these services with outstanding customer service and support. Pitch360 provides specialty services for companies of all sizes.

Some Questions/Topics to be Discussed

• What's it like behind the scenes at a pharmaceutical corporate blog? Can you tell us any juicy stories?
• OK, maybe not. What did you learn from your pharma corporate blogging experience?
• How do you plan to apply what you've learned now that you have your own PR/communications agency?
• Why are you focusing on small companies? Or who are your intended clients?
• How has social media and other communications technologies like Twitter affected how PR is done?
• What's your vision for the future of "e" in this space (ie, corporate communications)?

Guest Bio

Prior to founding Pitch360 in 2008, Michael Parks was the Vice President of Corporate Communications at Centocor, Inc., an operating company of Johnson & Johnson. In this role, he acted as the company’s Chief Communications Officer with communications responsibility for the protection and enhancement of the company’s image and products from a commercial, research & development, and manufacturing perspective. Prior to that, Michael held executive positions at Pharmacia Corporation and Searle Pharmaceuticals, and led efforts related to the launch of a number of blockbuster products. Michael has been a pioneer in social media for the pharma industry and was also the Executive Producer of the groundbreaking documentary, INNERSTATE, a film that chronicled the devastating impact of chronic disease and the promise of innovation. This documentary was a first for the pharmaceutical industry and just part of Michael’s broad portfolio of innovative approaches to effectively communicating complex issues to a wide variety of audiences.

Additional Resources

• Centocor Blog - No Frying Pan and No Fire!
• Pharma Marketing Talk podcast: "The Centocor Corporate Blog: A Groundbreaking Pharmaceutical Company Blog?"
• CNTO411: Centocor's Groundbreaking Blog
• GeneRAtions: Survey Results and a New Disease Awareness Initiative
• Innerstate Private Screening: Philadelphia Style