Women-owned Michigan agency serving healthcare since 1984, including dental insurers
About Brogan & Partners
Brogan & Partners is a full-service advertising agency at 535 Woodward Heights in Ferndale, Michigan, just north of Detroit. Marcie Brogan founded it in 1984, and its first client was Henry Ford Hospital. The agency was based in Birmingham, Michigan, for many years. In June 2017 Ellyn Davidson, who had worked there for 23 years and had been managing partner since 2010, bought the company from Brogan. She is now CEO. The firm holds women-owned business certifications from WBENC and the SBA, runs on the Entrepreneurial Operating System, and gives five percent back to the community.
The team has 29 people. The management team includes creative director Laurie Hix, media director Becky Robertson, research and strategy director Lori Bahnmueller, and two account service directors, Lauren Zuzelski and Katie Rehrauer. The wider staff includes Emily Wagner, an account director and SEO strategist, and Carly Schiff, director of web experience. Research, strategy, creative, digital, media buying and account management are all done in-house. Every campaign follows what they call the True Results Process, a framework built around awareness, education and action. They offer a satisfaction guarantee.
Their healthcare client list is long. It covers health systems such as Henry Ford Health, Detroit Medical Center, Spectrum Health and Karmanos Cancer Institute, and health plans such as HAP, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Molina Healthcare. Dental clients include Delta Dental of Michigan and Delta Dental of Arkansas, and the dental PPO network DenteMax chose them for healthcare marketing and communications strategy. Provider clients include Michigan Orthopedic Surgeons and Covenant Medical Group. Medical retail clients include cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery lines. Government clients include the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which they have served from the AIDS crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their awards come from healthcare work. At the 39th Healthcare Advertising Awards in 2022 they won three golds: two for Michigan Department of Health and Human Services COVID work and one for a Health Care Association of Louisiana social video. They also took a bronze and a merit award that year. A teen substance-use recovery campaign in Michigan won a gold Aster Award. Google reviewers give them 5.0 from eight reviews and describe a creative, attentive partner that builds brands over many years.
They are not a dental SEO specialist. SEO is one part of a broad mix that is led by research and creative work, and they have no named dental practice clients. The minimum budget is 1,000 to 10,000 dollars, with an average rate of 149 dollars an hour. Their history with dental insurers and large health systems makes them most relevant to dental benefit companies, DSOs and multi-location groups that need brand campaigns, media planning and patient education. A single-chair practice that wants only local search work is less likely to be a fit.
Brogan & Partners' Website
Brogan & Partners at a Glance
| Founded | 1984 |
|---|---|
| Team size | 29 people (under 49) |
| Headquarters | Ferndale, Michigan, USA |
| Leadership | Ellyn Davidson (CEO and owner); Marcie Brogan (Founder); Laurie Hix (Partner, Creative Director); Becky Robertson (Partner, Media Director); Lori Bahnmueller (Partner, Director of Research and Strategy); Lauren Zuzelski (Partner, Director of Account Service); Katie Rehrauer (Partner, Director of Account Service) |
| Languages | English |
| Pricing | No public prices. Minimum budget of 1,000 to 10,000 dollars and an average rate of 149 dollars per hour. |
| Contracts & reporting | Satisfaction guarantee. Contract length and reporting cadence not published. |
| Tools & partnerships | WBENC Women's Business Enterprise certification; SBA Women-Owned Small Business certification; Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) |
Dental Marketing Services
- Audience research and strategy
- brand development
- creative campaigns for TV, outdoor, video and social
- media planning and buying
- website experience and development
- SEO strategy
- patient and member education campaigns
- multicultural and hard-to-reach audience outreach
- PR
- account management
Dental Clients & Results
Dental Practices They Have Worked With
- Delta Dental of Michigan (dental insurer)
- Delta Dental of Arkansas (dental insurer)
- DenteMax (dental PPO network)
Why Dentists Choose Brogan & Partners
- Founded in 1984 by Marcie Brogan, now led by Ellyn Davidson
- Describes itself as rooted in healthcare and government work
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is a named client
- Certified women-owned business through WBENC and the SBA
- Uses a named planning method called the True Results Process
Key Strengths
- Plans PR strategy for practices alongside media buying and digital campaigns
- Designs campaigns that educate patients and encourage healthier behaviour
- Researches patient audiences before developing creative for a healthcare practice
- Provides dedicated account management throughout a practice's campaigns
Awards & Recognition
- 39th Healthcare Advertising Awards 2022: Gold, COVID campaign 'My Why' (MDHHS)
- Gold, outdoor fall mask campaign (MDHHS)
- Gold, social media 'Young at Home' (Health Care Association of Louisiana)
- Bronze, vaccination video 'Homework' (MDHHS)
- Merit, TV spot 'Reasons' (Wayne County)
- Gold Aster Award for a teen substance use recovery campaign
How the DSA Score Breaks Down
Points earned: 40.9 of 100 (profile 35 × 0.8 + client feedback 12.9). DSA Score: 88/100
What Clients Say About Brogan & Partners
- 4 on Google
Clients Most Often Praise
- Communication & responsiveness 1
In ShortGoogle reviews praise creativity, attentiveness and long-term brand building.
Team is attentive, patient, creative and current on best practices.
See it on designrush.comWork is creative, detailed, timely and impactful.
See it on designrush.comAgency has developed and nurtured their brand over years.
See it on designrush.comShow 1 more client review
- David Contorer praises Carly Schiff and team for phenomenal work. Google, 9 March 2023
Where Brogan & Partners Is Listed
Questions Dentists Ask About Brogan & Partners
Has Brogan & Partners worked in dentistry?
Yes, on the insurer side. Clients include Delta Dental of Michigan and Delta Dental of Arkansas, and the dental network DenteMax chose them for healthcare marketing strategy. They have no named individual dental practice clients.
How long have they done healthcare marketing?
Since 1984. Their first client was Henry Ford Hospital, and they have worked for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for decades.
Who owns the agency now?
Ellyn Davidson bought the agency from founder Marcie Brogan in 2017 and is CEO. The firm is certified women-owned by WBENC and the SBA.
Do they do SEO?
SEO is part of their digital work, and Emily Wagner is an account director and SEO strategist. However, the agency is built around research, creative and media rather than dental SEO alone.
What size of dental business suits them?
Their clients are mostly health systems, insurers and government bodies. They fit dental benefit companies, DSOs and larger groups that need full campaigns better than a small single practice.
Reviews of Brogan & Partners
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