An introduction to our PR for the IVF and fertility sector
There are few industries in the world that touch people’s hearts as much as In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and fertility.
Clinics, embryologists, patient groups, charities, pharmaceutical providers, equipment providers, carers and researchers all work with the one aim in mind to support infertile couples and, if possible, help them have a family.
It is a business that only came into existence in 1978 when Louise Brown, the world’s first IVF baby was born in Oldham, England, instantly becoming a household name in every country in the world.
The fact that she was healthy and “ordinary” enabled IVF to flourish. Fortune Business Insights predicts the Global IVF market will be worth $36 Billion by 2036. One in six babies are now born through assisted reproduction of some kind.
Fertility treatment remains controversial with different rules in different jurisdictions. Those unable to conceive often feel stigmatised so it is a difficult topic to talk about. Sex, religion and science always make for good copy – but they have to be handled sensitively and knowledgeably.
Working with Louise Brown: a long-lasting PR partnership
Throughout her life, Louise Brown has been the centre of media attention and on the death of her father, John Brown, in 2006, she engaged Martin Powell and Empica (the PR agency he founded), to deal with the media enquiries and growing number of requests from the IVF industry for information; personal appearances; speeches etc. for both her and her mother, Lesley Brown.
Lesley died in 2012 followed by pioneer Bob Edwards a year later, which made Louise even more of a focus for everyone with an interest in the history and evolution of IVF. With Martin Powell’s help, Louise completed her biography ‘Louise Brown: My life as the world’s first test-tube baby’ which she had started with her mother some years before, chronicling the progress of IVF in her first 40 years of life.
Empica has supported Louise Brown on four continents, helping to arrange her public appearances at IVF events worldwide; organising press conferences and studio broadcast appearances in Africa, China, the USA and throughout Europe. Countries visited include Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Japan, USA, Egypt, Morocco and most of Europe.
PR support for IVF and reproductive medicine
For fertility clinics, it is now a competitive market and an area where new innovations, equipment and services are at the forefront of marketing. For those developing the science for the clinics and for individuals there is a constant need to ensure the legislators understand and approve their developments. There is always a backdrop of opposition to change and often lobbying of the media and governments over different views.
As a result, Empica supports the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine with its PR, including creating videos and editorial content for newspapers, magazines, radio, television, websites and social media which showcases its work and very many success stories.
Empica has also provided support to science businesses in the UK and USA such as Cortigenix and Genomic Prediction that are developing new testing techniques for infertile couples and groups such as IVF Babble worldwide and Fertilly in Germany, who provide information to those on their fertility journeys and lobby on their behalf.
IVF and fertility conferences
Empica has attended and contributed to major international conferences, including:
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the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) conference
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the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Conference
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the Mid-West Reproductive Symposium International (MRSi)
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the Chinese Society of Reproductive Medicine (CSRM)
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the Ain Shams Obstetrics and Gynecology International Conference
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the Fertility Show, London
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the ART Nurse Annual Meeting, Tokyo.
Empica has also attended European Union meetings and lobbying meetings of the UK government in Westminster with Louise Brown, supporting her input as a keynote speaker.
Working with Elizabeth Carr
Our Chairman, Martin Powell also co-wrote ‘Under the Microscope’ with Elizabeth Carr, the USAs first IVF baby, a sought-after speaker and advocate, helping people and companies navigate the complex world of infertility as an industry-insider.
Bringing IVF to the stage and screen
One interesting development in 2024 was the story of IVF being portrayed in dramas. A Child of Science had its premiere at the Bristol Old Vic theatre starring Harry Potter actor Tom Felton. Netflix release the film "Joy" in November, starring Happy Valley’s James Norton as Robert Edwards, Thomasin McKenzie as Jean Purdy and movie royalty Bill Nighy as Patrick Steptoe. This prompted a huge number of requests for Louise to give interviews and Empica worked alongside the Netflix press team with appearances for Louise on high-profile TV shows such as BBC's The One Show and Lorraine. The film went straight to number one in the Netflix UK downloads following launch.
Martin Powell and Louise Brown are also working with Sunnymarch and BBC Films on a film called Superbabe, telling her mum and dad’s fertility story as they struggled for 10 years top have a child before meeting the IVF pioneers. These dramas are raising the profile of IVF and fertility in the media and have sparked documentaries and discussions that provide an opportunity for those in the industry to talk about what they do.
New PR opportunities for the IVF and fertility sector
Businesses in the IVF and fertility sector looking for sound advice on PR and marketing need an agency that understands the complex issues that they face from all sides, including regulators and patients. That need is magnified if they are attempting to do business internationally. Fertility tourism is now common worldwide and its popularity is growing, while governments are constantly changing their views on what they will allow in this ever-developing exciting sector.
Martin Powell is considered to be a global PR expert in the IVF and fertility sector. For an informal discussion about your business’s aspirations and the role of PR and marketing in helping to achieve them, please email martin@empica.com
We work on a retained and project basis, with a regional as well as national remit. Our PR services to the IVF & Fertility sector include media relations and content generation, media training, video production, community engagement, reputation management and crisis communications.
To find out more about how we can support you with your PR and content creation, please get in touch by calling 01275 39 44 00 or emailing contact@empica.com