Fors Marsh on Adapting in the Healthcare Landscape

'Real innovation starts by taking a step back'

Russell Hayer is the CCO at Fors Marsh, where he leads a team of over 50 creatives. He has an extensive career that includes shaping channel identities at MTV and leading creative work at Ogilvy for brands like LVMH, Five Guys, and The Washington Post. Under his leadership, Fors Marsh crafts bold and meaningful solutions that address complex health challenges and create lasting change. Muse caught with Hayer to discuss the agency’s approach to health campaigns, the role advanced tech plays and the agency’s successful “Stop Overdose” initiative.

Muse: The health care landscape is constantly evolving. How does your agency adapt and innovate to stay ahead of the curve in delivering impactful health messaging?

Hayer: The health care landscape is in constant flux—new regulations, emerging technologies, shifting health priorities, changes in leadership, and a widening trust gap have become the norm.

We take on issues that matter, partnering with governments, nonprofits, and businesses to tackle the root causes of society’s biggest challenges. What began as a research agency has grown into a full-service research, advisory, and communications company. Today, our nearly 500 employees—including researchers, strategists, creatives, communicators, and technologists—combine their expertise to address complex problems.

Our work is elevated by craft centers specializing in data, technology, and creativity. These centers are powered by what we call “inside outsiders”—independent thinkers who bring fresh perspectives to every project. By working across disciplines, we uncover new insights, explore uncharted ideas, and push beyond obvious solutions.

We believe curiosity drives innovation. Like a 4-year-old endlessly asking “Why,” we examine human behavior from every angle to uncover the real barriers and motivations that drive decision-making. This curiosity allows us to zoom out to understand system-level impacts and zoom in to identify the human truths that guide our solutions.

What unique approach does your agency take in addressing health-related messaging and campaigns?

When tackling issues like hunger, natural disasters, mental health and substance use disorder, public safety and chronic and infectious diseases, the stakes are high. Standing out isn’t just important—it’s critical. Creativity allows us to break through the noise, connect with people, and inspire action.

Everything we do starts with research. We ground our work in evidence—uncovering the barriers, motivations, and behaviors that shape decision-making. By turning data into insights, we create campaigns that deeply resonate and drive change.

We combine the rigor of behavioral science with the power of creativity, transforming research into bold, impactful ideas. Creativity elevates evidence, bridging the gap between understanding what drives behavior and changing it.

We like to say we are “Seriously Human.” This means putting people—not abstract processes—at the heart of every solution. Empathy helps us truly understand the cultures, contexts, and realities of the people we serve, ensuring our campaigns are relevant, personal, and impactful.

By tailoring campaigns to meet the needs of individuals and communities, we create work that inspires action, builds trust, and delivers results.

How does your agency integrate emerging technologies into health campaigns to reach and engage audiences effectively in an increasingly digital world?

Creativity and technology fuel each other. We’ve learned that real innovation starts by taking a step back. Although clients may come to us with a pre-defined solution in mind, we take time to pause, reflect, to ensure we’re solving the right problem. Only then do we ask, “How can we be truly helpful?” In health care, our mission isn’t just to inform or educate—it’s to partner with institutions in prevention, harm reduction, and treatment.

Whether we’re creating an app to help individuals track their health progress or building a digital hub to provide critical resources, technology must empower people—not complicate their lives.

Technology and data elevate our creativity, enabling us to deliver more than just information. We design solutions that offer help when it’s needed, gentle nudges to stay on track, and celebrations of progress along the way. This is human-centered, mission-driven technology—delivering not only what people need but also how they need it. When people feel seen, supported, and empowered, real change happens.

Share any success stories or specific metrics demonstrating the positive outcomes of these efforts.

Our Stop Overdose campaigns for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Drug Overdose Prevention highlight how creativity, empathy, and data can save lives. These campaigns tackle critical challenges: raising awareness about fentanyl, encouraging people to carry naloxone, reducing stigma around addiction, and highlighting the dangers of mixing substances.

With bold visuals, relatable storytelling, and data-based strategies, these campaigns are transforming critical information into life-saving action.

The results speak volumes: over 2.7 billion impressions, 2 million clicks to the Stop Overdose website, and 22 million video views. Most importantly, these campaigns are reaching at-risk individuals and communities, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to take life-saving steps.