ONE MORE THOUGHT
Insights @Work, Life, and Work Life
When Creative Gets Smarter: The Case for Partnering With MLR
It’s the season of giving, togetherness, and everything that is merry. But one thing most people in healthcare marketing don’t see as jolly is their relationship with MLR.
Fair — it’s hard to feel cheerful when you’re constantly bracing for “no.” But when it comes to bringing big ideas to life, collaboration with medical, legal, and regulatory review is a strategic advantage. Too often, teams treat MLR (PRC, AdProm, etc.) like the Grinch who steals their creative joy. The truth is that they’re the ones making sure your message stands up long after the lights come down.
So consider this my holiday gift: the inside scoop on how to turn review from a roadblock into your greatest creative ally.
The us vs. them mentality
MLR is often cast as a rival. While the agency team is pushing for new ideas, MLR is guarding the gates. It’s an outdated dance that turns smart collaboration into a game of tug of war. Creatives groan at review cycles. Reviewers brace for chaos in the inbox. Everyone feels like their time, energy, and focus is being wasted.
This mindset needs to go. If we keep seeing MLR as an obstacle to get through, we’re only playing defense. Instead, we should be building our offense and working together.
A partnership worth fighting for
Instead of feeling like an enemy, MLR can help guide what’s next. Rather than worrying about review, agencies can build with it in mind. It’s all about collaboration, preparation, and walking into review with the right evidence. That means knowing the FDA Guidelines inside and out, annotating every claim with the right references and sharing industry examples of other similar projects — the “been there, done that, and didn’t get a warning letter” approach.
At SFC Group, our team is trained to write with intention, back claims with strategy, and know when to defend our creative (but also when to adapt it). In the end, our work makes it through not because it’s “safe” — which I promise you, it’s not — but because it’s bulletproof.
Strong collaboration between MLR and marketing leads to:
- Tighter copy
- Smarter claims
- Stronger creative
- Faster, more efficient reviews
When everyone has the same goal in mind, trust grows. MLR stops being the parent that always says “no” and becomes a partner that clarifies the rules — but helps you stay in the game.
The SFC Group way: collaboration and creativity
At SFC Group, we don’t leave anything to luck (unless you count our happy hour games). When it comes to our creative, we think like reviewers. What data backs our claims? Where might MLR push back? How do we make our creative unstoppable and compliant?
That’s not playing it safe — it’s playing smart. Over time, reviewers stop nitpicking and start seeing you as a strategic partner who understands the brand and its landscape. Then, the real creative freedom begins.
MLR as a creative ally
I’ve seen the difference between teams that fight MLR review and teams that own it. The first spin their wheels and waste time. The second build momentum.
So as we wrap up the year, here’s to teams who see MLR not as the ghost of deadlines past but as a partner in progress. Because the best gift you can give any brand isn’t a clever tagline or a compelling idea — it’s work that gets through MLR unscathed!