Dentsu’s appointment covers i-Health’s full U.S. portfolio
i-Health, the company behind women’s over-the-counter brands AZO, Estroven, and Culturelle, has expanded its relationship with dentsu, naming the agency its media and creative Agency of Record as it looks to modernize its portfolio of over-the-counter brands and reignite growth.
A division of Dutch multinational DSM-Firmenich, i-Health operates primarily in women’s health and gut health, with brands spanning intimate health, menopause relief, and probiotics.
The business will be led by dentsu X, with an integrated team spanning Dentsu Media and Dentsu Creative and will cover brand strategy, media planning and buying, creative, social, influencer, and measurement and technology.
A push for integration
The pitch was prompted by a transformation underway at i-Health to refocus on its core business in the U.S. and Canada, according to Amanda Hines, VP, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer for North America.
As part of that shift, i-Health restructured its marketing organization to reduce fragmentation and bring greater cohesion across its brands. Previously, different teams owned pieces of the brand experience, prompting the company to seek an integrated agency partner.
Integration, underpinned by social and audience-first planning, became a key driver of the agency search. Dentsu stood out for its connected planning capabilities, data-centric approach, and cultural alignment with i-Health’s brands, Hines said.
“It was very clear that they loved these brands as much as we love these brands,” she added. As for the integration, “It really does feel like one team. It’s hard to tell where dentsu X ends and Dentsu Creative begins.”
From Functional to Lifestyle Brands
Dentsu is tasked with repositioning i-Health’s brands as culturally relevant, lifestyle-driven choices, particularly for younger consumers. “Our brands are extremely well trusted,” Hines said. “But we were losing out on being brands that consumers want to introduce into their everyday lifestyle. That’s where the growth in these categories is coming from.”
For women’s health brands like AZO and Estroven, that shift includes moving away from traditional, pharma-coded messaging and toward more authentic, creator-led storytelling.
“Striking an authentic, adult-in-the-room tone is critical. Healthcare practitioner credibility still matters, but the voice of peers and creators is now essential in building trust. We want to … be seen as a brand that understands [our customers’] needs,” she said. “And we want to see new, younger consumers choosing these brands over newer entrants.”
Dentsu has already begun iterating on existing work, with new creative expected to roll out in the second quarter 2026, timed to promote new products. i-Health is also exploring new commerce channels, including TikTok Shop, as part of its broader modernization strategy.
