22 September 2008 VIEW on Marketing CREATIVE Let’s face it: marketing pharmaceuticals just ain’t what it used to be. Gone are the glorious days of blockbusters, problems solved before we even knew they existed, and doctors who controlled the products being used. Today, we have payers who tell doctors what they can use as tools. We have more parity in product offerings than ever before. And we have “codes and guidelines.” Whose bright idea were all of these codes and guidelines anyway? It seems like marketing is just not going to be as much fun as it used to be. Gone Are the Gizmos But hold on — all is not lost. So what if we must give up our pens, sticky notes, magnets, gadgets and gizmos? Wasn’t all of that really just about spreading tonnage anyway? While I recognize that these “branding” items had a purpose, I do believe that they became a crutch we were too quick to lean on. Now the “guidelines” may actually be leveling the playing field a bit. No longer will we be able to simply blanket a doctor’s office with stuff (if the guideline gods have their way). We will now have to rely on creating memorable brands! We will have to differentiate ourselves faster and better. Impressions will become more valuable. Things like personality, style, and emotion will all become more important. And, won’t the quality of interactions with sales representatives become more important too? With less “junk” to drop off in the office, they will have to rely more on their wit — and dare I say charm — to capture the attention of doctors who desperately need information, not on pens or talking clipboards (although I kinda liked those clipboards). A Brave New World So maybe it is going to be a fun time to be a marketer. A brave new world is coming where we will compete differently. We’ll be going “back to basics” where we have nothing more than some data, an idea and a relationship. It will be a world where the truly creative marketers are able to capture the imagination and respect of their target audiences. Isn’t this what we have been training for our entire lives? P.S. If you plan to rebel, and will still give out pens and sticky notes, please let me know! CoreCreate, Inc. CORECREATE, INC., is a full service healthcare communications agency and a member of the IN Network — a global network of independent communications firms with affiliates in 90 countries. For more information, visit corecreate.com. I Guess We Are Going to Have to Create a Brand After All So maybe it is going to be a fun time to be a marketer. A brave new world is coming where we will compete differently. We’ll be going “back to basics” where we have nothing more than some data, an idea and a relationship. Ken Ribotsky President East Coast : www.corecreate.com . West Coast : www.brandkarma org . Med Ed : www.AandOmeded.com

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