The Creative Process Getting Back to the Basics of Pharmaceutical Marketing Christine Yanicek Interactive Content Director When a product has a novel mechanism of action or breakthrough technology, it is going to take more than the right image to place a product top of mind. Science can distinguish a brand in a crowded marketplace. When it comes to marketing therapeutics, science has become more important than ever before, and not just when marketing to healthcare professionals. With technology opening access to information, and with the emergence of a savvy and educated consumer audience, an effective marketing plan needs to incorporate science into every facet of the campaign. The lengthy process of drug development is leading pharmaceutical companies to other healthcare sectors to flesh out their pipelines in hopes of discovering the next breakthrough drug. Most large pharmaceutical companies already have acquired biotechnology products, and medical devices and drug-delivery technologies are becoming more prominent. These products will shift the marketing focus from presentation to content. Certainly, branding always will be important. There is an entire generation of people who look at the sky on a clear spring day and think Claritin; one can’t beat that type of marketing. But when a product has a novel mechanism of action or breakthrough technology, it is going to take more than the right image to place a product top of mind. Science Makes a Salesforce an Educational Resource Industry statistics show high-prescribing physicians receive three to five times as many calls from sales representatives as they did 10 years ago. Other research reveals that only 7% of sales visits last longer than two minutes, and 35% of doctors have completely stopped seeing sales representatives. As products become more technical and time with doctors becomes limited, knowledge is the key to getting more out of a salesforce. An educated sales representative will know what data will sway a prescriber and how to convey the information intelligently and quickly. Science can enhance the educational value of a salesforce. Science Sways Opinions Every year the market becomes more and more crowded with generics and “me-too” drugs, creating an even greater need for a prescription brand to distinguish itself. Then there are the first-in-class drugs; the ones so new that all available clinical data come from the approval process. Science can distinguish a product in a crowded marketplace, assuage concerns of using a new therapeutic, and change prescriber mindsets by showing clinical benefit. Education Equals Empowerment Today’s patients and consumers are savvier. They are taking a more active role in their healthcare and are becoming more critical of prescription medicines and the companies that market them. People often view direct-to-consumer advertising with a wary eye; they are uncomfortable that their cholesterol medication is being marketed in the same fashion as diet soda and luxury cars. In patient communication, science is too often kept to a minimum or watered down to a point where it loses its impact. The patient who understands the science behind a disease is going be more willing to treat their condition; and the patient who understands the science behind a treatment — the good and the bad — will be more likely to understand the importance of continuing treatment. A Multidisciplinary Approach to Marketing Science Conveying science to all these audiences takes a multidisciplinary approach. Gone are the days when the heavy science was relegated to the medical education realm or a few bullet points and charts in a detail aid. Science is creeping into all facets of marketing — print, interactive, television, radio, salesforce training, professional, and consumer. To clearly and efficiently convey information, everyone involved in the marketing program needs to work in unison to develop and execute an integrated, impactful, and educational plan. Healthcare marketing as well as the needs of its audience and products, have evolved, and this evolution has brought us full circle — back to the basics of science. TCC Communications, Hillsborough, N.J., is a high-science, copy-focused agency specializing in the design and development of print and interactive marketing solutions for the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. For more information, visit tcc-communications.com. March 2005 VIEW on Advertising

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