September 2009
Also inside this issue...
Editor's Desk
DTC in Brief
Spending Review
Advertiser Index and Resource Center

From Whitespace to Cyberspace: How Pharmaceutical Advertising Is Evolving
By Didi Discar and Janet Conley of MedAccess 

The use of technology – both by marketers and consumers – has led to dramatic changes in pharmaceutical marketing. Coupled with the recession and other external factors, these advances in technology are forcing pharmaceutical companies to find alternative methods for getting and keeping their customers' attention. read more >>

To Brand or Not to Brand – A Digital Dilemma
By Marc Benjamin of Convergence Point Media LLC

Pharma brands already needed to navigate minefields to engage patients and caregivers with their brands online. Now, the FDA has clamped down on branded messaging in paid search channels, the holy grail of the digital traffic generation for branded sites. The solution? Unbranded campaigns not only provide cover for articulating your value proposition, they also more credibly and efficiently engage qualified patients. Here is a primer laying out the key "do's" and "don'ts" for using unbranded campaigns to stay fully compliant while remaining highly relevant to your audience. read more >>

Driving Your Business Toward Segmentation Success
By Mark Miller of Epsilon

As pharmaceutical brands more frequently turn to segmentation studies to guide targeting and messaging, marketers must keep clear objectives in mind to maximize the value of their segmentation efforts. read more >>

Special Report: Breaking Down Point-of-Care Communication

Looking at the Unique Opportunities of the HCP Setting
By Liz O'Neil of EvoLogue 

Marketers should understand that the HCP's waiting room and exam room offer unique opportunities to reach patients who are ready and willing to receive health information. These messages can be delivered in three areas of the office, but must be relevant to the patient's state of mind. This is really a place where the medium is the message. read more >>

Enhancing POC Campaigns with Interactive Wallboards
By Keith M. D'Oria, MA, of Physician's Weekly and Pri-Med Patient Education Center

Point-of-care advertising can augment efforts to get DTC promotional activities into doctor's offices. Interactive wallboards featuring multimedia patient education materials can further enhance such efforts. read more >>

Information and the Empowered Patient: Four Things You Should Know When Planning for 2010
By Amy Cowan of Google

As the year 2010 approaches, pharmaceutical marketers should consider tactics that allow them to improve their focus on communicating with empowered patients, who are increasingly using online resources to find health information. read more >>

Dead or Alive? An Examination of Consumer Magazines' Evolution
By Amanda Ehrlich of DTC Perspectives
(Reviews by Amanda Ehrlich and Jennifer Haug)

While many in the advertising business are ready to proclaim that print is dead, there are those executives who stand by the medium. In fact, pharma continues to spend on print advertising – with at least 19 different ads currently circulating in print this month. read more >>

Relationship Marketing – The Rx for DTC
By Kelly Andrews of MicroMass Communications

More than a band-aid, relationship marketing – or RM – is a proven antidote for the erosion of trust, which is one of the side effects of DTC. The author outlines a strategy for restoring trust in the doctor-patient-brand relationship. read more >>

From Monologue to Dialogue: Incorporating Social Media into Consumer Communications
By John Tapper, PhD, of KantarHealth 

The rise of social media is turning the interruption model of marketing upside down. Today, brands are not only speaking to consumers, but many of these engaged consumers also are talking back to the brand. read more >>

Tapping in to the Hispanic Senior Segment
By Laura Bohorquez of Bromley Communications 

To reach the Hispanic senior market, it's important to understand who the Hispanic seniors are and to be aware of the five main barriers to marketing healthcare products to this population. By understanding and surmounting these barriers, marketers have an opportunity to effectively communicate with Hispanic seniors. read more >>

Tapping Into Digital Patient Education
By Jennifer Haug of DTC Perspectives

Digital patient education has evolved through the years, but not very dramatically. According to three industry thought leaders, there is still a long way to go, making this an exciting time for digital marketers. read more >>

Perspectives on Books: $20 Per Gallon
Reviewed by Robert Ehrlich of DTC Perspectives, Inc.

In each issue, our chief executive will discuss a current book relevant to the pharmaceutical industry. For this issue he has reviewed, "$20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better," by Christopher Steiner. read more >>

Eye on the Hill: Congress Deliberates Tax on Advertising of Prescription Drugs
Jim Davidson reports on what to expect in the coming year from Washington 

The idea of taking away the standard business-tax deduction for DTC is a threat that continues to linger in Washington. read more >>

DTC Perspectives Editorial: Health Reform or Ideology

The various solutions being offered to health-care reform require more study and testing in real-world situations. Perhaps President Obama should propose testing a variety of these solutions using states as the test markets. read more >>