Guest Columnist - DTC Perspectives

Zen Chu, MD, of Accelerated Medical Ventures and senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management, said “We’ve got so many new technologies and redesigned experiences impacting both the value we deliver and also the value patients are getting from healthcare.” A SWOT analysis shows that virtual reality (VR) is a novelty that will be become another successful communication marketing platform in the pharmaceutical mass media mix. From the assessment below, the benefits of the strengths and opportunities of VR marketing techniques substantially outweigh the challenges of the weaknesses and threats, which inevitably will decrease over time.

Strengths

Marketing approaches are enhanced with VR by providing more innovative information with immersive storytelling. Patients are exposed to the impacts of their medications by viewing colorful three-dimensional (3D) videos instead of reading dull, long-winded, monotonous drug information in black and white printed materials. The immersive Mechanism of Action (MOA) animation of VR is a full circle video experience with 3D images that provides narrative while stimulating the senses. Spatial audio allows patients to hear information emanating from all directions that result in a blended experience. In-depth sensory perception with VR creates empathy with an inspirational message that takes patients on a journey, captures their full attention, draws them into an encounter with pharmaceuticals, and coerces them into exploring their options while ensuring a memorable experience. Patients are motivated to become engaged with drugs in a resourceful way immediately after a VR pharmaceutical experience, which strengthens the value of VR as a marketing tool.

Weaknesses

Pharmaceutical marketers encounter challenges with the promotion of 3D imaginary visuals, the possible high cost of required equipment, an increase in manpower budgets and the subsequent lower marketing budgets and the lack of technology acceptance. Often times, VR marketers are confronted with the seemingly futile struggle to overcome the fantasy versus reality theme. 3D visuals bring the patient into a conceptual, fantasy world of a fictional environment as opposed to augmented realty (AR) which delivers a physical, real-world environment including sound, video, and graphics generated by computer technology. The cost of the necessary head gear can be expensive which could hinder marketing strategies that would promote it as an easily attainable communication vehicle. The patients’ perception is that it is not worth their investment of time and money considering the high probability of the insignificant value of 3D visuals that are not operational on such devices as iPads. VR campaigns necessitate more staff, such as artists, animators, and copywriters, which escalate the cost of manpower while decreasing the available funding for marketing efforts. Modern technology lacks human interaction in a manner that patients believe is detached and aloof. Simple, high-tech tools such as glasses lack warmth and are devoid of personal touch. Combining medicine with technology is regarded by some patients as standoffish and distant.

Opportunities

The promotion of products with branding, growth of empathy awareness through an imaginative experience, education, and training are all marketing opportunities that engage patients and doctors while increasing sales, drug compliance, and the number of new drug users. VR produces branding by supporting products that stimulate creativity and evoke senses which results in a unique, complete experience rather than merely a visual presentation. Empathy is built when doctors reaffirm to themselves that they chose their medical careers so they could positively influence humanity. VR serves as training and education for doctors with the optimistic outlook that any mistakes would occur during these simulated patient encounters and not in the real world. By presenting in videos the negative impacts on the quality of life with drug non-compliance, doctors are encouraged to prescribe certain therapeutic medications to keep patients on drug therapy for a longer period of time. This not only equates to improved health, but also an increase in sales and market penetration during growth and maturity drug cycles.

Threats

VR marketing strategies are susceptible to exposing the missing value or content, glossing over the specific benefits and risks of the drug, depicting non-compliance with the FDA, and focusing on a flashy fad. The VR experience is an entertaining simulation, but does not always include the requisite information. Striking graphics can overshadow the content. The patient remembers the glitzy presentation while recalling the data as lackluster. As one pharma marketing executive at Ferring Pharmaceuticals said, “Content is king and experience is queen.” Patients may lose interest in the health topic and be unable to identify the positive and negative impacts of the drug after viewing the video for only a few seconds if there is not an angle to keep them focused on the content. Messages are sometimes camouflaged by a great deal of pizzazz; however, they need to be a true representation of the drug that shows compliance with FDA approval and specific industry regulations. Many patients are under the impression that glasses can be easily replaced with the next innovation which may be less associated with a passing, showy toy, and more connected with a modest health apparatus that has longevity in the industry.

In summary, a SWOT analysis outlines the positives of VR pharmaceutical marketing which surpass the negatives. In the near future, challenges will be overcome in at least three ways:

The cost of equipment is decreasing as demand increases and less expensive, more sleekly designed head gear bursts onto the market;
Technology acceptance is growing immeasurably;
More value and content is being added.

Undoubtedly, VR is destined to become the newest, avant-garde media tool in pharma that will increase patient engagement and ROI exponentially while improving patient well-being.

References

Bell, J. (2018). Pharma wades into the world of virtual reality marketing. BioPharma Dive.

Best ways to use virtual and augmented reality for pharma. (2017). Viseven.

Champagne, D., Hung, A. and Leclerc, O. (2018). The road to digital success in pharma. Pharmaceuticals and Medical Products.

How is the pharma industry marketing today in 2018? (2018). #TrendTalks.

Senson, A. (2015). “Virtual reality in healthcare: where’s the innovation?” TechCrunch.

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As Peter Drucker, renowned educator, management consultant, and author, said, “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.” This mantra holds true with multicultural marketing in the pharmaceutical industry, especially with Hispanic and Latino populations. Successful pharmaceutical marketing amongst the Spanish groups should focus on providing personalized care to the right individual at the right time in the right place thereby expanding upon the basic tenet of the Affordable Care Act which reaches all Americans.

Below are a few cultural considerations that increase industry profits by positively impacting the development of strategies for pharma marketing to Hispanic and Latino consumers who experience customized care.

Family Dynamics vs. Individualism

Group interdependence among family is at the center of the Hispanic world. Affiliation, cooperation, and group activities are weighted heavily as Latinos understand there is strength in numbers. Their health decisions rely on an extended family model and are typically made after consulting various family members. Opinions from adult children of the older generation are valued extensively. Pharma branding with marketing campaigns needs to be family-focused.

Imagery vs. Text

In the Hispanic culture, a picture is worth a thousand words. Incorporating culturally embedded cues into pharma marketing that reflect attire, family values, symbols, ethics, rituals, traditions, material objects, and services in their culture, stimulate how these consumers respond to the pharma industry. Through this identification process both their self-image and confidence in pharma’s judgment of prescription medication is enhanced, resulting in a change in their attitude towards the brand and eventual increased brand acceptance.

Technology Media vs. Traditional Media

In the past, it was widely believed that the only effective way to deliver Spanish-language pharma marketing messages was through traditional media, such as the television networks Telemundo and Univision. However, the newer generation of Hispanics on the go are not as interested in traditional media; they are more interested in smart phone technology and social media sites. One in three are the primary pharma decision makers as caregivers of an older generation of family household members and make their choices by engaging with technology media. They are three times more likely to use their smart phones to decide about pharma for themselves and other family members. Pharma marketing via technology media will soon become a leading strategy that is mandatory.

Fatalism vs. Optimism

Many Latinos believe that destiny is predetermined and little can be done to change outcomes. For example, they may believe that death is inevitable after receiving a cancer diagnosis and also believe that any type of prescription drug cannot improve the chance of survival because it is out of their control. A Hispanic participant in a recent NIH study sorrowfully stated, “I worked with a person who had arthritis and was going to get cortisone but the last time she went to get it at the hospital, she didn't return home. Instead, she went to the cemetery.” Pharma marketing must help Hispanics move beyond this mindset by reinforcing examples of positive outcomes in their culture with marketing campaigns targeted at patient support groups on social media, such as Facebook, that encourage pharmaceutical use to recover from an illness.

Natural Healing Remedies vs. Prescriptions

Home remedies tend to be the first medicinal approach used in the Latino culture prior to visiting a medical professional. However, often times these home remedies are more detrimental than beneficial. For example, recently Hispanic parents treated their infant with star anise tea to cure colic, which resulted in the infant suffering from seizures and needing to be rushed to the emergency room at a Miami hospital. Pharma marketers should see this as a new opportunity to gain market share by targeting Latino consumers with public service announcements about the dangers of consuming natural healing remedies in lieu of advanced pharma medications with proven results.

High Power Distance vs. Low Power Distance

Pharma marketing in the Spanish culture is impacted by high power distance because Hispanics conform to a hierarchy where everybody has a place in the world which needs no further justification. On the other hand, in a low power distance culture, inequalities of power between doctor and patient require further justification for acceptance. For example, when doctors prescribe a certain brand of medication to Latinos, often times the pharmaceutical is not questioned since the doctor is viewed as an authority figure not to be doubted for fear of appearing disrespectful. Pharma companies may gain a competitive advantage by providing guides to Hispanic patients describing the brand’s impact and side effects in plain, simple, straightforward, 3^rd grade level Spanish language for additional motivational encouragement to stay on a medication regimen with a specific brand.

In summary, minorities are increasingly becoming the new majority and the so-called “average” pharma consumer is now interacting on a complex and multidimensional landscape. Knowing the customer is most likely the single most important concept of a flourishing pharma market across cultures, and in particular with the Hispanic and Latino groups. This growing diversity has had a substantial economic impact as shown by an increase in pharma spending power that has significantly encouraged marketers to take into account various cultural characteristics when formulating a winning marketing strategy.

Resources

Barker, KK and Guzman, CEV. Pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer advertising and US Hispanic patient-consumers. Sociology of Health & Illness. 2015 Nov; 37(8):1337-51. doi: 10.1111/1467-9566.12314. Epub 2015 Aug 3.

Katz JN, Lyons N, Wolff LS, et al. Medical decision-making among Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites with chronic back and knee pain: A qualitative study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2011;12:78. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-12-78.

Pinedo, Diana. (2018). The state of multicultural marketing in 2018. Healthcare Success.

Multicultural marketing: Embrace the New Normal. (2016). PM360 Online.

The Case for Culturally Competent Health Marketing. (2016). Newlink America.

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1. The Promise & Pitfalls of the 6-Second DTC Ad

Often referred to as “bumper ads,” the 6-second YouTube ad is a popular option for consumer marketers. But can these work for pharma brands? With their long length, complex messages, and side effects requirements, pharma DTC commercials may seem like unlikely candidates for this media.

However, 6-second DTC ads are not only plausible; their utilization is expected to grow. While the 6-second length is prohibitive for branded DTC ads with product claims and side effects, “reminder ads” are compatible with this short format.

What’s the ideal scenario for this type of media buy?

Since reminder ads only emphasize the drug brand name and contain no information about product benefits or side effects, we recommend their use in supplementing larger, branded campaigns. Brands spending at least $50 million in annual advertising will see most success with bumper ads. Since these 6-second ads typically employ the same creative look and feel as the longer commercials, they can aid viewer recall. However, without that level of ad spend, these 6-second DTC reminder ads are risky as they lack context and meaning when they’re seen by patients who haven’t been reached by the associated branded campaign.

2. Consider Addressable TV for Advanced Targeting

Successfully targeting and reaching the intended audience has always been a challenge for pharma marketers planning DTC campaigns. The population of patients who are eligible for the medication may be relatively small, meaning that a high percentage of advertising impressions are “wasted” on viewers who have no interest in the advertised product and will never be candidates for treatment.

“Addressable TV” is a digital innovation that allows marketers to target specific households using algorithms based on demographic and geographic data, similar to digital video. With nearly 50 million US households ‘addressable’ via cable set-top boxes, advertisers can now identify those homes whose members have a greater likelihood of having the medical condition that is treated by their pharmaceutical product.

Take as an example osteoarthritis, a medical condition that primarily affects an older demographic. Marketers can use Addressable TV to advertise an osteoarthritis drug directly to households with individuals 60+ years old vs. those with younger viewers who may be tuned in to the same programming next door.

When we work with pharma brands to forecast the impact and ROI of DTC campaigns, we model the awareness-generating ability of Addressable TV differently than we model traditional television. Current industry analysis indicates that Addressable TV is more effective; we will see if this trend remains evident as more and more data becomes available.

3. Explore Ad Concepts with Real Patients vs. Actors to Enhance Campaign Authenticity

Pharmaceutical DTC campaigns are sometimes criticized for using actors who don’t resemble actual patients, presenting an unrealistic depiction of the medical condition. Perhaps with this criticism in mind, some advertisers have opted for real patients in campaigns instead of actors.

“Before and after” photos are a staple of advertisements for dermatological medications. These photos become more convincing if real patients are depicted. Not only does the portrayal of the true efficacy of the medication become more accurate, the authenticity of the message is enhanced.

Nervous to ditch the actors? In our pharma DTC concept testing research, patient groups evaluate different ads and rate them according to standard metrics, such as their expected likelihood of asking their doctor to prescribe the medication. Patients can often sense when an advertisement is inauthentic and the message is more likely to resonate when authenticity shines through.

This article is republished with permission. Click here to read the original posting.

Fred Church

Sponsored Content

PatientPoint had the honor of sponsoring the Top 25 DTC Marketers and Hall of Fame awards at last month’s DTC National. During Hall of Fame inductee Christine Sakdalan’s passionate acceptance speech, one of her quotes really stood out, as it touched on some very relevant topics within our industry. She said: “More than ever, we have the great privilege and responsibility in healthcare to positively impact people’s lives. To make a meaningful difference in patient outcomes, we must purposefully lead with compassion and empathy, engage in relevant dialogue and foster partnership across the healthcare ecosystem.”

These values that Christine noted need to be at the forefront of decision-making during planning season. Lead with empathy. Engage in meaningful dialogue. Foster partnership. If your marketing strategy is built on these foundational tenants, and delivers relevant messaging to the patient at the time he or she needs the information the most, a positive impact is a near guarantee.

I see proof of this daily as I work with our client partners to create plans that enable their brands to be a part of the important discussions between patients and physicians. Sharing compelling testimonials, savings offers, clinical trial results and other similar information in the doctor’s office offers patients the guidance and empowerment they need at this time, making your brand a true partner to not only patients but their healthcare providers as well.

With all the news about consumers losing trust in brands today, it seems now more than ever is the time we collectively focus our efforts on what truly matters the most—the patient. This may involve a change from your tried and true marketing tactics, instead thinking outside the box to focus more on the channels, like point of care, that enable you to truly connect with patients and physicians and, as Christine so well noted in her speech, make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives. PatientPoint can help you do just that.

Linda Ruschau

The word “cancer” has become a household word, used by cancer centers, drug manufactures and the non-profit community in aggressive and extensive DTC marketing initiatives. But, historically, marketing cancer products directly to consumers rarely (if ever) happened; it was one of those areas that was deemed to be “pushing it too far.” What has contributed to this significant shift? And what role does DTC advertising truly play today? As the cancer conversation continues to grow across national television and other channels, we believe understanding this shift is imperative. As such, we initiated research to uncover insight into the impact and role of today’s DTC efforts in this once taboo category. Our work included a combination of quantitative and ethnographic research with cancer patients and their oncologists.

We recently had the privilege of presenting our findings to an audience of industry peers and colleagues at the 2018 DTC National Conference in Boston and, not surprisingly, our presentation hit a nerve. In fact, during the presentation, one audience member spoke out, sharing his experience with a stage 4 cancer diagnosis and how he could directly relate to the research findings we were presenting. This powerful moment was followed by a few others, including multiple audience members approaching us after our presentation to share their personal cancer anecdotes. We were moved by this level of audience engagement, and, of course, thrilled that our content had transcended professional relevance to make personal connections with people who had themselves experienced cancer. What follows is a summation of some of the more salient points from our presentation.

We are in the age of consumer-driven, patient-centered healthcare. New tools are empowering patients and shifting US consumer expectations. Take the Internet, for example, easily the broadest and most common tool…

70% of people use the Internet to figure out what condition they may have before visiting the doctor¹
52% use the Internet to understand what they need to discuss with the doctor¹
84% use the Internet to learn about treatment options after receiving an initial diagnosis¹
61% use the Internet to learn about treatment choices and side effects¹

Information sources proliferate. Think about it: there is so much available, both online and offline, from government agencies, manufacturers, pharmacy services, health plans, hospitals, cancer centers, non-profit organizations, clinical trial recruitment, advocacy groups, support services, and even social media.

As such, healthcare has become an everyday conversation. And this includes the once taboo c-word, cancer. Can you remember a time when you would hear a friend or family member whisper that someone has cancer? Now, you hear people talk about it openly at home, at work, and even at the local market or Starbucks.

The Mighty is a social media platform where consumers create message boards and share content. Within the platform, there are about 40,000 people following the broader topic of cancer today, with about 50 separate cancer communities. This demonstrates exactly what we were saying—people are no longer afraid to talk about cancer. Patients and care partners seek out these communities for emotional support, education, information, and often for some much needed self-expression.

In 1996, when DTC advertising began with blockbuster drugs like Lipitor and Claritin, there was a total spend of $555 million behind prescription medications. It was a market dominated by allergy, cholesterol, migraine, and dermatology treatments. At that time, and even just a few years ago, DTC about cancer treatments wasn’t a thought. However, DTC today reflects a different mix for a different time. Every time you turn on the TV, there’s a good likelihood you’ll see a DTC ad focused on a cancer treatment. This includes some great work from brands like Ibrance, Keytruda, Neulasta, and Opdivo. Not surprisingly, $504 million was spent on oncology DTC in 2017 alone. Yes, that is close to the whole DTC spend across all categories back in 1996. And the cancer conversation is not limited to just advertising. Cancer has become a topic in mass media and news environments as well. From Robin Roberts’ very public cancer journey on TV, Time Magazine’s cover pages on how to cure cancer, and even US News and World Report ranking the top cancer hospitals in 2017-18, there is no shortage of daily headlines about cancer.

So why the shift?

Talking about cancer is no longer taboo.
Consumer expectations of cancer have changed. For example, there is now an understanding and expectation that—in many cases—you will survive a cancer diagnosis. In addition, treatments can go on for an extended period of time.
The information age has helped to drive shared decision making.
There’s an increased level of patient involvement in the physical treatment. In fact, from targeted oral therapies to patches, some patients can now engage in chemotherapy at home.
There is increased competition and “noise” in the cancer space, from the proliferation of treatment options, to discussions of rising healthcare costs, and the rise in the number of interested and invested parties (i.e., health systems, advocacy, etc.).

Yet, despite all of these changes, people still lack a voice when it comes to cancer conversations with their oncologists. With our 20 years of experience in ethnographic in-office dialogue research, we have recorded well over 4,000 visits, with over 400 in oncology. That, combined with the over 800 post-visit interviews with oncology patients and their oncologists separately, has provided us with a real-world view of these poor communication interactions.

During our presentation, we shared two video clips of interactions between oncology patients and their oncologists. Unfortunately, one can’t really call them conversations, as they are completely dominated by the oncologists. These videos helped to demonstrate some of what the patient has to deal with. The visits are wrought with emotion, and the oncologist not only dominates the interaction, but throws out medical jargon and technical terminology that even the brighter than average patient cannot understand.

Witnessing this, we asked ourselves a couple important questions:

“If today’s patient is more informed about their health overall, and cancer is far less stigmatized in today’s society, why isn’t the cancer patient having more of a voice? And, what does this say about the role of DTC in advancing the cancer conversation?”

To help us gain a better understanding, we conducted an online survey with our WPP partners at Lightspeed, and reached out to 100 people ages 18-65 who are either going through cancer treatment or have completed cancer treatment. We focused the survey mostly on people who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, lung cancer, or melanoma, as many of the DTC ads out today are focused on these topics; however, other cancer types were also included.

We learned that DTC contributes to a more level playing field. Seeing a DTC ad helps cancer patients become more comfortable and educated. It also supplements the research they are already doing, and provides a comfort level.

Over half of the respondents replied that they agree, or strongly agree that seeing a pharmaceutical ad for a cancer treatment reminds them that they’re not alone.

Our research also demonstrated that DTC supports a more common, better understood language about cancer. It helps provide patients with information in their own language. It also helps to identify that there are choices available so they can balance what they’re being told by their oncologists.

In addition, DTC helps improve overall feelings of trust for cancer patients. Those we surveyed told us they feel more informed, more comfortable with medical conversations, and less alone as a result of exposure to DTC advertising.

Trust is a topic that was of particular interest to us, so we dug deeper into this data. We found 84% of our survey respondents said they are extremely or very likely to trust their oncologist. And while pharmaceutical companies ranked the lowest when patients were asked about trusted sources of cancer treatment information, they did report that DTC advertising itself improves their trust in the specific product or brand that was advertised.

Regardless, it was not a surprise when 93% of patients surveyed said they have not asked for an oncology treatment by name. This is a consistent finding with our ethnographic research experiences across other categories.

In summary, cancer has become “Primetime” for a reason. At a high level,

Patients today expect to be informed
They demand information at their fingertips
They don’t want to be blindly led

What does the future of oncology DTC look like?

We must continue to tap into and align with cultural values.
We should look to be even more informative and balanced, not less.
We need to find ways to connect with patients on their terms.

As DTC marketers, there is an incredible opportunity in front of us to help fuel an evolving and improved two-way conversation.

While patients will continue to look to and trust their oncologists and the cancer community for expertise and guidance, DTC can also continue to stimulate patient awareness and understanding, provide an often needed feeling of inclusion and support, and, thereby, support a more level playing field.

If you have questions or clients who you feel would benefit from knowing more, please reach out to Catherine Goss or Ashli Sherman.

Reference

1 – Manhattan Research, Google Consumer Study 2015 among online patients.

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“Content” has replaced “digital” as the biggest buzzword in marketing today—and is now at the core of all communications plans. According to a report by Accenture published late last year, 78% of pharmaceutical and biotech marketers now produce a “moderate to enormous” amount of digital content—from patient testimonials, social posts and news articles to shareable videos.

The truth is that content marketing can be one of the most effective ways to change audience behavior and move the needle on business objectives—but it can also easily fall flat. That’s why it’s more important than ever for marketers to develop clear objectives and strategies for their campaigns and avoid what I call the Seven Deadly Sins of Content Marketing.

SIN #1: You assume people care about your brand story

Let’s be honest; people don’t wake up saying “I’d like to sign a pledge today” or “I’d like to watch a patient video called Sam’s Story.” When developing content, you have to put yourself in the mindset of everyday people (yes: patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals are people, too) and ask yourself a critical question: Why should they care? People are exposed to up to 10,000 brand messages a day, so for a brand to make an impact, its content has to be rooted in what people are already interested in, searching for and sharing.

Simply put, to work well, content must be as on trend as it is on message. Through social listening research, you can determine the conversations patients and healthcare professionals are already having about their condition and everything that surrounds it so you can enter those conversations authentically. For example, consider structuring your patient stories as listicles, hacks, and memes to build a library of valuable and snackable content that breaks through the clutter.

SIN #2: Your content is socially embarrassing

Every time we ask a person to engage on social platforms, we are asking them to do it publicly. While we work hard to remove the stigma from conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and vaginal atrophy, we have to recognize that there are just some aspects of people’s lives they don’t want to share in a public forum. Does that make social content off limits for conditions like these? No. But brands have to find ways to produce content that people would feel proud—or obligated—to share with other patients, caregivers and everyday friends.

For example, I helped develop a campaign for injectable dermal fillers. While millions of women use fillers, it remains a behind-closed-doors conversation because of the cultural bias associated with facial aging treatments, so we knew women would be hesitant to share social content. To overcome this, we tapped in to the pop-culture trend of mother-daughter “generation” photo shoots and asked daughters to re-create photographs of their mothers at the same age they are now to show how looks change as we age. The program sparked widespread engagement with consumers and media and authentically included discussion about treatment options to help women fight their genes and maintain natural-looking beauty as they age.

SIN #3: You are too focused on the subtleties of your execution

Pharma marketers already have enough hurdles to jump through to get their content out into the world. Obsessing about font type and rounded edges of photos that patients will never notice (or care about) just further delays getting content out while it’s still relevant.

Your attention is better spent on evaluating whether or not your content is relevant to information and conversations your target is interested in. Is it bringing real value to their life? Will they feel smarter, more hopeful and more connected after engaging with it? If the answer is “no,” then no amount of tweaking the color gradient is going make a difference.

SIN #4: Your content requires too much time and money

Authentic content that resonates isn’t always highly produced. In fact, very little sharable content is. Successful content strategies include a variety of production levels, so strike a balance between a well-produced “hero brand video” and a less expensive Instagram story. This will allow you to quickly enter conversations in real time and effectively use your budget to produce more content that keeps your brand top of mind (and top of feed).

I also believe it’s important to lean on agencies beyond your traditional ad agency for content. Your other partner agencies, including digital, social and PR, may have a stronger and more authentic way to understand what your patients are looking for and talking about and therefore can craft content that authentically engages, changes behaviors and moves your business.

SIN #5: You think that, if your content is good, it will get seen

Ensuring that your content is seen requires a mix of earned media attention and paid media boosting. For better earned media exposure, consider giving influencers and media a “first look” (before distributing it broadly to consumers), which can enhance its “hot off the press” appeal and incentivize them share it on their channels. Investigate partnerships with popular publishers to co-create content, which will give it even more credibility. Boost your content’s appeal through search optimization and simple but effective tactics like crafting a compelling title and robust description.

From the paid perspective, it’s important to remember that, for marketers, social media platforms are “pay to play.” There are very limited instances when your audience will see your content without paid support. My rule is to allocate at least 15% of the cost of the content for promotional dollars to ensure that even existing fans see it.

SIN #6: You are asking consumers to generate content for you

Let’s be real—how often do you “Share Your Story” on a social channel? Brands that set out to source real consumer stories as the cornerstone of their marketing campaign are destined to be disappointed in the results.

To make user-generated content (UGC) work for you, keep the following in mind:

Tap in to moments when consumers are ALREADY sharing photos and videos, and ride that wave of existing conversations and content.
Use an existing community of like-minded content creators to spread your story. You can access these through a myriad of vendors.
Don’t underestimate the value of offering an incentive. Coupons, gift cards and surprise-and-delights don’t have to be expensive to be meaningful and compelling and can easily fall into pharma guidelines.

SIN #7: You give up on content because of regulatory hurdles

In a highly regulated environment, it’s understandable that pharma marketers throw up their hands in frustration when it comes to developing content and opt for an unbranded campaign that may not provide the same ROI. Good branded healthcare content requires incredible diligence. But it is possible.

Whether your content is branded or unbranded, you can help your program succeed by collaborating with your legal/regulatory team early in the process. To enhance compliance, consider using the latest platform tools like comment turnoff and static Important Safety Information on images and video, and keep up to date on the current cost-effective monitoring capabilities from your agencies and partners.

By keeping business objectives and consumer behavior top of mind, we can ensure that content does more than flood our feeds with more things to scroll past. There are many ways you can produce quality content that your target audience will want to see—and turn every post, every video, every story into an engine of conversation and engagement that drives your business forward.

Edwin Endlich

By Aimee Delorey, Ph.D., and Mark Miller of Symphony Health

It comes as no surprise that big data is being used in all aspects of human life, from where we shop, how we listen to music, how we date and more. But in healthcare analytics, it’s more than just collecting data for the sake of marketing, it’s about understanding how we as doctors treat our patients based on their everyday life habits and goals for living a healthy lifestyle.

The problem and the solution

Large scale data systems, like CRMs may not always provide a holistic, 360-degree view of the patient. They provide limited or incomplete databases in which healthcare professionals have to fill in the blanks. Gaps in data provide significant barriers in understanding patient behavior. Thus, patients receive underwhelming care. According to a 2015 study from McKinsey & Company, 95% of patient data resides outside of the care management system.[1]

Doctors need to be merging traditional data with new sources in order to identify behavior, attitudes and life circumstances. Getting to know our patient’s stress levels, job responsibilities, food and exercise routines, hours spent using technology, social lives and more with the data provided to us will help us provide individualized treatment and advice.

A 2016 study by the SAS Institute merged third party consumer data with claims data to predict healthcare utilization risk and costs.[2] As a result, researchers were able to identify TV viewing patterns, mail-order buying habits (including mail-order prescriptions) and investments in stocks and bonds. The culmination of all this information arms doctors with predictive power in helping understand a patient’s risk for particular outcomes and the related cost.

Using data to invoke change

The earlier we can detect and give our patients a diagnosis, the better their outcome will be. With more comprehensive data and information which is critical to the patient’s journey, (family history, lifestyle and comorbid conditions like diabetes or anemia) can lead to earlier detection.

For example, a main symptom of congestive heart failure is fatigue, which is not always a telling symptom to the average patient. Most patients aren’t diagnosed with this disease until the later stages, meaning most have been living with the disease for some time before diagnosis and treatment.

However, with the help of data, a physician can triangulate their historical information with current signs and symptoms to identify heart disease at an earlier time. This is significant to a patient suffering from unrecognized heart disease who can have a materially improved quality of life with the help of early detection and appropriate treatment.

Conclusion

It’s critical that the healthcare industry, from practitioners to pharmaceutical companies, to look to new ways to understand patients that go beyond traditional data sources, (i.e. wearable technology and the cloud). A better understanding of patients through data will vastly improve diagnosis, earlier detection, more effective treatment, aftercare, prevention and quality of care.

References

[1] McKinsey

[2] Statish Garla, Albert Hopping, Rock Moaco, Sarah Rittman. What Do Your Consumer Habits Say About Your Health Risk? Using Third-Party Data to Predict Individual Health Risk and Costs; SAS Institute, 2016

About the Authors

Aimee Delorey, Ph.D., senior director, Strategy & Research at Symphony Health, has spent nearly 20 years in analytics and consulting roles serving biotechnology, pharmaceutical and health plan clients. Her areas of expertise include CRM strategy, marketing effectiveness, predictive modeling, data visualization and customer journeys.

As the leader of Symphony’s Audience and Media practice, Mark Miller's team is responsible for helping clients design, measure and optimize highly complicated media and marketing initiatives. He does this by leveraging Symphony’s unique data and analytic capabilities with an eye towards effective and nimble marketing execution. Mark is widely regarded as one of the foremost thinkers in customer experience design with a focus on groundbreaking solutions in the areas of brand planning, digital media and CRM execution.

Editor's Note: Join Mark as he copresents with Britta Cleveland, SVP of Research with Meredith, at our DTC Forum on TV & Print, discussing the impact print ads have on Rx sales conversions and overall Return On Ad Spend (ROAS). The 2017 DTC Forum on TV & Print will be held Oct 26th in NYC.

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For years, many luxury goods retailers, concerned about exclusivity and control, either sniffed at or completely ignored the internet as a marketplace.

Now, a recent McKinsey & Company Marketing & Sales report tells us “Nearly half of luxury goods buying decisions are already influenced by what consumers hear or see online.” The same report predicts that by 2018, “global digital sales for women’s luxury fashion are expected to grow from a current 3 percent of the total market to 17 percent, for a total market size of $12 billion.”

Conventional wisdom also underestimated the internet’s power as a source for health information, but a Pew Research Center study shows “80% of internet users have looked online for information about any of 15 health topics such as a specific disease or treatment.” The same study finds “34% of internet users, or 25% of adults, have read someone else’s commentary or experience about health or medical issues on an online news group, website, or blog.”

Likewise, conventional wisdom held that patients would never use social media for health information. However, Health Union research found that 26% of the patients used Facebook once a day or more for health information and more than half (52%) use it at least monthly.

Hubs for medical innovation

While the emergence of social media tools and online health communities as hubs for medical innovation might seem far-fetched, their importance in a digital environment can’t be overstated. We now live in a world where communication is multi-directional, information is more accessible, and experience-sharing is simple and fast.

But what can online health communities contribute to health research?

Not surprisingly, descriptions of a patient’s experience are most valuable when they come directly from the patient. Posing questions to an online community or monitoring conversations aids in the observation of trends in habits, desires, symptoms, and other information otherwise unavailable or difficult to obtain. Trends can be analyzed and online communities can provide feedback regarding product attributes that patients and caregivers find most important. Observational studies can inform researchers about real patient experiences and patient-driven research can serve as a starting point for future trials or as verification of previous results.

Online communities also offer valuable input for clinical trial design and feasibility. While the current belief is that patients are generally not involved, we’ve found that patients are very interested in contributing to the study design process. Patient advocates can add value to study development by identifying challenges and helping to create patient communications.

The rise of patient-driven research

We are witnessing a growing trend of patient-driven data from wearable technology from companies like FitBit, Garmin, and Apple as well as from direct-to-consumer health testing such as 23andMe or recently FDA-approved tests that can detect a predisposition for late-onset Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

At the same time, we see an increase in patient-driven research. Although it is a less-controlled form of study, there is potential for it to complement controlled, scientific studies. And while there is a possibility for inaccurate data, there is significant potential for fast, large-scale, and low-cost data collection.

As an example, consider a recent online community’s participant-led study of the effects of lithium on patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study had no control arm and required patients in the community to self-report their experience and ALS symptom progression while taking lithium.

The results from the community indicated there was no connection between lithium and symptom progression. Researchers then completed a scientific study, analyzed the patient data, and compared the experimental group to a control arm utilizing existing electronic patient records. Researchers concluded that the results of the patient-driven study held validity. These results also confirmed the findings of a previously conducted clinical trial investigating the same hypothesis — that lithium did not affect ALS progression.

Though these types of trials can have academic merit, they are not a suitable replacement for FDA-approved clinical trials. However, they show promise as a means of validating previous study results, or generating interest in a particular treatment method.

What motivates patients to participate?

Health Union’s latest survey data from nearly 20,000 individuals representing 12 different chronic conditions finds the majority of respondents (64%) are interested in participating in clinical research. We find the same trend among condition-specific communities such as migraine (74%), rheumatoid arthritis (64%), and inflammatory bowel disease (57%).

Community members are motivated by a desire to improve the quality of medical care for themselves and others, and to help researchers understand what it’s like to live with the condition. Other insights we’ve uncovered influencing motivation are also personal and compelling:

“As a young person who was diagnosed with something that can make you feel helpless, research and taking charge by devoting my career to making a positive impact has pulled me through.” — Stephanie B., MultipleSclerosis.net
“Being able to say they actually wanted my opinion…can make a person feel validated and important.” — Katie G., Migraine.com
“I think the patients [researchers] are looking to recruit would be more apt to be part of a clinical trial that has patients and researchers working together.” – Cathy C., MultipleSclerosis.net

Tapping into the desire to participate in clinical research, online health communities can broaden the scope for recruitment of research participants beyond traditional methods and often accelerate the speed of enrollment.

The incredible potential of online communities in health research

Online health communities can change the efficiency, feasibility, and speed of health research while engaging a larger population than ever before. Trials have the possibility to be designed for maximum retention and recruited with more efficiency.

The possibilities within this realm are vast and, if treated with appropriate caution, can have a tremendous impact on patient care along with the quality of health research and innovation.

Amrita Bhowmick

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