8DECEMBER 2020IN MY OPINIONBy Tina Torres, SVP, Growth at MediaMonks In the pharmaceutical industry, it is imperative to be transparent about important safety information (ISI) regarding the use of your products. At the same time, delivering this information in a way that is both useful and creative has historically been a challenge for some pharmaceutical brands. However, when they take a more holistic approach to their ad management to promote wellness across touchpoints in the digital ecosystem, they can better support customers with greater transparency and contextual awareness. When I first began working alongside the pharmaceutical industry in 2010, brands had to err on the side of caution when it came to important safety information. The challenge was having the marketing savvy to create innovative, appealing content that continues to achieve marketing goals when you had to put all of the risks up-front and in consumers' faces. Years later, we have more lenient fair balance regulations, in which benefits equal or outweigh the risks. This is helped by newer display units and sleek websites that invite customers to interact and explore the product and patient testimonials prior to reaching ISI and side effects, enabling a more balanced customer experience. And social media, where brevity is key, allows brands to get their message out while linking to ISI below the fold. Still, brands can go much further in their ad management by focusing on the full customer decision journey (CDJ), offering a better experience that truly supports patients' needs. PROMOTE WELLNESS ACROSS THE FULL CUSTOMER JOURNEY Whether patients are researching symptoms before a doctor visit, are in the consultation process, getting medication, or are in aftercare, consider the different steps of the customer journey and how your brand can show up to support. What are some of the best tools and educational materials that you can provide to healthcare practitioners and patients alike, and in what format? Previously, there was a huge demand for print and in-office posters and pamphlets for patient education. Now, there is an opportunity to virtualise those teachable moments­for example, personalising aftercare by inviting patients to fill out digital questionnaires on a tablet. These experiences, focused on empowering patients to better understand wellness and risks, go a long way in empowering patients to take control of their health. And in addition to understanding when you're reaching patients in the CDJ, don't forget who you're talking to: an elderly customer will have different concerns and needs than a young adult, side effects may differ based on gender, and different approaches are needed when communicating with a healthcare practitioner. While there is opportunity to reuse assets for different audience segments, provide added relevance through scripts that speak to different contexts--and test and learn to understand which creative strategies are most effective to reaching your goals.How Effective Ad Management Helps Pharma Brands Offer Support & Transparency
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