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Digital Pharmaceutical Marketing: A Review

Article  in  Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology · January 2016

DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2016.00017.2

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 Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 9(1): January 2016

ISSN 0974-3618 (Print) www.rjptonline.org

0974-360X (Online)

REVIEW ARTICLE

Digital Pharmaceutical Marketing : A Review

Dhara Parekh*, Dr. Pankaj Kapupara, Dr. Ketan Shah
Department of Quality Assurance, School of Pharmacy, RK University, Kasturbadham, Rajkot -360 020 Gujarat
*Corresponding Author E-mail: dharaparekh92@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:
‘Digital’ has become an important part of the everyday life. All the sectors have been adapting to the digital era
at a faster rate. However other than the website, the pharma industry has not quite been able to adopt digital
marketing. In this era more pharmaceutical companies utilize social media sites or ecommerce sites as digital
marketing platform. This enables online purchase of products by the customers. Some organisations are trying to
understand the true value of digital while others are integrating it into the wider marketing strategy. However all
the companies cannot sell products online as they manufacture prescription drugs, which cannot be sold online.
For example, Pfizer is active and responsive to the customers via social networking platforms. YouTube,
Facebook and Twitter were used to communicate with customers. Johnson and Johnson was one of the first
companies to launch a YouTube channel. Quantum Pharmaceuticals and The Specials Lab, North East based
pharmaceutical companies offer online ordering of special medicines promoting e-commerce and digital
marketing.

KEYWORDS: Pharmaceutical marketing, digital marketing, digital marketing strategies, e-pharm, social
media.

INTRODUCTION: Types of digital marketing

There are some businesses that are very innovative in
terms of digital advancement, but lack of good case
studies of digitalisation in the pharmaceutical sector
limits the use[1] .Web marketing is not that well adapted
by the Pharmaceutical sector. The cautious behaviour of
the sector, which is combined with uncertain regulation,
held back pharmaceuticals sector while marketers in
finance, professional services, manufacturing and
business services have raced ahead online[2].However,
online professional and patient communities have
developed to adapt increased usage of mobile, social
media as well as online information by patients,
healthcare professionals (HCP), key opinion leaders
(KOL) and the larger medical fraternity have instigated
pharmaceutical companies to invest and explore digital
marketing strategies within industry guidelines[3] .
Received on 08.12.2015 Modified on 24.12.2015
Accepted on 30.12.2015 © RJPT All right reserved
Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 9(1): Jan., 2016; Page 108-112
DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2016.00017.2
1. Search engine optimization:
When customers look for any health information they
initially turn on to Google, Yahoo or MSN/Bing which
are most used search engines. Healthcare information
search is one of the most common online activities
among internet users of all ages. SEO is an effective
approach to reach these users. Search ranks are
manipulated by using the search engine optimization
strategies resulting in better search rank on Google or
any other search engines.
Hence for organizations that utilise search engine
optimization (SEO) strategies, it marks as an important
opportunity to reach their target audiences. The
organizations which cannot be located in search engines
are losing out on a massive opportunity to reach the
people target population[4]. Important aspects of search
engine optimization are keyword usage in titles and
URLs, internal links on your own website, backlinks
from other websites, proper use of alt tags with images,
and social network activity[5].

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 Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 9(1): January 2016
2. Social Media Marketing[5]:
Search engines use activity on social media as a medium
for marketing. Facebook shares, retweets over twitter
and +1s on Google aid your position on the search
engine results pages. Social media marketing enables
direct connection of the company with its consumers. It
improves the brand’s values and strengthen reputation of
the organisation. The negative experiences in a public
forum can be turned around by providing the updates
from company website and encourage discussion.
[5]
3. Pay Per Click Ads :
If the company website isn’t having enough traffic, ads
may be purchased on Google. Ads can also be purchased
on other websites via the numerous ad networks directly.
Pay-per-click, or PCC adds are depend on keyword that
are used by searcher on Google. Ad analytics software
lets the company determine the success rate of PPC
campaigns. The company will only pay if anyone has
clicked on the link of the add.
[6]
4. Email Newsletters :
ExactTarget released their 2012 Channel Preference
Survey, which implied that email still remained the
number one direct channel preferred by consumers for
daily use for both personal and marketing
communications. Also, the widespread use of smart
phones and tablets allows its consumers to access the
emails quickly. Also, the ExactTarget report showed that
77% of consumers prefer receiving permission-based
marketing communications through email, compared to
social channels (6%) and text messaging (5%). Email
provides consumers the feeling of control and
personalization in which they can opt into a relationship
and then follow through by providing them with the
information only which they wish to receive.
Current scenario and challenges:
The numbers of approximate internet users were 1405
million in Asia in the year 2014 followed by 582.4
million users in Europe and increasing day by day
worldwide. This has given a major boost to the digital
era in various sectors[7].
Digital Marketing in any sector is a more cost-effective
and less time consuming method to communicate with
customers compared to traditional marketing. Digital
marketing allows pharmaceutical marketers to use data
to create more strategic engagement with prescribers and
physicians. However many companies are still not able
to integrate digital into the wider business strategy[10].
The pharmaceutical sector faces many challenges in Companies who are able to integrate digital and the
adopting the digital marketing strategies some of which approval
are explained below.
109
1. Inadequate company vision[11]:
Most of the companies lack a proper vision for
implementation of the digital marketing solutions. The
strategies are not clearly defined, agreed upon and
shared internally. A strong management is required to
confirm the vision, set out the objectives and monitor the
pace of work. The identification of the field force and
marketing champions promoting the digital pharma
vision is usually not found in the companies.
2. A lack of digital minds[10]:
The pharmaceutical sector lacks workforce that is skilful
and wish to drive digital change. To establish digital
marketing in the company, employees should have
knowledge about the digital marketing, as well as the
complexity of implementing digital in the
pharmaceutical industry. Most of the companies lack the
efficient workforce who understands the industry as well
as the new digital marketplace simultaneously.
3. A digital catastrophe [10]:
Many pharmaceutical companies have started
implementing digital channels and campaigns; however
the marketers in this field are unable to execute an
overall effective digital strategy. Increased data has
resulted in difficult analysis and utilization of data in
digital strategies has thus created a digital catastrophe.
The pharmaceutical marketers should unify data across
channels; utilize the data in real-time, refine digital
strategies accordingly using their digital minds.
4. Strict Regulations:
The issue of the regulations in each jurisdiction requires
close examination prior to any digital campaigns being
launched[11]. Life sciences marketing face stricter
regulations when compared to other sectors. The
pharmaceutical sector has to follow the FDA as well as
the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements from
the privacy to the creative copy. In 1996, establishment
of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) protected the security and privacy of the health
data. This act prevented the advertisers from misusing
the health data online, protecting the privacy of the
healthcare data. In 2010, FDA issued warning letter to a
Novartis to pull back Facebook share, as the risk
information about leukemia treatment drug Tasigna
provided was inadequate[12]. With the search restrictions
the pharmaceutical companies have been more careful
about the investment and adoption of new digital
marketing practices[13].
process with built-in compliance
workflows can make digital work in real-time[10].
 Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 9(1): January 2016

5. Poorly maintained websites:

Biopharmaceutical manufacturers are slow to use social
media. The old “Web 1.0” world is still followed by
some of the pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical
sector has preferred one-way flow of information which
has carefully screened, legally approved, and protected
against outside interference. Such websites only push
information lacking direct interaction with patients[14].
An out-of-date site with poor maintainance is worst than
having no site at all. Efficient human resources must Fig. 2: Focuses in digital pharma [8]
found to manage these interactions[15].

Survey on Digital Marketing: Almost 95% of the pharmaceutical companies

1. Survey conducted by COUCH[8]: understand the importance of the websites yet some of
COUCH, an integrated digital marketing and creative the companies do not have one. The value of the
healthcare communications agency conducted a survey marketing activities can be understood by determining
of 119 companies in the pharmaceutical sector to analyse the return on investment you get after adapting this
the challenges that the digital pharma would face in method. ETools for sales include many options, such as
2014. According to the survey, customer relationship management (CRM), e-detailing
1. The 92% of respondents were not satisfied with their programs, lead nurturing applications that enables to
companies’ current digital technology implementation track the prospect through the sales process. Mobile, is
2. The challenge faced by 83% of the respondents is to huge across retail industries but not used for marketing
adopt digital technologies in their company in the pharmaceutical sector. 50% of respondents
3. Budget was identified by 75% of respondents as recognized the need for it is huge but cannot determine
major challenge to incorporate digitalisation into their its proper use.
overall marketing strategy
2. Survey conducted by com SCORE[9]:
4. 73% of respondents faced absence of digital strategy
at workplace.14% of respondents measured their comSCORE.Inc, a leader in measuring the digital world,
activities on weekly to monthly basis. conducted a survey on “Online Marketing Effectiveness
Benchmarks for Pharmaceutical Industry”. Based on
Respondents also mentioned the major challenges they comScore’s survey data from 163 pharmaceutical
faced to incorporate the digital marketing. studies, the results show that online direct to consumer
(DTC) marketing continues to increase conversion
among patients and prospects. It also shows that
pharmaceutical online advertising has highest
viewability rates of any industry. Across a study of
billions of pharmaceutical advertising impressions
spanning over 15 brands, 51 percent of the ads were
viewable. Out of the ten industries comScore
benchmarked, pharmaceutical advertising impressions
had the highest viewability rates.

Fig. 1: Survey conducted by COUCH about digital marketing

challanges and issues[8]

Expertise, innovations and creativity can be resolved

may ways. Some of which include outsourcing to
agencies, using consultants, employ part-time staff till
enough funds are available for full-timers or use
freelance workers.

The survey also focussed on the main focus area for the
year 2014 to improve digital marketing in the
pharmaceutical sector.
Fig. 3: Online Display Ad Viewability [9]

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 Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 9(1): January 2016

Strategies that can be implemented 4. Sharing data for population studies[18]:

Pharmaceutical companies have a huge opportunity to Large data collected overtime tends to be useless
use their expertise healthcare reforms by altering their unless good analysis is performed on it. The results
business model[16]. Pharmaceutical sector is an associated with data should be brought out. The
information-intensive industry. Healthcare’s business combination of point of care content, mobile and
model has remained unaffected by the digital revolution analytics will be what truly changes healthcare in digital.
until recently. Health is delivered traditionally till
present as the industry lacks the usage of digital 5. Create a new organisational structure for digital
technologies[17]. The strict regulations, lack of proper marketing[11]:
digital strategies, etc. have been major barriers for Appoint an e-marketing strategy manager, e-marketing
adoption of digital marketing. The companies require to product manager, digital marketing committee, etc.
have a well defined strategy for implementation of which can help to drive innovation on the digital
digital marketing which most of them lack. Technology marketing of the company and build digital strategies.
is not the only solution but it must be also used in the
regular work process flow[18]. 6. Ensure IT support[11]:
Adequate IT support is needed in order to provide
Following are the few strategies that the pharmaceutical solution to any digital marketing issues.
companies can adopt in order to increase the
opportunities in digital era. 7. Patient and Health Care Provider (HCP)
1. Collaborative business model[19]: services[19] :
The pharmaceutical industry is quickly innovating As patients and HCPs are using more technologies day
despite its traditional barriers through collaboration with by day, they also expect pharmaceutical companies to
partners, stakeholders and beyond. The availability of provide technology-based services that can help patients
digital technologies provides great potential for almost- monitor and manage their health. These services can also
limitless collaboration. The collaborators can efficiently significantly contribute to the research and development
and effectively research and develop new therapies. For into new treatments. It also connects stakeholders across
example, Pfizer has adopted an innovative cloud-based the broader healthcare ecosystem to support the delivery
clinical data platform, which enables participants to of treatment and provide evidence of results. Digitally-
aggregate, analyses and visualize clinical trial patient enabled patient services, such as apps or online
data across studies and drug programs, supporting platforms or educational resources that link to a broader
intelligent trial design, precision medicine, set of services which aids patients and HCPs deal with
pharmacovigilance and regulatory enquiries. health issues should be used.

2. Business partners[18]: Future scopes:

Digital strategies include partnering with companies The pharmaceutical companies will in future highly
which address complimentary aspects of a given disease. adapt to digitalisation and develop extensive
For example companies marketing anticoagulants for connectivity, data analysis and collaboration. Digital
atrial fibrillation should partner with medical device shall soon become the backbone of pharmaceutical
companies identifying these patients with remote cardiac industry, provided they develop proper marketing
monitoring. Introducing a digital marketing tool is not strategies and implement them. The patients and health
difficult. The companies must not only introduce but care teams would provide the communication platform
they must also adopt them. for brands. The traditional one way relationship in our
healthcare system will soon change to two way
3. Introduce mobile apps[18]: relationship exclusively with help of digitalization on
The long wait of the pharmaceutical companies ended this sector[20]. Mobile marketing, social media and other
when the FDA released the guidance of mobile medical forms of digital marketing will lead to creation of
apps. Apps delivered in via mobile phones in a go helps valuable channels enabling patients to exchange
better understanding of patients regading their diagnoses information.
and medications prior to discharge. Complete details of
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