Global Pharmaceutical Firms Look to U.S. for Integrated Strategies
In a world where empowered consumers are actively seeking information on breakthrough medications to improve their own health, it's no wonder that global pharmaceutical marketers have increased their interest in talking directly to the public.
PR professionals can share insights with their international colleagues on the powerful role that PR plays in direct-to-consumer campaigns as client interest in consumer dialogue gains momentum.
International eyes have focused recently on the U.S. experience with direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) as a model for consumer interface.
Some question whether the rest of the world can benefit from North America's aggressive use of DTCA, since the U.S. benefits from fewer regulatory restrictions on branding, making DTCA benefits in the U.S. relatively accessible.
Regulations elsewhere make medication branding off-limits in nearly every international market. Without branding, companies are limited to disease-oriented education initiatives before a patient receives a prescription. Even then, direct product information must come from a doctor or advocacy group.
PR, however, is the ideal tool to maximize disease-oriented communications. U.S. PR practitioners understand the value of placing in-depth feature stories that include descriptions of disease symptoms and treatment options. This strategy provides a true public service.
It also offers a sound regulatory approach to DTC around the world because it is the media or a third party describing a drug's value - not the drug manufacturer.
When someone other than the direct commercial beneficiary of a product is extolling the product's virtues, the message carries greater weight and does not violate regulations.
PR gives independent reporters or advocates a highly credible platform to review a product's benefits through disease-related media coverage. As we all know, a message delivered from a trusted reporter or third-party expert - the basic tenet of PR - is far more compelling than a paid advertisement.
Our international colleagues can also work with advocacy groups the way we do in the U.S. The influence of pharmacists, for instance, is growing around the world.
Collaborative PR programs with pharmacy associations provide a major opportunity for global companies interested in reaching patients on a local level through a trusted source. Partnerships with other allied health professionals such as nurse practitioners also create direct avenues for message delivery.
International marketers also can benefit from the flexibility that PR offers in reaching disparate audiences and special populations. Targeted PR programs could reach a Chinese audience in Indonesia or the Turkish community in Germany, for example.
As in the U.S., it is very important to ensure that brand messages are culturally relevant to special audiences in other countries.
Targeting Asian Women
One company worked with the Overseas Doctors Association and other credible third parties to develop sensitive patient information materials for Asian women in the U.K. The campaign was designed to encourage Asian women to visit a healthcare practitioner and to increase awareness about the benefits of hormone replacement therapy.
Patient-focused booklets and leaflets in the four key Asian languages were distributed to women via community and advocacy groups, Asian-specific media, and Asian physicians. An investigative TV program aired on AsiaNet in April 1997 now is available in five languages as a video. A nursing informational package encouraged nurses to invite Asian women for a consultation.
As more global companies begin to execute disease-oriented DTCA campaigns, PR can also include the same 800-phone number advertised in a disease-specific or corporate-supported ad campaign to increase results and cost-efficiency.
Studies have shown that DTCA, when combined with PR, is more effective than a direct-to-consumer ad alone.
And given the prohibitive cost of running lengthy television spots or buying multiple pages within a national print outlet, and the limited information these ads can provide, PR offers an exciting opportunity to expand the brand message more thoroughly.
As DTC marketing becomes more important globally, it is clear that U.S. and international PR practitioners can share their successful practices and strategies for more cost-efficient and effective DTC campaigns.
Ilyssa Levins is chairman and chief creative officer of GCI Healthcare, a global full-service healthcare firm in New York. She is responsible for global new business development, new ventures and acquisitions and worlwide marketing. She can be reached at 212/886-3500.