HPRMN welcomes new columnist Ilyssa Levins, vice chairman of Grey Healthcare Group. She was first featured in our special outlook issue where she offered industry insight into the need for increasing patient retention initiatives and launching relationship marketing programs. In upcoming issues she will focus on innovative branding approaches and achieving executive respect for PR campaigns.
By the year 2030, it's estimated that more than 50 percent of the population will be non-white. This represents a huge opportunity for pharmaceutical marketers.
Obviously, minorities are no longer a niche market nor, contrary to some opinions, are all special populations on public assistance.
At $400 billion in potential consumer spending and with nearly 70 percent of this population covered by insurance, this sector is the growth market of the future. But pharmaceutical companies can't expect to achieve success overnight.
If pharmaceutical marketers want to successfully participate in this growing market, they must truly understand and respect the communities with which they are trying to build relationships.
Multicultural marketing means more than translating a brochure into Spanish or simply changing the ethnicity of models used in pictures. It requires research, nuance and commitment.
To achieve long-term collaboration, sensitivity is as important as substance when establishing relationships with diverse groups and should include:
- Learning more about priority health issues, language and culture before attending a community meeting.
- Assembling a team that includes representatives of the ethnic group with which you are trying to collaborate.
- Investing in cross-cultural training for other senior managers and corporate staff.
Through this commitment clients will see increased brand loyalty, enhanced compliance and greater market share.
PR is an effective vehicle for educating and marketing to special populations, from African-Americans and Hispanics to Asian Americans and American Indians.
And PR agencies with advocacy specialty and ethnic media capabilities are well positioned to help their clients design and implement culturally relevant initiatives that improve patient outcomes and the bottom line.
These initiatives should include:
DTC Power
PR is one of the most cost-efficient ways to talk directly with the consumer.
The enhanced credibility of messages delivered by a third party (the PR tenet) maximizes the impact of your PR message, particularly when the messenger is a respected member of the minority community (for example, a pastor).
Influencer Reach
Special populations typically access health information or get referrals from within the community.
Pastors at the local church, directors of a community center, a trusted health professional at the local clinic are ideal non-traditional information sources.
Message Relevancy
Ethnic groups are not monolithic; there is diversity within diversity. Latinos of European origin are different from those from South America.
Three-Phase Multicultural PR
By using a three-phase, multicultural marketing strategy, clients can greatly increase their level of success:
Phase I: Audience Assessment
Conduct a 'needs-gap' analysis of the target audience to see what deficiencies exist and to determine if there are true clinical gaps that a PR program could fill.
For example, a New England Journal of Medicine article [Sept. 12, 1996] concluded that wide disparities between blacks and whites in the use of Medicare services have had substantial effects on mortality and morbidity.
Special outreach programs could ensure that special populations have better access to health services.
In other cases, it may simply mean helping to fill an information void with basic educational materials.
For example, we know that there is a lack of culturally relevant materials on Alzheimer's disease for the African American community. Similar information on depression, arthritis and osteoporosis also is non-existent.
Phase II: Entry Strategy
We always recommend "lending a hand before asking for help." In other words, do something for a particular group before asking them to do something for the pharmaceutical company or its brand.
Marketers should not expect anything from these groups right off the bat. Sometimes starting with a quiet, consistent presence may be the most valuable way to demonstrate real commitment to the community.
Equally important is spending time in and with the community and groups with which you want to ally yourself.
Phase III: Tactical Execution
Now it's time to execute, start by:
Ilyssa Levins is vice chairman of Grey Healthcare Group Inc. and president of Grey Healthcare Group Public Relations in New York. She can be reached at 212/886-3101.