22 Sep t e mb e r 20 07 VIEW on Marketing E�MEDIA mazon, iTunes, and Netflix have it right. These media capture our attention, our loyalty, and our business by providing an ever�evolv� ing service platform that continues to meet our personal needs. We log on to one of these sites, and we feel as though the com� pany understands us.They know what we have purchased.They ask if we liked it. And they recommend things that we might, and often do, want to buy next. The media industry is moving quickly to adapt to the increasing demand for personalized service. Why can’t the pharmaceutical industry do the same thing? Actually, the industry can, particularly for patients, who are used to interacting with Websites such as iTunes or Amazon, and who are in need of some help and guidance to determine what educational content is most relevant to them. Redirecting Patient Education Direct�to�consumer advertising has gone a long way to prime patient audiences toward accepting the idea that they are being served by the pharmaceutical industry. Coupled with the greater say that physicians are giving patients in their therapeutic decision�making, this makes patient�edu� cation initiatives the ideal place for the pharmaceutical industry to employ media�like models. Why should marketers consider this approach? Because patients indi� cate that they are overwhelmed and overburdened by educational materi� als that they don’t necessarily trust, and that don’t always meet their indi� vidual needs. Simultaneously, they are becoming more Internet savvy and are looking to all service providers to deliver online, interactive communi� cation platforms. Creating Customized Communications In the past, pharmaceutical companies have struggled to tailor messages and materials to a fragmented universe of patient perceptions and atti� tudes.This meant implementing a personalized patient education program seemed like an unattainable goal. Now there is a solution. Just like Amazon and other online service companies, pharmaceutical companies have the opportunity to develop patient Websites with content that adapts to users’ preferences and needs. Implementing a consumer�centric model like this would accomplish several goals. First and foremost, it would facilitate the delivery of relevant and use� ful patient education at the time and in the format that patients prefer. Second, it would provide an ongoing and immediate feedback mecha� nism to pharmaceutical companies trying to gauge investment in future patient education dollars. Third, it would alleviate the personalization burden on both the patient and the pharmaceutical company. Although content would be assessed on a person�by�person basis, it would be recommended automatically based on the alignment of patient feedback and content makeup, therefore sim� plifying the process by which personalized content is delivered. Last, it would go a long way toward establishing a trusting, loyal patient base. Creating a Powerful Tool In short, customized patient education is a powerful tool in the mar� keting mix, and should be executed with as much thought and deliberation as any other marketing tactic. Too often it is an afterthought, relegated to the remaining marketing dollars rather than being incorporated as a com� ponent of proactive brand planning. This ignores the growing influence of the patient, and the proven lasting effect that personalized programs have demonstrated in other industries. # Donahoe Purohit Miller Advertising DONAHOE PUROHIT MILLER ADVERTISING, Chicago, a division of Donahoe Purohit Miller Inc., is a full�service healthcare agency that offers strategically creative, brand� building advertising. For more information, visit dpmadvert.com. Innovation in Patient Education Customized patient education is a powerful tool in the marketing mix and should be executed with as much thought and deliberation as any other marketing tactic. Anshal Purohit Director, New Business and Strategy Monica Noce Kanarek Executive VP, Creative Ben Currie Interactive Project Manager A 0907 PVV Layout 9/7/07 5:56 PM Page 22 Power More ToYou To strap on your rocket pack, call Ahnal Purohit at 312�341�8100. Whether it is already airborne, or poised for launch, DPM empowers you to boost your brand. We deliver strategic insights and inspired creative that connects with your audience for soaring bottom�line results. www.dpmadvert.com 102758 Veiw.qxd 6/2/05 3:20 PM Page 25

Download PDF