The Future of Video in Healthcare Marketing marketing solutions D S Simon Productions Inc. Douglas Simon President and CEO When the FDA approved Viagra in 1998, Pfizer’s video communication strategy featured a video news release. More than 200 million people saw that video, which helped launch one of the most successful new drugs ever. When Chris Crocker posted a video lament about Britney Spears on YouTube recently, it reached more viewers than watch a nightly network newscast. Times have changed, but for healthcare marketers, online video is far more than a distribution channel for a 19 year old with a Britney fetish. It is rapidly becoming a crucial outlet to engage your key audiences and strengthen your brand image. Online videos are not just for kids; a Pew Research Center report titled “Online Videos Go Mainstream” released in July found 57% of U.S. adults watch Internet video. The report found 46% of Internet users between the ages of 50 and 64 watch or download videos. For those older than 65, 39% watch online videos. These numbers are expected to only grow. A Video Reality Check If your company is debating whether to be on YouTube, here’s a reality check, it’s already there. In a recent search for “Glaxo” on YouTube, the third item that came up was titled “Re: Life Before Profit — Boycott Glaxo.” The top search for “Merck” was “Merck Gone Wild.” “The Coal Miner Versus Pfizer Inc.” topped a “Pfizer” search and the second item found on a Sanofi-Aventis search was described as “Join Lindsay in bed as she takes Ambien out for a spin.” Not so funny. Overcoming fear is a major challenge for most pharmaceutical marketers who are contemplating online videos. But many of their concerns may be easily alleviated if they follow the same guidelines that apply to the publication of press releases. According to Julie Zawisza, Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs, U.S. Food & Drug Administration, if the information is accurate and meaningful and helpful, it should be disseminated via as many delivery vehicles as are available. The agency is heeding its own advice and now posts podcasts that are available by RSS feeds. There are many forms of online videos and distribution vehicles; video posts to a Website, viral videos, Webisodes, video podcasts, targeted distribution to Web portals and media sites, and video blogging, to name a few. Social media campaigns and strategic use of company Websites are becoming mainstream tools to reach key audiences. A video post or viral video could include a corporate overview, product demonstration, or educational piece. Webisodes and video podcasts (vodcasts) are typically an ongoing series. Video blogging brings added engagement because it allows for two-way interaction. Reaching Key Audiences Effective communicators are finding new ways to multipurpose video to reach key audiences. For example, a series of video news releases might include an iTunes channel with video content available to stakeholders, corporate personnel, and the media via an RSS feed. Or Flash video files can be created and made available to medical news sites such as Medical News Today. TV station Websites are another opportunity for corporate marketers. According to one industry statistic, 52% of news producers surveyed create content for station Websites that does not air on the newscast. Online video is a way to reach niche audiences with a high level of interest in particular content. Marketers might want to consider creating a Webisode-based video initiative for a specialty medical association or nonprofit organization that addresses the therapeutic focus of their companies’ marketed products or compounds in the pipeline. The days of relying on the filter of the media to get your corporate or brand messages out are over. As companies are forced to become their own media, the question is: can marketers afford to stay on the sidelines? Tips for Video Success n Start with smaller campaigns to let your organization test the waters. n Identify who within your organization should be featured and, more importantly, who should not. n Make the production right-sized — not over- or under-produced. n Don’t overlook internal communications; this is the fastest-growing opportunity for video communication because it is a cost-effective way to break down the walls between management and other employees. n Create a feedback mechanism so you can measure response and fine tune your program. D S Simon Productions Inc., New York, provides video communications solutions to healthcare firms to reach key publics and is the author of the industry video blog dssimonvlogvies.com. For more information, visit dssimon.com. October 2007 VIEW on E-Solutions

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