By now, the enormity of the Internet revolution is clear, and the impact it’s having on both our personal and professional lives is becoming more evident each and every day. Specifically, in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, the Internet has provided a new platform from which patients can learn about diseases and treatment options, while healthcare professionals can explore an unlimited wealth of medical information to help better treat patients. Throughout history, the only other marketing communications platform that has remotely achieved the level of impact that the Internet has had in terms of reach, breadth of content, and interactivity is television. In the midst of Web 2.0, we’re beginning to see that TV and the Internet are on a definite collision course. The early signs of this inevitable collision are becoming evident in the form of: ? Consumer-generated video content, e.g., YouTube ? TV over IP networks ? Online video advertisements ? Real-time blogging in live television shows ? Embedded flash video movies being used on Websites ? Video for purchase and/or download These current online video solutions already are being used by e-marketers in a variety of industries. They also indicate what can be expected from Web 3.0 and beyond, and are helping to illustrate the inevitable convergence of these two super marketing communication mediums (TV and the Internet) into one cohesive experience. Traditionally, pharmaceutical and healthcare marketers have been slow to adopt the Internet and integrate a comprehensive mix of e-pharma tactics into their brand strategies. Fortunately, pharmaceutical marketers are beginning to realize that the Internet is not just a passing fad or an individual tactic but instead an entirely new medium through which they can market their products. Web 2.0 and Consumers Now that the credibility of the Internet has been established within the industry, the time is ripe to begin incorporating various Web 2.0 solutions, especially video, into e-pharma Web experiences. This is important not just for the cool factor, but to build stickier solutions that engage users, provide richer experiences, and drive more significant ROI from online investments. Introducing video components into display ads, Websites, or landing pages can dramatically increase conversion rates, time on site, brand awareness, and recognition. By taking video implementation one step further, e-marketers can build an entire Internet experience around an embedded Flash movie of a patient speaking to users when they arrive at a brand Website and who can answer questions about the product, condition, or what to expect from treatment. This type of approach, sometimes referred to as “twinsumer” marketing, is extremely effective in creating interest with target audiences. Video and Physicians Using video is not just for consumers either. From a physician education perspective, e-detail programs can change from the traditional delivery of animated visual aids to interactive virtual reps that walk out on physicians’ monitors and speak to them as if they were delivering a traditional rep detail in the privacy of their office. With the promise of broadband realized, connection speeds higher than ever, Flash animation and video saturation rates in the 99 percentile, these types of solutions have few drawbacks. Enhancing the User Experience The use of video in e-pharma marketing is a fairly new idea, and something that has been used very little thus far. Although adoption is expected to increase dramatically in the coming months and years, it’s critical that the user experience isn’t sacrificed at the expense of interactivity. Usability is the central driving force that makes a Web solution successful and must be kept top of mind, especially when introducing video components into the Web experience. E-pharma marketers should pay close attention to the collision of TV and the Internet as a way to continue evolving the experiential component of the brands they work with. Marketers need to seek creative ways to implement both early- and later-stage video solutions to influence user behavior through interesting, engaging, and lasting brand impressions. Collision Course: TV and the Internet What Does This Mean for Pharma Marketers? Adam Cossman Managing Director Temel Inc. Marketers need to seek creative ways to implement both early- and later-stage video solutions to influence user behavior through interesting, engaging, and lasting brand impressions. Temel Inc., Boonton, N.J., is a full-service interactive agency providing solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. For more information, visit temel.com. October 2007 VIEW on E-Solutions

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