In the ever-evolving landscape of the pharmaceutical industry, marketers are navigating a myriad of challenges and opportunities. The year 2023 marked a period of notable innovations and transformations within pharmaceutical marketing. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI), health data digitalization, widespread integration of marketing automation tools, and the introduction of various technologies have collectively and substantially reshaped pharma marketing landscape on a global scale. As we embark on the journey of 2024, the industry is poised to embrace and adapt to the possibilities that emerging and evolving technologies are unlocking. Let’s explore the top five trends that will capture the attention of pharma marketers worldwide.
Digital transformation and personalized marketing
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The worldwide life sciences market is flourishing and this expansion goes beyond mere numerical growth in terms of market size; it revolves around the escalating complexity and abundance of data that organizations in this field need to handle and decipher. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) emerge as crucial assets in this scenario, presenting solutions to solve the challenge of data fragmentation and furnishing healthcare professionals with swift insights into their most intricate business questions.
Personalized and privacy-forward marketing campaigns too are gaining prominence, facilitating more targeted and relevant communication with healthcare professionals and patients. This digital-first approach not only enhances engagement but also deepens the understanding of end-users’ needs.
Patient-centric strategies
In 2022, a significant 61% of patients expressed a desire for improved engagement with their healthcare providers to take a more active role in their health management. This trend continued to escalate in 2023, underscoring the increasing importance patients place on being actively heard and involved in collaborative discussions with their physicians to identify optimal solutions.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Recognizing the paramount importance of coordinating holistic treatment communications to both patients and their healthcare professionals, pharma marketers gradually shifted their focus. Beyond promoting drugs relevant to a disease, there is now a growing emphasis on providing valuable resources, educational content, and support services to empower more educated discussions and ensure patients can take an active role in their journey to health. This patient-centric approach involves community building, fostering dialogue, and addressing patient concerns. Marketers now are more focused on providing tools that can help healthcare professionals improve the quality of care, understanding that an informed patient is more likely to adhere to their treatment and improve their health outcomes.
Targeted messaging using clinical data
The integration of triggered messages on Electronic Health Record (EHR) platforms, driven by real-time clinical data, has become an imperative for pharmaceutical marketers. This new communication vehicle is a step towards solving some of the most complex problems in healthcare marketing. For example, affordability is one of the biggest drivers of patients not adhering to their treatments, in fact 1 in 4 patients are not able to afford their medication. Real-time message triggered by clinical data gives HCPs the ability to share qualified assistance program information directly to the pharmacy along with the prescription, ensuring patients can afford their medication, adhere to their treatment, and improve their health outcomes
Conversely, for life science brands, the ability to deliver trigger-based messages to HCP at critical moments of care has a direct impact in driving script growth, as shown in a comprehensive industry study that highlighted how trigger-based messaging targeting specific healthcare professionals can drive up to 32% script lift. The ability to trigger messages in real-time based on clinical data has the potential to revolutionize the quality of care and contribute to improved patient outcomes. For example, it can empower proactive disease management by delivering the right information at the exactly right time to healthcare professionals that identifies emerging patient needs, treatment trends, and care gaps, enabling the design of patient-centric, targeted and timely interventions that will improve overall quality of care.
Innovative content marketing
In 2024, content will continue to reign supreme, and pharma marketers need to concentrate on creating innovative and educational content. This involves utilizing multimedia formats, interactive content, and virtual experiences to engage their target audience effectively. A substantial 92.3% of individuals on the internet, including healthcare professionals, engage with videos on a weekly basis. To ensure the success of a marketing campaign, it is imperative to include at least some components of video content. Balancing compliance and creativity, marketers can employ storytelling techniques that humanize their brands and convey complex scientific information in a compelling and digestible manner.
Global collaboration and partnerships
Acknowledging the interconnected nature of the global pharmaceutical industry, marketers actively seek collaboration and partnerships. This entails working closely with stakeholders such as healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, and technology partners. Collaborative efforts foster innovation and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of diverse markets, ultimately enhancing the impact of marketing strategies on a global scale.
In conclusion, 2024 presents an exciting yet challenging landscape for global pharma marketers. Prioritizing digital transformation, adopting patient-centric strategies, navigating regulatory complexities, investing in innovative content marketing, and fostering global collaboration position pharmaceutical marketers to make a lasting impact in an ever-evolving industry. As we progress, these strategic focuses will undoubtedly shape the future of pharmaceutical marketing and contribute to the overall advancement of healthcare worldwide.
Photo: MF3d, Getty Images
Marcella is an accomplished senior marketing leader, with an exceptional track record of building and leading high-performing teams in both Fortune 100 media companies and healthcare AdTech startups. Marcella is also recognized for her talent in grooming individuals for future success. In her current role as Chief Marketing Officer at Doceree, Marcella is at the helm of the company's expansive global marketing and communications strategies, effectively navigating across four continents and 22 countries. Under her guidance, her team's innovative approaches illustrate Doceree's role in unifying the healthcare marketing ecosystem, solving the complex challenges that healthcare marketers encounter globally. Most recently, Marcella played a pivotal role in establishing and scaling DeepIntent's marketing organization, propelling the company's transition from a promising start-up to a fast-growth company. Her exceptional leadership was acknowledged when her team was honored with the prestigious PM360 Vanguard Award for the best marketing team in the pharma industry earlier this year. Prior to her role at DeepIntent, Marcella successfully oversaw the merger of Time Warner Cable, Charter Communications, and Bright House ad sales marketing operations. Her leadership encompassed product marketing, ad sales marketing, and MarCom teams.
