Pharma

helping the patient get what they need

 
 

How do I get there from here?

In order to create messaging for a new brand in the world of Pharmaceutical marketing, one is guided by a strictly adhered to legal and medical structure. This process is put in place by the pharmaceutical company and their marketing guidelines which are laid out to the letter by the FDA... plain and simple.

Some would like to say marketing for Pharma can be confining or restrictive at best. I’d rather say give me the opportunity to do something great.

So given the mandates for what needs to happen in a 60 second spot, is a creative challenge to say the least. With the required “Fair Balance” taking up perhaps two thirds of the messaging, we are left with little less than 15 seconds to present an idea and make the sale to the consumer. The concept, sometimes no more than 3 or 4 sentences needs to demonstrate smart strategic thinking that nails key consumer insights right out of the gate… Diamonds are made under pressure.

 

CASE STUDIES:

Orencia (abatacept):

Orencia is a drug currently prescribed to those moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis patients who have failed to show improvement on their current treatment therapy.

With the approval of the FDA in 2005, Orencia was launched into market in 2006 as one of the first biologics marketed specifically to patients with moderate to severe RA.

The “Ask” was to develop a message that would ring true to the patient and play back the key consumer insight regarding their difficulty living with RA.

The “Everyday Things” campaign that I created, helped craft and launch, was based on a simple question that came directly from the research findings; can you do the everyday things you need to do to get through your day easily and without pain on your current treatment plan?

The branded campaign was tested qualitatively and quantitatively in four major cities and on line; it was approved by OPDP (previously known as DDMAC) and the BMS Medical and Regulatory board.

The Everyday Things campaign ran successfully from 2006 until it was replaced in 2013.

 

 

Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate):

Manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis and marketed by Bristol Myers-Squibb, Plavix was Introduced into market in 1997 and went off patent in 2012.  Plavix was prescribed to patients suffering a condition known as PAD or Peripheral Arterial Disease and as a prophylactic therapy for DVT or deep vein thrombosis.

The campaign was designed to be educational in nature, opting to “bring the consumer in” through the eyes of a loved one to help them understand what the condition of PAD meant and the subsequent dangers of ignoring leg pain as thought to be a minor inconvenience or yet another ailment due to aging.

Research showed that delivering a concerning message through the voice of a family member or loved one, resonated well with patients and consequently made them more likely to act on their symptoms for that reason.

During the years Before going off label, Plavix was statistically the single most successful brand for BMS.