Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 @ 07:37 AM
What Would Jake and Rocket Do?
This is the third of a four
part series for Consumer and Pharma/Healthcare marketers looking to
tame the rigors of 2010... In case you're just coming in now, here is
the first of the series: What Would Steve Jobs Do? And the second: What Would Google Do?
Who are Jake and Rocket you ask? Jake and his trusty dog Rocket have become icons of optimism, and Life is good ® America's little clothing brand that could-that is trying to spread good vibes all over the world. Having recently returned from a few days of holiday skiing in Vermont, and the proverbial t-shirt buying with ‘my three sons'... Life is good was all around us spreading their optimism and good cheer.
Here are some of Jake and Rocket's insights that all marketers-Consumer, B2B and Pharmaceutical/Healthcare - may want to pay attention to in 2010.
What Would Jake and Rocket Do?
1. Run like a dog. Dream on. High end destination.
Optimism, hope and dreams are crucial for human beings, healthy and/or sick...If you forget what it feels like to ‘run like a dog', take a look at: 19 Seconds of Pure Joy and Steve Woodruff's young dog experiencing snow for the first time! Or listen to Dr. Groopman speak about Hope and Medicine on NPR. You can also read Jen McCabe's blog on the importance of hope.
2. Consider yourself a lucky dog.
Go deep. Think out of the box. Don't knock something, build something. Create your own happy hour. This is not a year to wish you had more. Use any financial or human constraints to innovate...to build something big, to go deep. Constraints are not something to fear, but often spur innovation. Read 37 signals Getting Real: Embrace Constraints; a concept duly noted by Tim Brown and Matthew May's Change This Manifesto on Elegant Solutions (no.6 p 22)
3. Whatever you are, be a good one. Style points count. Get dirty. 
Successful people and companies raise the bar, and continually strive for excellence with every move they make...If you take nothing else away from What Would Steve Jobs Do?, think about the bar of excellence he sets and expects for himself and others at every step of the way.
4. Get outta town. If you don't go, you don't see. If you don't live it, it won't come out your horn. Who feels it knows it.
Reading Tim Brown's book Change By Design, I was stuck by this quote: "Good design thinkers observe. Great design thinkers observe the ordinary." How true it is that you have to get out to see and experience what your customers are doing and thinking, and how they're interacting with the world. Yet how many busy executives actually do? And then actually take the learning and insights and share them across the organization and find rightful ‘owners' to turn them into action? (Brian Solis often speaks to this very need of leveraging what you hear in social media throughout the organization by insuring rightful owners.)
5. Mix it up.
We seem to be stuck in a world of X OR Y, TV advertising or web, traditional advertising or social media, facebook or twitter, branded advertising or value-add conversations...when we could be mixing it up and thinking AND...The consumer mixes it up, why don't marketers?
6. The little things in life are the big things.
How true it is that what we most often remember is not the big things or the big/expensive presents, but those little special gestures that let us know that people really appreciate us, trust us, care about us, and know us. (You can also read Linda Kaplan and Robin Koval's Power of Small)
7. Takers may eat well, but givers sleep well. Sometimes the best conversation is a game of catch.
We all know that building relationships is a give and take. What better analogy for two-way conversation than a game of catch? When your catching the ball, you can't be throwing at the same time...it's a rhythm of give and take... While it's never this simple, much has been written about how the new world of marketing is no longer about ‘sell and tell' or ‘push', but give and take (with more emphasis on giving than taking), remembering to listen first - sell later, adding value via marketing with meaning), earning trust a la Brogan's trust agents, and ‘earning' customer love and word of mouth.
8. Hold a true friend with both hands.
This is the year for quality over quantity and this goes for relationships as well. Only those that add value to your life will get your time and attention. Who are your true friends? Who are your most loyal customers? What do they need and want? How can you help? How can you bring them value?
9. The best things in life are free.
If you are around kids, how many birthdays and holidays need to go by before we realize that it's not the most expensive present that people/kids like, but the box that it comes in...The concept of Free is everywhere and shouldn't be overlooked or taken lightly. The web is full of content... so it's critical to create content with value or to organize content to bring value: ‘elegant organization'...Think free or the minimum you must charge or take out of the system if you want to maximize growth and usage. Read Jeff Jarvis' What Would Google Do? or Chris Anderson's Free: the future of radical price if you're still are unsure....
10. Change your perspective.
Experts in education suggest that adult learners should "jiggle their synapses a bit" by confronting thoughts that are contrary to their own..."bump up against people and ideas" that are different. (NYTimes: Neuroscience-How to train the aging brain) If you are a ‘social media' guy, look at the world through other lens...most of the world still doesn't know what RSS feeds are, let alone use them...email is still the most widely used way to send others information...Marketers, look outside your industry for ideas, seek different perspectives that may bring new value to your customers' and patients' lives. Look to other disciplines, from science to design, for new thinking.
11. Write on. Read ‘em and reap. Keep Growing.
They say 2010 is the year that Content is King. We know that Links create value. Creating valuable content and acting as a ‘content curator' are critical new marketing and leadership skills...think "elegant organization".
12. Simplify.
With the number of emails, blogs, tweets, friends contacting us, more and more it will be critical to simplify and focus on what's most important. Only a few can stand out. Focus on less and make each ‘friend', ‘contact', ‘tweet', 'program' more impactful and valuable...both simplify and 'elegance' are at the very core of both Steve Jobs/Apple and Google's success. Do You Have a Stop Doing List? (Also read Power of Less or Mathew May's The Elegant Solution)
13. Laughter has no foreign accent. We will never know all the good a simple smile can do. Celebrate.
Let's promise each other that we won't overlook a little laughter and smiles in our busy lives this year...(You can also read Dave Murray's 11th Lesson of Life)
Marketers: Which ones are most meaningful for you this New Year?
Which ones would most help spur growth and innovation for your brand and business?
Pharma and Healthcare Marketers: Which ones would most bring growth and innovation to our industry? Which ones would help bring back hope and trust? Value to our patients?
Stay tuned for part four of 4...What Will Pharma and Healthcare Marketers Do? What Will Champs in New Marketing Do in 2010?
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Wed, Dec 30, 2009 @ 06:40 AM
As we move into 2010, I've been thinking a lot about what I've 
learned this year, much of it triggered by the tremendous number of thought leader blogs, eBooks and white papers that I've read this year. While there is no way to capture all the great work happening 24/7, here's a smattering of a few (well maybe more than a ‘few') that you may want to read or re-read as we get ready to step into 2010...
Topics cover a range- from social media and technology, to ePatients and marketing, including implications for Pharma and Healthcare, in the US and Europe. Please feel free to share other posts that you found valuable. Happy reading...
Best Blogs
Social Media, Platforms and Technology
Ten ‘Thinks' You Should Know about Social Media by Shwen Gwee at Med 2.0 blog
Pharma Should Forget About Social Media Monitoring by Jonathan Richman at Dose of Digital
Pharma Don't Be Shy About Social Media by Wendy Blackburn at ePharma Rx, Intouch Solutions
10 Social Media Watch-outs for Pharma and Healthcare Marketers by Ellen Hoenig, Notes from the Back of the Book
7 Inputs to a Social Media Strategy by Adam Cohen, A Thousands Cuts blog
5 Social Media Myths by Digital Tonto blog
The 3 F's and 3 R's of Social Media Marketing by Chris Boyer, Hospital Online Marketing
Lee Aase, Mayo Clinic: The Future of Health Brands and Social Media and Greg Matthews, Humana: The Future of Health Brands and Social Media by Eric Brody at Healthy Conversations
A Clinical Infusion of Google Wave and Healthcare's Google- Facebook -Twitter Platform by Phil Baumann
Is Google the New FDA? By John Mack at Pharma Marketing blog
Google Real Time Search and Crisis Communications and Google and Pharmacovigilance by Mark Senak at eyeonfda blog
Google Sidewiki and Implications for Pharma Brands by Adam Cohen, A Thousand Cuts blog, Rosetta
Why Pharma Needs to Pay Attention to Wikipedia, Guest post Eileen O'Brien at Notes from the Back of the Book
Readability of the Top 50 Prescribed Drugs in Wikipedia by Kevin Kruse, The Patient Will See You Now
Pharma and Twitter: Who's Got Hand by Mark Senak at eyeonfda blog
Follow the Engagement-visualizing #FollowPharma by Silja Chouquet at Whydotpharma blog
The Increasing Use of Social Media to Recruit Patients for Clinical Trials by Sally Church at Pharma Marketing Strategy blog
Video Games: Key to the Future of Pharma and Healthcare? By Ellen Hoenig, Notes From the Back Of the Book
Why the Pharma Industry Should Care About Augmented Reality Guest Post by Sven Larsen of Pixels and Pills at Fard Johnmar's Walking the Path blog
Pfizer and Social Media-- an Update by Steve Woodruff at Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Social Media ROI for Hospitals and Health Marketers by Kevin Kruse and Kru Research blog
Splitting ROI by Just So You Know blog (Meredith Gould and Daphne Leigh Swancutt)
Europe You need to Tackle Social Media Now by Silja Chouquet at Whydotpharma blog
The Pachyderm in the Parlour: resisting the legitimation of DTC social media activates in Europe by Andrew Spong STweM blog and consultancy
Pharma, Marketing and Paradigm Shift
What's Hot In Oncology: A Review of 2009 and Predictions for 2010 by Sally Church at Pharma Marketing Strategy blog
Pharma Still Uneasy About Getting Social, Pharma Blog Review by Chris Truelove
The Pitfalls of Doing Nothing by Steve Woodruff at Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Ten things Pharma Companies Will Never Try (But Should) by Jonathan Richman at Dose of Digital
Will Patients Find Value in Discussions with Pharma? By John Mack
Question For Healthcare Marketers: Do You See Patients as Consumers? By Eric Brody at Healthy Conversations
Save Boobs Blasts Attention Glut (guest post Fard Johnmar) Just So You Know blog (Meredith Gould and Daphne Leigh Swancutt)
Refining Patienthood Project Launches: Aims, Goals and Many Questions Ahead by Jen McCabe, Jen's Posterous Health Management Rx
Why Programming Microchoice and Microcontrol into the Healthcare system will lead to the Equivalent of the Microprocessing Revolution by Jen McCabe Jen's Posterous Health Management Rx
Splitting Trouble and Talking Trash by Just So You Know blog (Meredith Gould and Daphne Leigh Swancutt)
Pharma and Social Media: What Roles Should Personas Play? by Ellen Hoenig at Notes from the Back of the Book blog
CMO 3.0: Why Marketing is the New Finance, Odom Lewis, Healthcare Marketing and Medical Executive Search
ePatients, Patients and Consumers
Video "Tale of 2 ePatients": Pecha Kucha Limerick Dr Val Jones via The Patients Will See You Now, Kevin Kruse and Kru Research
Mayo Clinic Music Fun and A Bite of Life at Sharing Mayo Clinic
Disease Guilt by Steve Woodruff at Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here, Have Something Messed Up Happen? By Jen McCabe, Jen's Posterous
What Part of Give Us Our Damn Data Do You Not Understand by Dave deBronkart at e-patients.net
ePatient 2009: Voice of the Patient by Kerri Morrone Sparling, at sixuntilme.com
A Patient's Perspective: Day Two of FDA Public Hearing (#FDASM) by DC Patient
Advice to a Cancer Patient Facing News He Didn't Want and Don't Let the Median Scare You To Death by Dave deBronkart, The New Life of ePatient Dave blog, Dave deBronkart
The Pew/Health Internet FAQ by Susannah Fox at e-patients.net (Leads Health Research and Internet Strategy for Pew Internet and American Life Project)
The Social Life of Health Information by Susannah Fox, Pew Internet and American Life Project
What Pharma Can learn from Communities' Opinions by Andrew Spong STweM
The Role of Physician Trust and Communication in Filling New Prescriptions by Kevin Kruse, Kru Research
Best eBooks and White Papers (free)
Best Learning Actions for Pharma and Healthcare Marketers in 2010? Reflections by 12 Sage Bloggers and Thought leaders, Editor Ellen Hoenig AdvanceMarketWoRx
Overcoming Our Social Challenges: Getting Started with Social Media in Biotech by Shwen Gwee
A Bright Future for Digital, a Dimmer One for Pharma by Len Starnes, Bayer Schering Pharma
Pharma and Healthcare Social Media Principles by Jonathan Richman Dose of Digital blog, Bridge Worldwide
Social Media: What's In It for Pharma? A Digitas Health Social Media POV by Sarah Larcker
Getting Started with Social Networking by Steve Woodruff of Impactiviti blog and consultancy
Pharma Twitterama: Exploring the Use of Twitter in Pharma and Healthcare by Shwen Gwee at Med 2.0 blog
WEGO Health Webinar: Twitter Power Tools for Health Activists by Shwen Gwee at Med 2.0 blog
140 Healthcare Uses for Twitter by Phil Baumann
Social Media and Pharma: Is their value? By Richard Meyer
Monitoring Adverse Events in Social Media for Pharma's Biggest Brands: Hopeless Task or Simple Project? Mini-white paper, Jonathan Richman Dose of Digital
An Edelman Report: Insights and Recommendations in the Wake of the FDA Social Media Hearings, The Health Engagement blog
Considering Neuroscience to Improve Consumer Communications- FDA Advisory Committee Meeting by Ellen Hoenig, AdvanceMarketWorx Notes from the Back of the Book blog
ePatient White Paper by ePatient Scholars team, ePatient.net (2007- but still including this classic!)
Best Wikis
#FDASM by Fabio Gratton of Ignite Health
Pharma and Healthcare Social Media Wiki by Jonathan Richman at Dose of Digital
Hospital Social Networking List by Ed Bennett
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Wed, Dec 23, 2009 @ 03:12 PM
Inspired by Alvin Toffler's quote: "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn," we asked 12 leading bloggers and healthcare thought leaders to share their reflections: what would they recommend as top learning strategies for Pharma and Healthcare marketers in 2010?
Overall, there were six themes that contributors brought to life:
1) e-Patients are at the center and critical to learning and design;
2) Authenticity isn't a ‘nice to do', it's a ‘must' (and you won't be the one who decides whether you've succeeded);
3) Don't' get distracted by ‘bells and whistles'-remember the basics and keep your brand core strong;
4) New marketing challenges require new ROI thinking...the ROI of connection, authenticity and compassion;
5) The marketing cycle of life is going through unprecedented change requiring all marketers and communications people to unlearn much-the movement from paid marketing to earned marketing requires a different mindset and skills; and
6) Effective marketing and engagement will require new kinds of leadership skills.
Or as Steve Woodruff would say, "it's a holiday grab-bag of nuggets from the wise travelers--some myrrh, some gold, some SEO, some patient communities--stick your hand in and grab some goodies!"
My heartfelt appreciation to the 12 contributors-yet another example of the power of the community.
- Phil Baumann, Phil Baumann online blog, CareVocate Interactive Media Solutions
- Wendy Blackburn, ePharma Rx blog, Intouch Solutions
- Adam Cohen, A Thousand Cuts blog, Rosetta Interactive
- Dave deBronkart, The New Life of e-Patient Dave blog, Society for Participatory Medicine
- Angela Dunn, Odom Lewis blog, Executive Search Specialists in Healthcare Marketing/Medical Education
- Susannah Fox, Health Research for Pew Internet & American Life Project
- Fard Johnmar, Path of the Blue Eye Project, Envision Consultancy
- John Mack, Pharma Marketing blog, Editor-in-chief of Pharma Marketing News
- Jonathan Richman, Dose of Digital blog, Bridge Worldwide
- Marsha Shenk, Thriving Enterprise blog, The Bestwork People
- Andrew Spong, STweM blog and Consultancy, UK
- Steve Woodruff, Impactiviti blog and Consultancy
If you enjoy this eBook, feel free to blog it, tweet it or email it. (But please don't change it)...We also hope that you meet some new 'friends' to learn with in 2010. Lastly, we welcome feedback below or on slide share.
Download PDF; also available on slideshare (see below) and scribd
May you and yours enjoy a rich and rejuvenating holiday season. We look forward to more learning and collaboration in 2010!
credits: eBook production: Courtney Justice, The Cournell Group
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Mon, Dec 21, 2009 @ 06:55 AM
[Full article: 2010 Outlook: Doom and Gloom For DTC? 10 Points for Winning with Patients, published in DTC Perspectives, December 2009]
Despite many gloomy predictions for DTC advertising and the 
pharma industry overall, there's never been a better time for marketers to forward their brands and consumers' lives with new thinking about what constitutes patient marketing in the 21st Century (DTC 21). Ten prescriptions can help improve focus and strengthen DTC efforts in 2010. Important media and technology trends are also "musts" to actively consider for those who want to bump impact and value.
- Adopt an updated definition for DTC that considers the full picture of how consumers will interpret and interact with a brand TODAY. This calls for attention beyond "big bang" marketing spends, and begs for identifying meaningful levers to drive education and growth. DTC is no longer just an awareness or acquisition vehicle to move "eyeballs" through a linear marketing funnel; it's every influence and touch needed to bring new information and education, help convert, instill loyalty and inspire advocacy.
- Consider "long-tail" marketing; don't be afraid to focus on smaller targets that matter. Long tail marketing has the potential to treat consumers as individuals with unique interests and needs.
- Go to your consumer--surround them where they get their facts, learn, and socialize. Today's consumer is not looking for your marketing messages. Study after study points to both the growth of the Internet, and the fact that consumers and e-patients get their information from multiple sources. (The Social Life of Health Information - PEW Internet and American Life Project) Depending on your target, this suggests a mix of relevant touches and begs for the right combination of off line and on line media and social media tactics.
- Move beyond selling to engaging and providing meaningful marketing and value. Look for new ways to extend patient value, and support a more positive customer experience along each and every touch point. This also means giving consumers and e-patients what they are looking for and not just your "brand sell". Engagement requires looking at each patient as a unique human being who, by the way, would "rather not e your customer" (After all, who wants to have a chronic condition and take medication for the trust of their life, whether it be your rand or a competitors?). Think hard how you might provide relevant value real-time, every time. To improve engagement, 6 C's are crucial: 1) Content that is based on meaningful insights and provides context; 2) Customization via new ways to personalize treatment, process or support; 3) Conversation is encouraged for better service, learning and sharing: 4) Confidence is built with trust and transparency; 5) Community Connectedness - directly or indirectly- create your own, or better yet, tap into an existing one; and 6) Consistent Commitment is demonstrated to your customer base--no one shot deals here.
- Consumer power is a fact of life requiring brands and companies to walk and talk "patient-centered" -- consumers are finely tuned to what's valuable and authentic. Ask yourself one simple question over and over: Will this bring meaningful value to our patients?
- Keep your brand's strategic core strong and grounded, despite the onslaught of messages and tactics, and the speed with which they require action. A strong core requires a compelling and relevant brand promise that focuses every strategy and tactic so they're synergistic and supportive. The payoff is staying on message by protecting the brand from chasing every new, cool digital and new media tactic coming your way.
- Insist on elegant solutions that do more with less. Smaller budgets don't negate innovation and may have just the opposite effect in spurring new thinking.
- Don't overlook the details. While they may seem small and trivial, find out which are important to patients and their families. This can help instill better ROI efficiencies.
- Refresh brand metrics and measurement to drive current brand objectives and initiatives. Think beyond traditional reach and frequency measures and try to ensure a flow of metrics and measurement from beginning to end of the patient "buying process" for maximum learning.
- Be the best listeners in you category. Listen with vigilance, and act on learning across the organization. Listening, and what you do with your learning, is the responsibility of the entire organization. Be sure that each 'tweet" or customer learning gets mapped back to a rightful "owner' in the organization.
In 2010, important media, social platforms and technology trends can't be neglected. Below are some helpful questions to ask as media and technology continue to quickly change (yes...an understatement!):
Pharma: Are you ready for 2010? Despite continued budget tightening and generic growth, and open areas such as health reform and FDA social media and web guidelines, it's going to be a big year for those willing to step up and experiment with new ways of marketing and 'not marketing'...What do you think?
Other Suggested Reading:
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson. Wikipedia's summary of long tail here.
Pharma: Are Current DTC Ads Meaningful? The Next Evolution of Marketing My Book review.
The Next Evolution of Marketing: Connect with your Customers by Marketing with Meaning by Bob Gilbreath, Bridge Worldwide
Susannah Fox, PEW Research Center: The Social Life off Health Information, Twitter and Status Updated, Fall 2009
Pharma: Is Your Brand Patient Centered? 5 Critical Success Factors by Ellen Hoenig, MedAd News, November, 2009
I love You More Than My Dog: 5 Decisions that Drive Extreme Customer Loyalty In Good Times and Bad by J. Bliss
Strong Brand Core: More Core Than Ever?
Pharma: Is Your Marketing Designed to Engage and Educate or Sell? My book review of Listen First Sell Later by Bob Poole
Pharma: Do You Elegantly Use What You Have? My book review of In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew E May
Photo Credit: Courtney Justice/The Cournell Group
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Mon, Nov 16, 2009 @ 12:11 PM
Last week, I and a few hundred other SM-aniacs, spent 2-days in the #FDASM 'bunker'-so nick-named for its lack of windows and web/cell phone coverage. (Many more also attended via a free webcast and live twitter.)
Shortly after the program began, I heard a faint voice in the back of my mind. At first I couldn't place the voice or make out the words. But it grew louder with each presentation. On the train home, I recognized the voice as JFK's, and the words as his inaugural speech "Ask Not What Your Country Can Do".
If you haven't read JFK's short but powerful speech, do yourself a favor and read now. I think you may be struck by the parallels between the challenges he faced and the vision he articulated to meet them, and the challenges we must rise to as pharmaceutical and social media professionals trying to keep up with empowered e-patients in a web 2.0 world, soon to be web 3.0.
Here are some of the challenges JFK articulated in his speech that seem particularly relevant to our challenges of engaging and educating patients and doctors using rapidly evolving technologies and strategies. I'll also do my best to link back to the many speakers and presentations from #fdasm.
"The world is very different now..."
- Fact after fact, presentation after presentation, reinforced the exponential growth of the web as a critical information source for healthcare education and community building...Some of my favorite factoids:
- Google pointed out that during just the last 3 months of 2007 there were 4.6 billion searches using healthcare terms made by 111 million people and that healthcare searches are growing exponentially. They also provided examples of how access to information on the Internet can be a public health plus (Read Senak's eyeonfda blog)
- Pew's survey reports that 61% of Americans look online for health information-these are the e-Patients of today. And 37% of adults- or 60% of e-patients- have accessed user-generated health information.
- Manhattan Research: 35% of adults use social media for medical information which equates to 80 million health 2.0 consumers. Mark Bard also presented data on physician web 2.0 use
- In addition to the sheer volume of online health activity, consumers are searching and interacting with one another in highly specific targeted ways. For example, Health Central's quick review of various social media sources last month, found: there are more than 100,000 people on Facebook diabetes groups, there were recently nearly 500 posts on ADHD in a 24- hour period on Twitter, and more than 201,000 searches on "Concerta" in September on Google, more than 40,500 searches for "Cymbalta side effects" in September on Google etc
- However, I hope this means that Pharma can now put all the 'web selling' and 'can you top this fact' finding behind us in favor of identifying and exploring solutions to more effectively engage web 2.0 platforms.
- Web 2.0 and social media platforms have engendered new consumer expectations. 'Selling' is not always welcome in the web 2.0 and 3.0 world. Patients are looking for value-added knowledge- when and howthey want it-notwhen and how the pharma co. (or FDA)wants topresentit. To many e-Patients, selling clearly comes after information and value exchange, but pharmacos should be part of the conversations. Jack Barrette of WEGO Health presented survey data from their patient advocates to this effect. (Q1,2, 3, Q5) (I also suggest reading Patient DC's blog for another e-patient perspective.) Interestingly, physicians also demand a different voice and engagement when they are using social media sites, as presented by both Sermo and Pfizer's Freda Lewis-Hall.
- New information sources, including wikipedia, blogs, chat rooms, and sites like WEGO are establishing new influencers and thought leaders that Pharma and FDA need to consider and engage. However, while Wikipedia is a vastsource of information for consumers, its contentis not 'controlled' by FDA or pharma. Nor are the many e-patient/caregiver blogs and community sites. This means that user generated content (UGC) is inconsistent at best and often incorrect or biased. Importantly, however, the patient advocates at WEGO Health reported that they expect pharma to make their ‘best effort' to monitor and correct ‘incorrect or biased' third party UGC and to monitor adverse events, despite their rational knowledge that monitoring the entire web is impossible.
"But neither can two great and powerful groups take comfort from our present course - both sides overburdened..."
- Neither Pharma/device marketers or the FDA can move forward without developing guidelines or 'guard rails' to enable faster and more effective uptake of social media platforms and tools. (Michele Sharp of Lilly) However, many speakers, including Liz Forminard and Philomena McArthurx at J&J made the case that guidelines must remain flexible. (Read Marc Monseau's blog at JNJBTW)
- Moreover, current communications are often burdened with so much technical and legal language that the average consumer cannot understand or be sufficiently motivated to make the effort to read and comprehend risk and safety information. Cadient highlighted the fact that 30 million Americans are health illiterate. Research has shown that education levels required to understand and comprehend the average ISI and PI is some college education and post-graduate education, respectively.
- This is a case where ‘more is not necessarily better'. More work is clearly needed to "radically simplify" risk language so that it's more consumer friendly, and to better educate the public for the need to report adverse events. Many speakers recommended the urgent need for new and simplified consumer risk language, and/or an easy to use ‘FDA approved' patient symbol to signal quality accurate content, and/or an easier to use and more patient-friendly MedWatch initiative to insure higher levels of AE reporting, including PhRMA, Fard Johnmar, Wendy Blackburn RxRisk icon, Jonathan Richmond, John Mack, Bill Drummy, and Dr. Diana Zuckerman of the National Research Center for Women and Families. (You may also want to read my summary and presentation from the prior FDA Patient Risk Communications Advisory Meeting earlier this year.)
"So let us begin anew - remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity (and transparency) is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. (Or worse yet, adopt a strategy of avoidance out of fear) But let us never fear to negotiate."
- Transparency and the establishment of guidelines are needed to stop pharma from avoiding social media platforms out of fear of FDA. (Lilly, Global Prairie, J&J, Pfizer)
- Many expressed that the internet is a complex and different medium than TV and Print, and likewise requires unique adequate provision policy similar to how FDA approached DTC TV advertising back in 1997. Given the many different platforms and roles that the web plays, from search to advertising to 2-way interactions and UGC, specific web 2.0 guidelines need to be created and continuously updated. While for the most part, the message must stay the course across different media, there seemed to be recognition that the web's uniqueness requires some new thought and guidelines.
- New ways of looking at benefit and risk tradeoffs are required if we are to support and educate the consumer. Digitas presented research that showed that more risk information does not always result in greater risk comprehension if less consumers read it.
- On the accountability front, Oglivy 360 Digital Influence presented their 3 C's approach to help guide responsible marketing in the web 2.0 age: creation, collaboration and compensation. If the answer is yes to any of these three C's, then the pharmaco is responsible for its content.
"Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us"...
- We need to design ways to put the patient first. Both Google, Ignite Health and Intouch Solutions presented data that showed that the drop in paid search advertising has meant a huge drop in patient searches or click-thrus to higher quality FDA approved pharma.com sites and more...So while on the surface, the 14 letters may have seemed like a prudent idea, the result may be actually something less than preferred with less scrupulous and lower quality content filling the void.
- While FDA and pharmacos may differ on how they might approach the balance of benefit and risk information, they can unite behind the need to "radically" change the way that risk/benefit information is presented to improve comprehension, to provide consumers with a way to better know that risk information they are reading is accurate (many consumers don't check the source), and to encourage consumers to report AE's-as very few are ever reported.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore...
- There was much recognition for the continuous exploration of how to best conquer the fast evolving technology to help educate and instill more responsibility for patient health. Many speakers recommended that on-going committees be formed...
- Great quote by Peter Pitts, Center for Medicine for the Public Interest, "Social media is too important to hide in a cave. It is communication at THE speed of life." (via Roska Digital)
- Wrapping up the two-days, Tom Abrams, Presiding officer for the FDA hearing, reinforced not only the importance of the web to current and future healthcare policy, but that its complexity requires a very thoughtful exploration by FDA. (Watch Pixel and Pills exclusive interview with Thomas Abrams at the conclusion of the advisory meeting.)
And so, my fellow Pharma and Healthcare Marketers:
Ask not what Social Media can do for you - ask what your Social Media can do for patients... Ask what together we can do for the improvement of patient health...
e-Patients of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice, education and responsibility, which we ask of you...
Thoughts? Comments? Feedback? While no meeting can solve the problems of the world, all and all, I think it was an excellent start. My sincere appreciation to all the presenters.
There are also many terrific blogs and summaries on the 2-day FDA Advisory Meeting: Shwen's Live from DC extensive list of #fdasm blogs, Pixels & Pills EXCLUSIVE Interview with Thomas Abrams at the FDA Hearing and others (Rohit Bhargava of Ogilvy PR 360, Peter Pitts, Jack Barrette of WEGO Health), A Patient Perspective by DCPatient, John Mack, Mark Senak's EyeOnFDA, Roska Digital's numerous updates, and Chris Truelove's wrap-up which also includes some good links-Yet more blogs and speaker presentations can be found at Fabio Gratton's fdasm.com. And for a list of good blogs leading up to the meeting, read my post: Twas the night before #fdasm.
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Wed, Nov 11, 2009 @ 07:59 AM
Twas the night before #fdasm, when all through the blogosphere,
Not a marketer was stirring, due to their fear.
The 62 slide decks were posted with care,
In hopes that St DDMAC soon would be there.
The pharma tweeps were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of facebook dance in the heads.
And legal in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.
When out on the web there arose such a buzz,
I sprang from the bed to see what the fuss was,
Away to my Google, I flew like a flash,
To find in my search fourteen letters to trash.
Despite the scurry that was sure to follow,
There were some brave pharma folk that tried to stay mellow.
For they realized that marketing was quickly evolving,
More rapid and urgent than patient dialogues were happening.
With a little old driver, wearing a bright red cap,
I knew in a tweet it must be St DDMAC.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he tweeted and shouted, and called them by name!
"Now Lilly! Now, Oglivy! Now, Sanofi and WEGO!
On, PhRMA! On, Pfizer! On, comScore and Sermo!
To the top of the community! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St DDMAC came with a bound.
He was dressed in new media, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Guidelines he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a hero, just opening his pack.
His eyes-how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
He said when it comes to AE's don't worry!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
SEM, twitter, video and facebook,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he did look!
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Social Media to all, and all will be right!"
The FDA hearings have the potential to be a game-changer for our future and that of patients...
I'm wishing all the presenters, many of which are my friends, good wishes over the next two days.
And here's to actionable guidelines "before the night before Christmas 2010!"
It's a busy week in Washington DC. Also occurring on November 12-13 is an advisory meeting to discuss patient risk communication. You can read Eye on FDA's blog here. This is a follow-up to the advisory meeting back in February 2009. You can read my blog summary here.
Other blogs on #FDASM that you may want to read:
Eye on FDA: What if FDA threw a party and no one came?
Eye on FDA: Risk Communication Advisory Committee: The other FDA advisory meeting this week--don't ignore it!
Why Dot Pharma: FDA and Social Media: The first hole in the wall?
Wendy Blackburn: A (Hypothetical) Letter to Consumers from Pharma
Dose of Digital: 166 Reportable Adverse Events Equals One Red Herring
FDA Social Media Hearings -- Output Might Confuse Consumers
Pharma Marketing: FDA Panelists at the Upcoming Social Media Public Hearing
Pharma Marketing: PhRMA Proposes FDA-Approved Universal Safety Symbol
Visit Ignite Health's terrific site (fdasm.com) summarizing tweets, blogs and all FDA documents and presentations. Thank you Fabio Gratton!
More to follow after the advisory meeting...
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Fri, Oct 30, 2009 @ 09:10 AM
Hats off to Kevin Kruse for kicking off an exciting new conference called e-Patient Connections 2009 that will no doubt be the start of a long tradition in e-Patient Marketing and Learning. It was a productive two days marked by a strong range of excellent speakers and content, a well run conference and focused leader, and a broad group of engaged attendees. Read posts by @ericbrody, BioJob Blog, PharmaExec Blog and Steve Woodruff for other good summaries of the two-day e-Patient Conference (You can also read the Twitter stream: #epatcon)
Why Team e-Patient?
Driving home from the conference, my head swirling with ideas, this is what emerged for me:
"It may take a village to raise a family, but it takes a team to heal a patient."
...A team of doctors and nurses, patients and their families, friends and others who share their condition, hospital care, pharma treatments, insurance companies, employers, pharmacists and so on...actively participating and working together.
Reflecting on the presentations, they seem to converge around five essential themes for working towards patient-centered, participative marketing and healthcare...Highlighted below are but a few:
Trust and Authenticity:
While the Mayo Clinic may be the poster child for building trust in the hospital environment, it continues social media expansion under the leadership of @LeeAase. Slides here. Another example of building and establishing trust, is the partnership of JDRF and Novo Nordisc in the creation of Juvenation, a type-1 diabetes community. There was also Dr. Val Jone's (@drval) heartfelt limerick: 'A Tale of Two e-Patients'. Jones used the limerick to raise the issue of what can happen to e-patients who trust the wrong people for the wrong information, which she delivered in 20 slides, each 20 seconds for a total of six minutes and forty seconds via the Pecha Kucha method. (More proof that doctors can also be amazingly creative!)
Dave deBronkart, also known as @epatientdave, gave a tremendous talk on Authentic Value: Being Known in e-Patient Communities, and the importance of being real and contributing value. Following his incredible story of cancer, Dave is now an evangelist for "participatory medicine" and founding director for The Society of Particpatory Medicine dedicated to bringing together e-patients and healthcare professionals. (I urge you to check out their work.)
To sum up trust, Kevin Kruse said it well, "Personality leads to authenticity which leads to TRUST"
Engage and Educate:
Good presentations here: Facebook ADHD Allies by Tricia Geoghegan, McNeil Pediatrics. Her advice: listen to the consumer...let them tell you what's working (or not). There was also Facebook Strong@Heart Lisa Tate, WomenHeart & Robert Schumm, from Bayer. Their presentation demonstrated the value of using a good mix of traditional and new media, and an interesting offer to both raise awareness and incite action among women for their heart health. Marc Monceau @JNJComm also spoke: To Twitter or Not To Twitter, and shared his tips for organizational success. Key takeaways: take the time to create a personality in social media, and establish 'guardrails' of what you can and can not do to help smooth the process internally while you build trust and experience. (More on the concept of guardrails and Marc's presentation here).
Yet another way to engage e-patients may be in the form of games for health. Jay Ong of EA Sports presented "Driving the Fitness Revolution: The Development and Launch of EA SPORTS Active." EA Sports uses a process that focuses on 4 pillars: 1) make them sweat with true exercise and workout, 2) provide a guided experience-make it easy, 3) deliver a personalized experience and 4) incite competition. They also bring in experts to add credibility.
Action: "Before I was an e-patient, I was e-impatient" (@sixuntilme)
Sixuntilme's Voice of the Patient presentation began, "I'm Kerri Morrone Sparling and I'm not the voice of THE patient. I'm just the voice of A patient"... "POL's (patient opinion leaders) like me don't blog because they have to, but because it helps us heal...Until there's a cure, there will be a blog..."
Or Joe Shields, Product Director at Pfizer, who spoke about Adherence. "The empowered patient will be a collaborator and an active participator...Adherence is starting to elevate the role of everyone in the community, and like health care, is a team sport."
Meaning: Adding value beyond the molecule
Branded Tweets for Levemir by Ambre Morley, Novo Nordisk and Charlie Kimball, showcased how a broader strategy can add meaning to a prescription product. While there has been much emphasis on the 'first' branded tweet, twitter is a small part of how Novo Nordisk is collaborating with Charlie to help educate and engage diabetic patients and their families. The goal moves beyond product to showing diabetic patients that they can continue to live a full and active life. (I also have to say, that meeting Charlie in person was a real treat--His enthusiasm is infectious, and he came across completely genuine and dedicated.)
There was also Jonathan Richman's Marketing With Meaning presentation which he delivered Pecha Kucha style, urging Pharma Marketers to ask themselves: "Is your marketing as good as your product?" (You can also read my review of the book here and how current DTC print stacks up)
"We need to stop thinking patient and we really need to start thinking people," said Urbaniak, vice president of innovation and new customer channels at Sanofi-aventis.
So I end where I started: "It may take a village to raise a family, but it takes a dedicated, collaborative and empowered team to heal a patient." Are your e-Patients part of the team? Really?
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 @ 12:54 PM
There's a reason why there was such a great turnout for the Digital Pharma Unconference this week...Hats off to Shwen Gwee, Jason Youner of eXL pharma, and all the speakers and participants. (#DigPharm)
Before I talk about Guard Rails, here are three other good reads from fellow bloggers: Steve Woodruff's I Was There (Digital Pharma 2009), Jonathan Richman's Dose of Digital How Pharma Overcomplicates Social Media, and John Mack's Pharma Marketing Blog: Pharma Social Media Crips vs. Legal/Regulatory Bloods. Also check out the tools that Fard Jonmar and Jonathan Richman used in their social media workshop. Or Digitas Health Social Media POV given by Sarah Larcker of Digitas.
So what do we mean by Guard Rails? The Wikipedia definition reads something like this:
"Guard rail, sometimes referred to as guide rail or railing, is a system designed to keep people or vehicles from (in most cases unintentionally) straying into dangerous or off-limits areas."
So what does this have to do with Pharma and Social Media?
First, I'd be remiss not to credit Marc Monseau (JNJComm) who used this term in his presentation: "We're doing It and So Can You. J&J's Use of Twitter". Creating 'guard rails' was part of his 7 suggestions to Pharma: 1) Create your business case, 2) Connect SM with other initiatives, 3) Establish your personality--interesting people are followed, 4) Set guides around what you will and won't discuss...guard rails, 5) Gain legal/regulatory support for guard rails, 6) Create processes and tap into existing processes e.g. reporting AE's, 7) Tweet, tweet, tweet. Advice from JNJ; More lessons from JNJ (pictures courtesy of Steve Woodruff). (You may also want to read a great interview with Marc Monseau: J&J On Twitter)
Guard rails can help provide a 'safety net' to Pharma social media tactics and those running them by helping to insure that clear and simple guidelines are set up around certain areas to help frame conversation and engagement, and to keep social media efforts on safe regulatory and legal ground...
Other key takeaways and discussion points from #DigPharm:
Is your brand a lovemark? Is it irresistible to your consumer? Does it provide the right empathy to patients? At the core of every lovemark is RESPECT. How does a Lovemarks compare to a trademark? Trademarks are 'owned' by marketers--Lovemarks are 'owned' by their consumers. (Watch the T-mobile video: "Life's For Sharing")
What are consumers saying about your prescription product? Check out iGuard.org to read patient reviews. Monitor other social media venues.
"A patient is an unwilling customer". They are 'buying' your medication to help their condition, but they're not happy about the disease/condition that they have, often for life...(courtesy of patient blogger and tweeter: @amblass) This was part of 5 suggestions for Pharma: 1) listen 2) be honest 3) think big- beyond marketing a product 4) a patient is an unwilling customer. 5) be there for me.
"Just like soccer, Social Media is about moving the ball up the field....until we can put the ball in a strategic, favorable position" (courtesy of Fabio Gratton of Ignite Health and Xavier Petit)
BTW, if you're looking for a community to continue the Pharma Social Media conversation, join Shwen's Social Pharmer.
Other recent Pharma conference blogs that may be of interest:
Pharma: Dip Your Toes And Other Tips From DTC Perspectives Conference
Pharma Marketers: A Few Takeaways From the PharmaMed Conference
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 @ 05:24 AM
We're in the midst of conference-frenzy. Last week I was able to attend day two of DTC Perspective's Fall Conference: Reform & Refocus (For twitter followers: #dtcfall). Here are some of the key themes that I picked up:
Dip-your-toes approach. This was said over and over about social media. Get started, and evolve as you learn and your company becomes more comfortable with the effort. (This is also a common theme in Digital Pharma's conference taking place this week. #digpharm)- Remember your overall marketing strategy--Before you clarify objectives for social media and start running with tactics...
- Give the team TIME. Initiating new social media programs took many more hours and resources than originally planned. And there is always the unexpected...
- The Internet is for marketing-not just advertising. This also requires a shift in mindset. (Bill Drummy of Heartbeat Digital)
- Technology is moving oh soooo fast-Mobile, video, ‘smart' advertising using behavioral data, gaming and of course social media are musts to be more than experimenting with in 2010.
During day two, two presentations stood out to me:
Hologic and Greater Than One: How Social Media Can Become Real in Healthcare. Marnie Rosenberg, Partner, Greater Than One and Mary Pietrowski Director of Consumer and eMarketing of Hologic did a great job presenting four case studies, including a branded YouTube video. This is also where the infamous twitter tweet: "60% consumers don't care who sponsors health info- just want good info, community-value". (Turns out it's based on Infomedics Survey.) They also presented iCrossing data showing that of the online tools and websites, social media is used by 34% to locate healthcare information.
The On Demand Brand (book due out spring, 2010) by Rick Mathieson: Digital to Consumer-- The 5 Top Trends in 2010
- Social Networking of course...Regarding video, Rick presented data saying that nearly 50% of US adults say online video is a key way they research DTC drugs. His suggestions for pharma: use Social Media more for event based marketing, keep it social and targeted.
- Smart Advertising using behavioral data, but being careful not to target too well or to become invasive
- Mobile, especially texting, apps and use of QR codes
- Video Games For Health and Advergaming (See my blog covering 2009 Games For Health Conference and PharmExec article Video Games: Key To The Future of Healthcare?)
- Augmented Reality. The rules: Entertain, Educate and Engage
Wrapping up the conference, there was a good panel discussion with Pharma Marketers and Industry experts on The Use of Online Video in DTC Marketing led by Raj Amin, CEO, HealthiNation. Monique Levy @monasante also reviewed some recent Manhattan Research data. One of the points she made was that 25% of consumers view video on product.com sites.
Overall, the discussion centered around the big opportunity of video and suggestions to optimize its use e.g.: keep it moving (no more than 2-3 minutes) and tell an interesting story with great content. Saatchi Wellness talked to their successful rooster campaign and the move from unbranded to branded. Nike was also discussed as a great example of parceling out video info depending on a consumer's interest. They keep initial video short, but enable additional video watching for those who want more info etc.
Any other thoughts? Overall, day two was a good day!
Posted by Ellen Hoenig Carlson on Thu, Sep 03, 2009 @ 07:23 AM
A recent white paper by Ipsos Public Affairs outlines the different views that American patients hold about Healthcare depending on their type of condition. While healthcare reform will likely impact all 300 million Americans, the way they will be affected differs based on many characteristics. Pharma Marketers must also factor in how diverse attitudes and concerns of American patients may reflect the specific type of condition they suffer from.
It has been well documented that American's attitudes about key issues raised in the healthcare reform debate vary depending on their income level, their political leaning, whether or not they are insured, and whether they suffer from a serious condition or not. However, a new study by Ipsos Public Affairs has uncovered that attitudes about healthcare and the issues and solutions differ when considering the type of condition that Americans may suffer from.
Some key findings of the study:
Favorability towards the pharmaceutical industry is far lower among sufferers of certain types of conditions, especially mental-health, such as depression and anxiety/nervousness, than it is among sufferers of chronic conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
One quarter of depression and anxiety sufferers are uninsured compared with only 10% of high cholesterol sufferers. These results are largely representative of the demographic characteristics of sufferers from these conditions, including the proportion eligible for Medicare; 17% of high cholesterol patients and diabetes patients surveyed are over the age of 65, while just 5% of depression and anxiety/nervousness sufferers are Medicare-age eligible.
Depression and anxiety sufferers are also those most likely to deem their coverage as being insufficient to receive the appropriate care they need to treat their condition.
Implications for Pharma Marketers?
Brand Managers of mental heath conditions must understand that their patients are most prone to feel 'less friendly' toward the pharmaceutical industry, to be uninsured or under-insured, and to favor an employer coverage mandate. Lack of insurance or insufficient coverage is also more common among sufferers of respiratory conditions and obesity. [figure 2 in white paper] Further, these findings suggest that these marketers may need to address issues related to the reform in light of specific concerns expressed by sufferers of the conditions they help treat.
Any thoughts or relevant experiences to add?