Sales & Marketing

How one conversation between a woman and her physician can make or break a brand

Big Pharma is finally making a commitment to partner-based outsourcing.

It's time for pharma market research to advance science-based decisions and foster judgement calls

Now that Vyvanse, Shire's innovative ADD drug, has been approved for adults, the company needs help to quickly roll out a complex message to neurologists. Its solution: a partnership that takes advantage of GSK's CNS muscle.

With the economy in turmoil, pharmaceutical manufacturers are reassessing where and how they spend their advertising dollars.

Pharm Exec sits down with Kathryn Metcalfe, Pfizer's new vice president of corporate reputation and policy communications to discuss the new position, the perception of pharma among laypeople, and what needs to be done to boost public opinion of the drug industry.

Manhattan Research singled out type 2 diabetes sufferers and their online search patterns; it turns out diabetes patients are less likely to confront doctors about branded drugs they?ve seen in DTC ads, yet more apt to take Lipitor.

Companies are tightening their purse strings just when brand strategies need to target new audiences

To stay on top of a constantly evolving market that presents new challenges every day, product managers need to bolster branding strategies and raise their marketing IQ.

The faces (and talent!) behind the year's best ads

Marketers need to reach beyond disease awareness to spark "movement" communications campaigns

The arms race is over, and it's time to reinvent pharma sales. Here's what forward-looking companies are experimenting with-and how it's working

Two pharma companies dabble in online video in two different but effective ways. Sanofi-aventis attempts to reach patients through educational videos, while AZ calls for consumers to upload their own testimonials.

Pfizer switched agencies for its popular smoking cessation drug Chantix. While the company is tight lipped about the campaign's new direction, it looks like this may be the end of the tortoise and hare. Does this signal an end to the use of critters in pharma ads?

Exclusive Pharm Exec survey details how pharma can make virtual channels effective marketing vehicles

A new study suggests the medical professionals are more active on social networking sites than ever before. With the rise of doctor-specific Web 2.0 outlets, pharma has a new tool for reaching elusive physicians. The best part: Doctors don?t seem to mind.

One week into the new year, and word is trickling out that some large advertising firms are gearing up for heavy cuts. First out the gate is WPP, which is expected to be cutting thousands of jobs.

With the departure and retirement of two-thirds of Donahoe Purohit Miller, the middle child has rebranded itself Purohit Navigation and is going after the pharma market as a one-stop-shop for all its branding needs.

The graphic novel emerges as a versatile, effective medical education and marketing tool

With no formal fair market value guidelines imposed by the government, how "fair" is it for pharma to play by the rules?

Consumer pharma marketers are going to have to be a little more careful when using celebrity spokespeople or actors playing physicians. PhRMA has updated its rules and the consensus is clear - if you are paying for promotion, it must be noted in the ad.

Forget putting a cap on how much a gift to doctors should cost, the state of Massachusetts is considering outlawing everything from pens to meals - and don't even think about handing out free tickets to next week's Red Sox game.

The already crowded health portal market will get a bit tighter with the addition of myOptumHealth.com. But unlike the other WebMDs of the world (wide Web), Optum comes with a built-in base of 60 million users and the muscle of the UnitedHealth Group.

The Federal Trade Commission is tightening the rules for who is a paid endorser and what advertisers need to disclose about them. Look for new transparency on payment and new language to replace "your mileage may vary."

How to extract valuable market research from e-marketing campaigns

Spending on television advertising might be on the rise, but the consumer ad spend for prescription drugs is seeing a downward trend.

Once a breeding ground for dense jargon about mechanisms of action and prescribing information, Web sites like Centocor's new Medversation are giving doctors consumer-friendly content to help them spell out treatment options in a language everyone can understand.

Top Rx Club Award winners exhibit qualities that ironically juxtapose industry's paradigm (pdf)

A five-year forecast of the multiple-sclerosis market following the disruptions of Tysabri

When it comes to search engine optimization, here's how to earn Google's respect