Digital mythbusting

Even the braver pharmaceutical players are still in the shallows compared to consumer-oriented brands; healthcare's progress into digital and social marketing streams is steady, but definitely slow. To a degree this caution is understandable, even necessary. Our regulations exist for a reason; Old Spice's well-executed 2010 digital campaign may have doubled their sales overnight, but lives don't hang in the balance in the aftershave aisle.

Yet much of pharma's timidity is unwarranted, based upon myths that persist around digital media, which needlessly hold back innovation in the sector. These myths span the whole spectrum, from the specific application of digital channels in healthcare to the nature of those digital channels themselves. If we are to debunk such myths, and truly embrace digital communications, we should start with the broadest of concerns…

Mass misconceptions
Myth 1: "I don't understand digital!"
Skip this paragraph if you've realised that digital communication isn't as mysterious as yesterday's digital gurus told you. But many still believe there's some mystical theory underpinning digital communications, hidden behind layers of technical code and social network etiquette. There isn't. If you've ever agreed to attend a barbecue on Facebook, chosen a hotel you saw rave reviews about on TripAdvisor, or enjoyed a video a friend linked you to, then you understand digital marketing. It's a new frontier, but it's not new terrain.

Myth 2: "Digital is about reaching customers at their computers"
Wrong… It may be easier to visualise digital interactions through a computer screen, but the reality is increasingly mobile. Of Facebook's 500 million active users, more than half regularly access the network on their mobile device and – crucially – these users are twice as active as their mousebound counterparts. Mobile use makes digital communications the first genuinely 24/7 marketing channel. Ask yourself, do you sleep within arm's reach of your phone? Perhaps that's because you also use it as an alarm clock. This versatility and ubiquity is worth remembering when weighing digital pros and cons.

Pharma falsehoods
Myth 3: "Old people don't surf"
We get sicker the longer we live, so pharma's end-users inevitably skew older. But this isn't 2001 – the belief that online marketing bypasses older audiences simply doesn't hold true. Research for 2010 from the UK's Office of National Statistics revealed the percentage of pensioners living alone who were online had risen from 11 in 2000 to almost 40 per cent. This number will continue to increase as the younger get older; anyone who was 47 when Microsoft bought hotmail and took email to the masses is 60 today. Elderly audiences are on the web, and they know what they're doing. If grandma has to Skype to stay in touch, she'll get herself online.

Myth 4: "There are no rules!"
True, the FDA delayed its guidelines again this April (while continuing its own Twitter and Facebook activities apace), primarily due to the variety of activities under the digital banner. But even as the FDA made its announcement, in the UK the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) published its 'informal guidance' which essentially advised marketers to apply the same ABPI code they already know inside-out. So, for instance, direct branded communication in an HCP-only network is as legitimate as any sponsored symposium, while activity in a public forum such as Twitter should be restricted to disease awareness and other unbranded content. So yes, there are rules, and we already know them.

Myth 5: "I have no control!"
The most knee jerk myth of all, and the most easily bust-able. The Facebook Wall is the best example of a digital entity where the fears outshine the facts. A pharma marketer worried about his corporate Wall being overwhelmed by an organised citizen revolt can choose to hide the wall, disable comments, or even engage Facebook to customise the Wall to his specifications. Behind the curtain of Facebook, and the rest, sit businesspeople as eager to create an environment where pharma can thrive as you are. At Chandler Chicco Companies we have been helping our clients do just that for some time, and the benefit invariably proves mutual. Incidentally, take some time to browse the Walls of the few pharma companies bold enough to invite public comments. You are likely to encounter a conspicuous absence of rioting.

Myth 6: "Doctors are too busy to use apps or go online"
Apps and online networking are becoming as integrated into the medical profession as any other. In January 2011 an audit conducted by Manhattan Research revealed that of the 2,000 European physicians surveyed:

• 69% had a smartphone
• Over 50% were recommending websites to their patients
• 25% were participating in physician-only online communities – impressive given that such forums didn't meaningfully exist a year earlier.

Ever-evolving treatment landscapes and the requirement to pursue new learning mean medical professionals are more digitally engaged and tech-savvy than most. They are also a major enabler of digital healthcare learning for patients, who will go where their doctors tell them. Doctors will use apps, and they will communicate and share online, but only if such interactions prove meaningful. Which takes us to…

Myth 7: "It's all about followers, fans and likes"
No, it's still only about your marketing objectives. A heart-warming YouTube channel may attract 10,000 viewers a day, but if they leave without adopting your call to action, then every one of them is a missed opportunity.

And there's the key – if it's not tied into your goals, digital communications achieves nothing. The novelty and innovation accessible through today's digital techniques make it all the more important not to become distracted into pursuing digital for its own sake. "The key to success in digital communication is having the same clear goals in place as you would for any other communications channel," notes Andrea Hazlewood, Senior Brand Manager, Pfizer UK. "Focusing on the technology at the expense of the objective is like beautifully gift-wrapping an empty box."

So by all means harness the wow factor, but make sure it's as tethered to your desired outcomes as everything else. You still need to know who you're talking to, and why you're talking at all. This is particularly important in digital communication, where the 'talking' involves genuine dialogue. It's a truly open and dynamic channel, with unprecedented opportunities for insight and engagement. So don't let the myths get in the way. Adequate guidance, tangible control measures and unprecedented audience access are all in place. All you need is a solid plan and a little confidence.

The author
Tim Gomersall is European Managing Director of ‘nition.
He can be contacted at tgomersall@nitiondesign.com or via Twitter @nitioneu