Taking Digital Communications to the Next Level Jay Bolling, President and CEO of Roska Healthcare Advertising, provides his insights on the changing marketing landscape.
PV: Last year, Roska took a bold step and was among the first healthcare agencies to use a QR code as part of a marketing campaign. How has the industry’s use of QR codes changed in the past year? Bolling: According to a survey fielded last year at this time, about half of the respondents said they were somewhat familiar with QR codes, while only 12.3% said they were very familiar. Results from a recent follow up survey found that 46.6% said they were somewhat familiar and overall 43.1% said they were very familiar. Last year, 64% of the marketers reported that their companies are not currently using QR codes for marketing purposes and another 28% weren’t sure. This year, 33.3% of respondents are using QR codes in a variety of marketing tactics, including conference materials (29.3%), patient handouts/brochures (25.9%), professional trade journals (24.1%), pharmaceutical trade journal ads (24.1%), consumer magazine ads (19%), sales aids (19%), doctor’s in-office posters (17.2%), newspaper ads (10.3%), and outdoor (6.9%). There is no doubt that the use of QR codes is on the rise (72.4% said they have noticed an increase in marketing campaigns), however marketers need to do a better job in providing relevant information to the user. Among this year’s survey respondents, 53.4% found that the content provided was not useful. PV: How can companies and their communications agencies break through the white noise? Bolling: Everyone loves highly creative campaigns. We give them awards, share them virally, and give them equal viewing status with the game during Super Bowl. Does this mean they “break through the white noise"? And, while we love to talk about the ads, do we always remember the brands? And even if we do, does that mean these ads actually move market share? If we truly want our healthcare marketing efforts to stand out from the competition and break through the white noise, let’s ensure we’re offering something of value, because it’s the overall value proposition that will get people’s attention and break through the white noise, and not a clever headline. PV: How are the changing needs of clients impacting their marketing partners? Bolling: As clients focus on a new set of acronyms — CRM, ROI, SEO, SEM, and NPP — agency models must shift as well. Engagement is the new awareness, and response is the new recall. Sales calls may or may not include a rep; medical journal print ads will be replaced by paid search; sales aids are shifting to tablets; and websites are turning into mobile platforms. Whether by M&A or organic growth, tomorrow’s agencies won’t be traditional or digital, they’ll be customer-centric, multichannel communication specialists — now we just have to come up with a new acronym for that one. PV: How will communications change in the future? Bolling: We are starting to see pharma throw off the tried-and-true methods and embrace innovative communications strategies to answer critical questions such as how to reach more customers with the least amount of marketing investment and how to better understand their target audiences and what influences their decisions. To achieve their objectives, companies will restructure their clinical, marketing, and sales strategies to include greater use of: targeted drug therapy and diagnostic collaboration; payer partnerships; digital technology; nonpersonal promotion; influence mapping; and pharmacoeconomic analyses. STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION 1. Publication title: PharmaVOICE 2. Publication no.: #23626 3. Filing date: September 30, 2011 4. Issue frequency: published monthly except combined issues in July/August and Nov./Dec. 5. No. of issues published annually: 10 6. Annual subscription price: US: $190. Non-US: $360. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: PharmaLinx LLC, 244 Jacobs Creek Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, Titusville, NJ 08560 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: PharmaLinx LLC, 244 Jacobs Creek Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, Titusville, NJ 08560 9. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor: Lisa Banket, P.O. Box 327, Titusville, NJ 08560, Taren Grom, P.O. Box 327, Titusville, NJ 08560, and Denise Myshko, P.O. Box 327, Titusville, NJ 08560 10. Owner: Lisa Banket, Taren Grom, and Marah Walsh 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: (none) 13. Publication title: PharmaVOICE 14. Issue date for circulation data below: September 2011 15. Extent and nature of circulation (avg. no. copies each issue during preceeding 12 months and actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, respectively). Total no. copies – 18,000 and 17,603. Individual paid/requested mail subscriptions stated on Form 3541: 16,608 and 17,603. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid or requested distribution outside USPS: 25 and 2. Total paid and/or requested circulation: 16,633 and 17,605. Nonrequested copies stated on Form 3541: 1,056 and 0. Nonrequested copies distributed outside the mail: 160 and 150. Total nonrequested distribution: 1,288 and 210. Total distribution: 17,921 and 17,815. Copies not distributed: 300 and 185. Total: 18,221 and 18,000. Percent paid and/or requested circulation: 92.8 and 98.8. 16. This statement of ownership will be printed in the November/December 2011 issue of this publication. 17. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). (Signed) Marah Walsh, Founding Partner