Meleik Goodwill, Medical Director, Palio

One of the classic definitions of marketing is delivering value in order to capture value. So it would seem that when someone’s got a question about your product, service or organization, you answer it. Your answer delivers value, allowing you, hopefully, to capture anything from a new customer to incremental brand awareness.

So when your organization is asked a question, the correct response – every time – is to answer it, right? The answer, it turns out, is a definite “maybe.”

One of the many things muddying up the answer is the proliferation of question sites – platforms like Quora, Yahoo Answers and others where members can post questions, relying on the collective intelligence of other members for input.

In theory, these are a great example of how enabling technology can aggregate expertise and collectively boost the knowledge available to anyone with an internet connection. And, most of the time, that’s the end result.

But there’s a big difference between 50 (or 5,000) strangers chiming in with suggestions on how to best fry a chicken, versus that same enthusiastic, opinionated and sometimes ill-informed group suggesting the best cholesterol medication, or whether vaccines are, in fact, safe.

Getting back to that chestnut about delivering and capturing value, the marketer’s instinct on things like this is usually some variant of “dive in!” After all, there’s an aggregated audience of people seeking information about your product or service, right? But the answer isn’t that clear-cut.

There’s a lack of clarity from regulators on how pharma should handle social-media messaging, and the very nature of question sites is that their messages have a level of permanence, typically indexed in search engines for future reference in a way that last month’s Facebook update comment is not. Plus, like dinner parties the world over, there are some people who show up just to argue – and a public, search-engine indexed fight with someone who just wants to tear down your brand isn’t moving the marketing program forward.

Does that mean pharma marketers should ignore these sites entirely? Not at all. A solid regimen of monitoring and privately responding to questions (a feature that Quora offers but Yahoo Answers does not) allows marketers to keep an eye on things and offer authoritative information when warranted.

Answers to public questions are not off the table, but as with so much of the online world, context is king – answering with an official corporate response on the popular site Reddit, for example, risks derision no matter how accurate and complete the response is, simply because the community values individual rather than corporate presence.

Question sites are one of the hundreds of new channels marketers must navigate. But whether it’s answering a prospect’s question or making a sales presentation, the fundamental question marketers deal with never really changes: How, with this particular audience and this particular channel or platform, can I deliver value?

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten

Joe Arcuri, Director of Studio Services, Palio

Every minute, 24 hours of new video content is uploaded to YouTube – the second most popular search platform after Google. Last year we wrote about the growing influence of video on Pixels and Pills. At Palio, we’re creating more digital content than ever before – especially as iPad popularity continues to grow.

Online video is a great way to create engaging, exciting, informational, promotional and educational messages. With attention spans shorter and evolving expectations of patients, physicians and consumers, video is the way of the future.

Andy Smith, EVP, General Manager, Director of Global Operations, Palio

Last year on Pixels & Pills, I wrote about the mainstreaming of social media, highlighting a report from Nielsen Co. that found Americans are devoting almost a quarter of their Internet time on social networking sites and blogs, a 43 percent increase compared to one year ago.

Now, a year later, social is still dominating, with the 2011 version of the Nielsen report finding:

Tiffany Ryan, VP, Account Services, Palio

Thirty years of HIV.

Today I wear a red ribbon for HIV. I wear it with reflection, empathy, understanding, and a desire to do more.

For the early sufferers who spoke up and brought awareness to a disease in the midst of stigma, hatred and misunderstanding. I wear it to honor people like Elizabeth Glaser, Joey DiPaolo, and Ryan White. I wear it to honor their bravery, compassion, and dedication to addressing the issue, speaking up for what is right, and holding true to their beliefs.

For those who bring awareness, support, and information to the communities impacted with HIV every single day. I wear it to honor these individuals – doctors, nurses, case managers, AIDS support groups, peer educators, and counselors. I wear it to honor their passion and dedication to making a difference.

Todd LaRoche, EVP, Managing Director of Creative, Palio

There is no slow season in health care. Whether seeing patients in between personal and professional appointments or a spike in patient visits during cold and flu season, doctors are always busy. For sales reps, this results in a greater challenge getting face time with doctors.

Sales reps may not be used to communicating in a two-minute window, but doctors, nurses and office staff are conditioned to interact that way. Last year on Pixels and Pills, I wrote about being brief and getting to the point when communicating with doctors. That still holds true, but with more doctors tethered to their smartphones and iPads, we need to use technology to change how we communicate with doctors.

Jon Fisher, Technology Manager, Palio

01. 23andme
Categories:	Home testing, genomic testing
What it is:	According to their site: “23andMe is a retail DNA testing service providing information and tools for consumers to learn about and explore their DNA. We utilize the Illumina OmniExpress Plus Research Use Only Chip which has been customized for use in all of our products and services by 23andMe. All of the laboratory testing for 23andMe is done in a CLIA-certified laboratory.”
Why it Matters:	We are at the dawn of personalized medicine. Up until now, testing and diagnostics have been in the hands of physicians. This is starting to change. With a growing geriatric population and sky-rocketing health care costs, there will be a trend in taking ownership of one’s healthcare. That, along with the coming trend of aging in place, proactively taking responsibility for one’s healthcare will not only take hold, it will become the norm. Look for encouragement from healthcare policymakers to take proactive steps not only in preventative care, but for long term disease management. And, very soon, the dialog will shift from “sick care” to “health maintenance.” The long view will shift will be from “healthcare” to “health lifestyle.”

Tiffany Ryan, VP, Account Services, Palio

What an exciting time to be working in HIV. After 30 years, the scientific community has deciphered the mechanism of viral replication, resulting in multiple drug classes targeting multiple points of replication. On the patient/provider level, therapies have evolved to meet market needs – efficacious drugs with improved tolerability and convenient dosing.

This disease state has grown and changed at unprecedented speed – shifting what was once a death sentence into a chronic, more manageable condition.

Recently, there have been some interesting new discoveries that could impact and shape the future of HIV medicine. Discoveries that intrigue, surprise, and potentially shift the future of HIV care.

Glowing Cats and HIV – Don’t let the whimsical (maybe a bit spooky) photo fool you. This is real science. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic conducted a gene-therapy based study that looked at the impact of inserting genes that are known for blocking FIV cell infection into feline eggs prior to sperm fertilization. A jellyfish gene was also inserted, to allow for tracking purposes, which caused the cats to glow green. The genes disable the virus’s outer shield during entry into the cell, thereby not allowing the virus to begin replication that occurs within the cell. The impact of this genetic defense approach will likely have applications for advancing future genetic therapies for people and cats alike with HIV/AIDS.

Cholesterol and HIV – An international team of immunologists published findings that could have implications on future vaccine development. Researchers found that removing the cholesterol contained in the viral envelope of the HIV molecule interfered with the way that the virus attempts to reprogram the body’s immune response to the infection.

Gaming and HIV – Fresh from the “complex problems are solved in creative ways” files, gamers have solved one of the many mysteries of HIV that have plagued the scientific sector for years. Foldit, a game developed by researchers at the University of Washington, is designed to help solve complex scientific problems through competitive games. In three weeks, gamers were able to create models that allowed for successful molecular replacement and subsequent structure determination of the protease enzyme. This information will be critical to informing new drug discovery and development efforts. However, maybe even more promising is that this game has been used to solve problems in other disease categories – namely cancer and alzheimer’s research.

The possibilities appear to be endless when you take the best of technology and combine it with human intuition. I, for one, can’t wait to see what comes next.

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

Sean O’Donnell, Group Copy Supervisor, Palio

Consumer marketing may seem like the Wild West compared to pharma marketing which must live in the confines of regulatory requirements and an indecisive FDA when it comes to social media guidelines. Still, the two disciplines have much in common. Both require understanding the target audience and creating effective communications that address a consumer’s need or desire.

However, just because pharma marketing has more restraints doesn’t mean there aren’t lessons to be learned from the consumer space.

It’s about how you roll. People want to associate with a brand that resonates with their own values. And, they’re interested in more than having their current needs met; they want someone to help them envision something better.

Different brand personalities appeal to different audience segments, but if Apple has taught us anything, it’s that cool rules. They’ve successfully managed to tap into that persona by letting it shine in everything they do from developing cool products to providing super friendly customer service. They also never come out and say they’re a cool company – they let their brand ambassadors do that for them. They have an army of fans who genuinely love their products and use social media to share their experience.

People are doing more research. When it comes to shopping decisions, consumers are relying on the internet more than ever prior to making a purchase. The same is true for health care consumers. They’re researching physicians, treatment options, drug choices and networking with patients – often before they ever step foot into the doctor’s office.

Empowered patients are the new normal and they’re influencing sales and prescribing behavior. Use social media to provide credible and accessible information to support patient decisions, encourage brand advocacy and foster better communication with doctors.

Provide an experience. Getting a sale is only half the battle; building customer loyalty and repeat business is the other half. It’s no longer enough to just deliver a quality product. People want an outstanding customer experience and if they don’t get it from you, they’re going to look elsewhere.

That means getting employees to “live the brand.” At Starbucks, they’ve instilled a “Just Say Yes” company culture. They provided employees with a mantra – not a manual – to guide their actions. If a customer wants his caramel macchiato with skim milk, he’s going to get it.

For pharma marketers, it’s about taking time to listen to patients and practitioners to determine what they need and then exceed expectations with every interaction. Providing an experience also means staying in touch, whether that’s sending valuable information via an email newsletter or letting people know how to contact your company on Facebook, Twitter or the company website.

The consumer space has embraced the shift of the digital frontier from the Web to apps. Communication is changing; people want to feel like they’re part of the process and have achieved something. It’s shared, evolving and organic from the people around them.

Ultimately, marketers like it both ways: Everyone wants to talk about integration and being brilliant at the basics while at the same time touting the game-changing value of deep industry expertise. But if there’s value in such specific experience, there are also insights to be found by looking outside of your own industry for how other sectors grow their businesses. Go ahead – take a page from the consumer playbook!

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

[slideshare id=9817825&doc=docsipadv4-111021145226-phpapp02]

Jon Fisher, Technology Manager, Palio

According to recent Manhattan Research findings, 38% of ePharma Physicians have seen sales reps with iPads or other tablets during face-to-face meetings – However the study suggests marketers are not leveraging these devices to their full potential.

- A new ePharma Physician® v11.0 study explores the evolving pharma service model and digital opportunities for marketers – Webinar August 11^th 11am ET

It’s not surprising that there are studies in the pharma industry pointing to a lukewarm reception rate among physicians who are being detailed from an iPad. The introduction of the iPad as a platform for e-detailing is no longer just about selling a drug. It’s about the doctor relating to the iPad itself as a world of interactivity and connectivity that can bring medicine to life. For many docs who do not own iPads, being detailed on this device could seem like a well orchestrated show on a beefed up e-reader, especially if the functionally of the e-detail application involves little more than squinting at oceans of tiny text, watching a basic gant chart’s graph rising and falling, or suffering through poorly composed footage of talking heads describing efficacy through a video player window. The question isn’t how much will it cost me to get a print detail aid reformatted for an iPad with some videos thrown in? The question should be how could my content be experienced in a fresh way on touchpad technology for full user engagement. The real time metrics collection, the CRM modules that plug into robust marketing software packages, even the ability to get an e-signature, will not come into play within the first critical 60 seconds the rep has to capture a physician’s attention with valuable information they can use.

Technology, like all successful physical product attributes, eventually becomes copied and commoditized. And while we might see significant gains from the initial excitement and buzz of the “wow effect,” it eventually wears off and what remains is the content and how it is experienced. So many companies cut and paste traditional media solutions into new media platforms creating “brochure-ware” that fails to take advantage of the technology. Unfortunately, what is happening is that print materials are being delivered in a digital medium. It takes more than adding a video to make something “digital.” The question isn’t “How much will it cost me to get a print detail aid reformatted for an iPad?” The question should be “How could my content be experienced in a fresh way on this new tool for user engagement?”

The iPad is not going away. It’s here to stay. Although its growth may have not taken off as initially anticipated within the health industry, as more reps and doctors understand the technology and its extensive ability to produce a dynamic learning environment with real time information – clickable charts, images, video and extensive interactive usability – we will see more and more companies in the marketplace competing to provide the best functionality in their e-detailing apps. When the technology is not being used to its full capability, it can be seen as being little more than an old school “push” selling tactic as opposed to fully exploiting the technology to bring the physician into the story of the brand. The iPad is more than an interactive e-reader or a seductive technology gimmick. It is a portable library that can connect instantly to new data and, if used as it was designed, it can become a synergistic connection that can truly create the multi-dimensional dynamic experience used not only for detailing but also for teaching and interacting with patients.

To hear more of Palio’s point of view on ways to better maximize this medium, view our SlideShare: Palio 360° solutions, The Seven Tips to IVA Development. 

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.

Marty Hardin, SVP Director of Emerging Media and Technology

01. Maker of cognitive training game seeks FDA approval
Categories:	Gaming, devices, FDA
What it is:	A video game that its manufacturer is claiming improves the deficits in attention and memory that are often associated with schizophrenia
Why it Matters:	This would blur the lines between medication, modalities, devices and what defines a “dose.” It’s also an important milestone in defining when and where the FDA will have authority in regulating claims made by products. It will also break new ground in dispensing. This is definitely “one to watch.”

02. Nanosensor detects toxic airborne chemicals, uses iPhone to alert authorities
Photo Credit: Dominic Hart/NASA
Categories:	Mobile devices, environmental analysis, AI technology
What it is:	A device that works in conjunction with a mobile device (an iPhone) to alert authorities in the event of detection of toxic chemicals.
Why it Matters:	Too often we limit our thinking to in regard to mobile devices. We often forget that mobile devices can work in tandem with specialized hardware to create accurate reporting that removes the element of human error by delivering hard data as opposed to anecdotal information. This means that adverse events, patient adherence and environmental factors could be accurately documented, taking the burden of proof off of our clients.

03. Amazon Brings “Cloud-Accelerated” Silk Browser To Kindle Fire
Categories:	Tablet technologies, distributed computation, cloud based technologies
What it is:	A technology that offloads some of the processing needed by web based applications and web services.
Why it Matters:	One of the inherent problems in tablet design is balancing processor power to battery life to physical space. What this technology does is share some of the processor load with the cloud based servers at Amazon. What this means is faster, more fluid performance with applications that are distributed via the web or specialized applications.The potential is to create applications that would enable realtime data visualization. Imagine being able to walk a physician through a non-linear 3D mechanism of action demonstration that shows the effect of a medication, on the molecular level, within the body. Or being able to aggregate live, flowing data from a data base in near-realtime. Suddenly, our walk-throughs have the potential to be truly interactive and engaging in ways that have been limited by tablet and mobile devices themselves.

04. Microsoft idea: Kinect body scans could estimate age, automate parental controls
Categories:	Kinect, biometrics, artificial intelligence (AI)
What it is:	A technology that by using physical dimensions can estimate age.
Why it Matters:	Biometric devices have been around for awhile. Eye scans are used by airports to grant people access to secure areas. What’s different about this is that it is already sitting in millions of homes around the world. And, while the theory is accurate, there will never be a way to be 100% accurate without input from the user. However, behaviors coupled with input data from the user can be harvested to create a profile that’s pretty close.Imagine being able to have preliminary data captured through your gaming device. Normal stats-blood pressure, pulse, weight, height, etc., could be harvested. A connection could be made to your doctor’s office and basic triage information could be sent in advance of an appointment, and waiting when you arrive. Rudimentary diagnostics could already be calculated and a treatment algorithm could be suggested to the physician. This could mean more time for the doctor to engage with the patient and could lead to a potentially better diagnosis. Building our clients products into the algorithm could help insure more accurate prescribing information and potentially reduced adverse events (AE’s).

05. Movenbank: The world’s first cardless bank launches in Alpha
Categories:	Mobile banking, Near field communication, gamification, finance, commerce
What it is:	The first bank to launch without plastic, but to launch using game psychology and social media strategies.
Why it Matters:	It matters on several levels.First: This is the first financial institution the will be totally banking (pun intended) on the adoption of near field technology for financial transactions. Paying by cell has been around in Europe and Asia for a while, but this will enable pay by device transactions. While the supporting infrastructure (NFC readers, NFC ready retail establishments) is not apparent yet, it is inevitable given the cost savings for financial institutions.Second: Gamification as applied to financial transactions to prompt people to save, give to charity and pay off bills is exciting. Using game psychology to reward positive behavior to affect financial responsibility is a great thing.Third: Using social media to align and compare spending profiles and types could yield unexpected results. While comparing and striving for better financial ratings among your peers, there could also be potentially negative results. From being disqualified for potential jobs, to being shut down socially because you can’t handle your money-this is potentially the future standard by which you will be judged.Pharma could take several cues from this application:1. Using NFC for couponing, distribution of patent education materials and tracking patient behaviors could quickly streamline how materias and information are distributed, tracked and transactions are recorded.2. Using game psychology to make patient and physician education fun or to make compliance interesting could yield huge benefits to patient health. Making mechanism of action into a game could help doctors quickly grasp the pharmacokinetics impact of a compound within the body-while having fun. 3. Leveraging social media to help the patient and physician community to better achieve adherence, safety while avoiding potentially harmful adverse events is a very good thing.

Happy exploring!

Palio is an advertising agency revolutionizing pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing to create experiences that will Never Be Forgotten.