Exercising Your Brand

A March 2008 report from eMarketer notes that in 2009 online ads will make up 10% of the total US advertising spend, amounting to $30 billion. Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, fighting in an ultra-competitive marketplace with small profit margins, have had to be innovators in finding new ways to communicate their messages to their customers. If pharma can effectively implement these principles, it has potentially even more to gain than CPG companies: Because pharma products have much higher margins, a similar investment yields much better returns. Here are some digital rules for a healthy brand: 1. Build an integrated approach. 2. Deploy rapid segmentation with digital technologies. 3. Create value for everyone, not just your brand. 4. Be structured, but flexible. 5. Create something that's never been done before. 6. Don't let legal run your program. 7. Consider that the patient is the boss.