Summary
Featuring Alcon Laboratories (USA), IPD Fund/Wyeth (Pfizer) (China), Abbott (USA) and Bayer Schering Pharma (Australia), this Recommended Cases document summarises the pick of Warc’s case studies on increasing sales to the medical profession.

Summary
Pharmaceutical marketers have long focused on efficacy as the key driver of physician choice and patient use. However, this study from Hall & Partners in the US and China demonstrates that brand perceptions aren't built on efficacy alone. Taking the example of metastatic colorectal cancer treatments, it is demonstrated that doctors attribute subjective benefits to similarly effective brands which influence their recommendations to patients. Specific concepts are more attractive to doctors in different countries: in the US, oncologists appeared drawn to promises of greater control; while in China, they prioritised extended normal activity.

Summary
The biopharmaceutical industry is pretty poor at evaluating promotional effectiveness despite spending almost twice as much on promotion as it does on research and development - more than $12 billion a year in the US alone. However there is some sound, peer-reviewed evidence on the efficacy or different promotional instruments in the sector, which are summarised in this best practice paper.

Summary
Alcon Laboratories wanted to build market share for its Pantanase Nasal Spray in the USA, but it faced physicians who were increasingly less likely to take sales calls. A campaign that took advantage of data segmentation was used to present customized, personalized messages through multiple channels. Segment-specific graphics and segment-relevant copy addressed real patient scenarios. Direct mail pieces used variable content and also included calls to action that led physicians to personalized URLs. Each piece was designed to build the physician relationship one step further. Response rates were as high as received 30.4%, and overall market share for the product showed a strong increase.

Summary
Pharmaceutical marketers in the United States wrestle with an interesting dilemma: should they maintain similar advertising across their two target audiences—physicians and patients—or should they customize advertising for each? This study explores the relationship between advertising similarity and advertising effectiveness. It finds that similarity of advertising message strategy is unrelated to advertising effectiveness while advertising execution-similarity is negatively related. This pattern of effects holds even when patients are the drivers of brand choice. These findings reinforce the idea that advertising should be finely honed to target customers’ needs even when two different customers interact in brand choice.

Summary
The growth hormone therapy market had become crowded and static. With little variety in the efficacy of drugs or treatments on offer, Merck Serono wanted to develop a device that would achieve differentiation and increase its market share. Following in-depth research and development, PDD produced a therapy map covering all practical and emotional aspects of the process. This work fed into the design and manufacture of the easypod; the first electro-mechanical device for the subcutaneous injection of medicinal products. The easypod has helped the company increase its global market share and revenue, and has improved the lives of thousands of growth hormone therapy patients worldwide.

Summary
US Pharmaceutical company, Abbott, has produced Synthroid, a drug to combat hyperthyroidism, for over 50 years. The problem to overcome, was the competition from generics being substituted by pharmacies and managed care organisations where prescriptions from medical professionals had not specified the branded product. The aim was to increase market share and increase awareness amongst professionals of making sure that patients obtained the intended product. A 3-stage direct mail campaign was employed to convey the educational material and message that Synthroid is still superior to generics. Results show that there was a 14% increase in knowledge of the efficacy of the product and a 16% increase in the likelihood of prescribing it by physicians – a major shift in such an established market.

Summary
Prevenar - the only vaccine that prevents Pneumococcal Disease amongst children below two - was launched in China with this campaign. Prior to launch, none of the stakeholders of children's health – health officials, doctors and parents – knew about the disease threat. Being a prescription brand, Prevenar couldn't approach parents. Its listing as the highest-priced self-paid vaccine added to the challenge. 'One minute', an oft-used phrase to communicate simple and doable things, was leveraged as a 'hook' to generate conversation between doctors and parents. A direct-to-consumer campaign built critical mass by creating awareness about the disease threat through an emotionally charged story of a child who has lost hearing ability due to Pneumococcal Disease. The Discovery Channel produced and telecast a documentary on the disease. In the campaign's first 10 months, there were 100,000 dosage sales and targets were overachieved by 127%.

Summary
Consumer conversations on a health-related electronic bulletin board are analyzed to investigate two key processes instrumental to creativity: analogical reasoning and reflective reframing. A netnographic analysis of these two creative strategies revealed two consistent themes of physician partnership and personal outcomes. To study the implications of these two themes for hospital communications, a content analysis of 40 comprehensive cancer-center Web sites was conducted. The results demonstrate a gap: although patients in online conversations emphasize physician partnership and personal outcomes, the majority of hospital communications emphasize reputation, expertise, and compassion. Strategic recommendations grounded in consumer conversations conclude the article.

Summary
Roche have a drug (called G-CSF) that can improve the survival rates of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Unfortunately, while it is available in New Zealand many of our cancer specialists do not use it, or they use it in some cases and not others. However, traditional methods of communication were not working, and doctors were not listening. The strategy involved sending out tactile, interactive DM pieces that required some involvement on the specialist's part. It was a revolutionary idea for this market.