Media (Internet)

More media but less consumption

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For the first time since 1997, U.S. consumers spent less time using media in 2006 compared to the previous year. Media usage per person declined 0.5% to 3,530 hours. This drop is mainly attributed to changing consumer behaviors and advances in the digital space, according to data by Veronis Suhler Stevenson. Digital space, that means Internet to all you marketers who still spend most of your money on television and print. Yet pharma continues to waste dollars on TV ads that don't drive conversion and alter numbers to show their campaigns are a success. Listen to this audiocast with John Mack Read More...
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Pharma websites traffic review

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It's interesting to look at comparisons of website traffic for pharma websites. For example, in the ED category the websites ranked in order of unique visitors are Viagra.com (130,000 Monthly Unique Visitors), Levitra.com (69,000 MUV) and Cialis.com (45,00 MUV). This while Viagra is on the air with Viva Viagra, Cialis is on air with 36 hour message and Levitra is touting "I didn't know it could lead to ED" campaign. If this is indeed an indicator of future success then Cialis maybe in trouble and Viagra will continue to dominate the ED market. Read More...
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Hidden agendas?

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A hidden agenda? Like when a trade magazine gives out the top 25 DTC marketers to an industry that follows rather than leads and has multiple conflicts of interest preventing the publisher from being critical of an industry that has made more bad judgments than a crooked judge? Now if that's not the kettle calling the pot black I don't know what is. The truth is that I personally love the DTC industry and DTC marketing and I am passionate about my patients..it's that most of my colleagues are not as passionate about patients and doing the right thing as they are in playing the political game to get ahead. Read More...
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The breeze is blowing by...

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Well it's started...WPP purchased Real Media for $650 million...Microsoft acquired Avenue A/Razorfish and that is just the start of what traditional agencies are coming to realize "The Internet is where most advertisers want to be". Do you hear that pharma marketers? Still want to waste money on TV with little ROI while ignoring the web? The problem of course is that unless you have real eMarketing people on board this trend is going to pass you by like a cool breeze on a hot summer night. Read More...
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Prevention Magazine shines dim light on consumer behavior

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The headlines scream.. "Most consumers use Internet to compare drug benefits, so marketers need to be aware of what other sites are saying". Can I say it..you know I really want to say it...DUH ! How ignorant does Prevention magazines Rodale Press think marketers are? Ooopss..I forgot we're talking about DTC marketers..never-mind. Read More...
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The Internet bringing wired physicians together at last

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It looks like a physicians portal has finally got it right and figured out that the power of the Web to bring people together and collarborate can lead to success. Sermo.com now has over 10,000 physicians registered and judging from recent posts to the site it looks like the their slogan is right "Why consult with one collegue when you can consult with thousands?". Read More...
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Hail to King Google, but why?

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Google grabbed 25% of the $15.7 billion companies spent for online ads last year. That's almost $4 billion for a web property where users spend less than 5% of their time. That's right, Internet users spend less than 5% of their time actually searching the rest of the time they are visiting their favorite sites via bookmarks. One has to wonder if marketers are actually thinking about the way their customers use the Web? Read More...
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Web MD: The only game in town?

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Am I the only person that thinks that the only thing Web MD has going for it is it's name? I recently went to Web MD to look up some medical information and I have to say that the web design is among the worst that I have ever seen. Way too many calls to action..no way to narrow searches and information that at times is dated. They should be looking in their rear view mirror because they are ripe for a competitor to come along and trounce them. Read More...
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Physicians portal embraces Web 2.0

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Welcome to the only online community where physicians around the nation exchange the latest medical insights with each other and improve patient outcome. So says the tag-line on Sermo.com a physicians portal where physicians can talk and interact with each other online. What a novel idea...actually using the web to connect the HCP community. Read More...
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Pharma continues to neglect the web

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Well according to industry media spending on DTC the total percentage of dollars allocated to the web was just 1%. While I believe that the reported number is low, it is probably closer to 4-5%, it still tells me that most pharma DTC marketing people are living in the past and don't understand this unique channels ability to drive Rx behavior. Read More...
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