Pharma brands need to focus on a human-centered approach.

As pharmaceutical companies shift from siloed, multichannel marketing to integrated omnichannel strategies, they’re doubling down on digital experiences and the personalized use of data. It’s another step by pharmaceutical companies to move closer to consumers in digital ways that haven’t been possible before. Similar to the way they are adopting direct-to-patient telehealth, which I wrote about last month, the pharma marketing shift to data-driven omnichannel strategies creates more direct ties to patients and health care professionals, resulting in more effective communications and better health outcomes.

Expanding social media marketing 

A key part of the evolving strategy is expanding and integrating more meaningful social media marketing, a relatively new tactic for pharma companies. When social media started to gain traction more than a decade ago, it quickly evolved from person-to-person and community communications to a new way for brand marketers to engage with potential customers.

Initial hesitations and cautious approaches

But pharma marketers hesitated. That’s not surprising—pharma companies typically tend to be more cautious than, say, fast-food restaurant brands or sneaker makers when it comes to emerging marketing strategies. And for valid reasons such as regulatory restrictions and privacy concerns. Still, as consumer brands like Nike gathered millions of followers on Instagram with inspirational athlete stories and Starbucks grew sales by embracing TikTok-ers’ secret menu ideas, pharmaceutical companies’ activity on social media stayed conventional and cautious. Some companies began experimenting on social media, especially Facebook, adopting it as part of their public relations strategy. They used it to share corporate news, talk about medical conferences, or offer general good news about charity events, for example.

Embracing social media in omnichannel strategies 

Fast-forward to today, however, and significant strategy shifts are taking hold. Pharma companies are embracing social media not only as a public relations news messaging tool, but also as a key part of their omnichannel digital strategies for marketing. They’re now using Instagram, YouTube and even TikTok for brand-name drug launches, disease awareness campaigns, and to connect with patient advocates and physicians.

One of its most recent efforts is a YouTube casual conversation video series called Coffee Break Science. It features Moderna scientists answering questions about vaccines like “What are vaccines and how do they help the body against infectious diseases?” and “Why do some people still get sick even after getting vaccinated?” The goal is to clear up misunderstandings about vaccines in a relatable way for consumers, and Moderna is considering expanding the video series in other therapy areas, Moderna Chief Brand Officer Kate Cronin told MM&M in a recent article. “It’s never going to be super polished—that’s not the point. It’s about telling the story in an interesting way and in a way that’s accessible,” she said.

Targeting health care professionals 

Pharma social media strategies aren’t only directed at consumers. Companies are tapping into health care professional-only social networks like Sermo and Doximity to advertise to doctors where they work and socialize. They’re also expanding key opinion leader (KOL) programs into social media and enlisting medical social influencers.

Sun Pharma inked a deal with dermatologist influencer Dr. Sandra Lee, better known as Dr. Pimple Popper, earlier this year to talk about its WINLEVI prescription acne cream on social media and streaming TV ads. The effort uses humor to connect with consumers and “encourage young people to have more dialogue about” acne, said Sun’s VP of Sales and Marketing, Andy Nelson, in a news release.

Challenges and solutions in omnichannel strategies 

Connecting online and offline experiences

The future of pharma marketing 

And it’s only the beginning. About six in 10, or more than 58%, of adults use the internet to look for health or medical information, according to the Centers for Disease Control. But they may not always believe what they read—82% of adult social media users think there is either “some” or “a lot” of false or misleading health information on social platforms, according to a recent study published in Health Affairs Scholar.

With more and more people using social media for health information and often going straight to a drugmaker’s website, the new omnichannel ecosystem offers a way for pharma companies to connect that hasn’t existed in the past. The question then for pharma marketers has moved beyond whether they’ll level up social media inside their omnichannel marketing strategies, but rather when and how.

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