The document summarizes research on how pharmaceutical companies are using social media for external communications. It finds that while regulations remain a concern, they are no longer the primary barrier to social engagement. Companies have recognized they must find ways to engage within regulatory guidelines. The research identified four key conclusions, including that building organizational confidence in social media is important through small pilot projects. It also finds that decentralized cultures and diffused control over social media within companies have hindered broader adoption.
Dina Freeman
Social Media and Digital Strategist
Baby Center
@dinadingo
Meet the fast-moving first of the true digital natives. From gear to healthcare, food to beauty, banking to shopping, she does everything much differently than moms only a few years older. She’s also spending more, and rewarding brands that give her the solutions she expects in her channels of choice. Dina Freeman, Social and Blog Strategist, BabyCenter will share key findings from their 2014 Millennial Mom Report and show how those insights turn into effective advertising for both Millennial and other segments of the valuable 3.1 trillion dollar Mom market.
Have you met the millennial mom? Tech savvy, social and focused on quality, she's a power consumer and she knows what she wants. Understand and connect with this critical consumer segment with essential takeaways on preferences and purchasing habits courtesy of the (add)ventures insights + content teams.
Millennials. Ready or not, here they come.
Otherwise known as Generation Y, those born between 1982 and 2003 are a force whose dominating presence and behavior (everywhere, but especially in the workforce) will define American life and culture in the next decade and beyond...
To get the most out of the millennials (or anyone for that matter) try the following:
- Hire those who fit your unique culture
- Understand their goals
- Solicit and listen to their ideas
- Ask what they would like to get out of their career and then make it happen
- Lead and mentor, don’t hand hold
- Loosen up and nurture fun
And most importantly, like with all employees, it's imperative to make sure that millennials feel valued in the workplace.
Dina Freeman
Social Media and Digital Strategist
Baby Center
@dinadingo
Meet the fast-moving first of the true digital natives. From gear to healthcare, food to beauty, banking to shopping, she does everything much differently than moms only a few years older. She’s also spending more, and rewarding brands that give her the solutions she expects in her channels of choice. Dina Freeman, Social and Blog Strategist, BabyCenter will share key findings from their 2014 Millennial Mom Report and show how those insights turn into effective advertising for both Millennial and other segments of the valuable 3.1 trillion dollar Mom market.
Have you met the millennial mom? Tech savvy, social and focused on quality, she's a power consumer and she knows what she wants. Understand and connect with this critical consumer segment with essential takeaways on preferences and purchasing habits courtesy of the (add)ventures insights + content teams.
Millennials. Ready or not, here they come.
Otherwise known as Generation Y, those born between 1982 and 2003 are a force whose dominating presence and behavior (everywhere, but especially in the workforce) will define American life and culture in the next decade and beyond...
To get the most out of the millennials (or anyone for that matter) try the following:
- Hire those who fit your unique culture
- Understand their goals
- Solicit and listen to their ideas
- Ask what they would like to get out of their career and then make it happen
- Lead and mentor, don’t hand hold
- Loosen up and nurture fun
And most importantly, like with all employees, it's imperative to make sure that millennials feel valued in the workplace.
For our April buzzReport, Buzz Marketing Group is proud to present the third installment of our four-part 2015 Millennial Retail Report! Here, you will get the chance to dive into the world of the Millennial and gain insight into how they shop, what they buy, how much they spend, and how they want to interact with retailers.
This information is useful to any brand or retailer that hopes to better understand the Millennial generation. So what are you waiting for? Dive in!
Resilient. Trendy. Unapologetic. These are the words Multicultural Millennials use to define themselves. We're in a marketing season where consumers are defining themselves, and deciding how and where they see themselves. They're filtering out what doesn't serve their vision of themselves.
We hope this report inspires you to expand how you view Multicultural Millennials and the clear marketing opportunity that exists wth this unique demographic.
Right now, an entire generation, larger than the Baby Boomers and with unprecedented discretionary spending power, is growing up knowing only a world that is always electronically connected, always portable and always customizable. How will this generation's immersion in today's technology challenge the world as we once knew it?
Understanding digital millennials is critical to maximizing and sustaining growth. The good news? Through extensive research, Resource Interactive has mapped the Millennials' daily digital interactions to shed light on their attitudes and behaviors.
Review this presentation and discover:
• Who digital millennials are
• How millennials perceive philanthropy
• How they are shaping the political landscapes
• What millennials expect from their shopping experiences
• What you can do to maximize your interactions with digital millennials
Learn tips on Marketing to Millennials. This presentation:1. Defining the Generations. 2. Separates Millennials: Facts vs Fiction. 3. States Why Millennials are Important. Full of statistics about marketing in 2017. How the marketing world has changed and statistics about Millennials.
Millennials – a generation of people born between 1980 and 1995. They have been described as the most selfish, generation of the past millennium but is this really true?
Indeed they can be narcissistic, lazy and demanding but on the other hand they are tolerant, think globally and love to cooperate.
Here at Fenomem, we did some research and discovered a little more about them! Check out exactly what we learned about Millennials! If you want to know more, write a message!
We are excited to update you on Born This Way Foundation’s progress and to acknowledge you, our Born This Way Foundation community, who make that progress possible. Here are some highlights of what we accomplished together.
Rethinking Marketing to Women: Presented by Crowdtap & Beeby Clark+MeylerCrowdtapforBusiness
With the rise of female-empowerment campaigns, marketing to women has shifted from painting an idyllic portrait of how life should be, to a refreshing and realistic reflection of how life is for millions of women. The challenge for brands in this new environment becomes how to surface the powerful stories of real women – and do so effectively and at-scale.
Learn how forward-thinking brands are putting people at the heart of their marketing to drive product ideation, inform marketing strategy and create authentic content that fuels earned media.
Speakers:
Mindy Davis, SVP, Professional Services, Crowdtap
Mariana Rodriguez, Senior Account Director, Beeby Clark + Meyler
The essence of parenting hasn’t changed. Parents love their children unconditionally. What has changed is the look and make up of families today. The Marketing to the Modern Family study looks at the changing dynamics, then offers insights and recommendations to ensure brands are poised for future success.
Generation Z encompasses ages 13 to 19, with a psychographic overlap with young Millennials ages 20 to 24. As digital natives with more familiarity with virtual worlds than previous generations, Generation Z is redefining the "new normal."
Relevant statistics about Millennials (those born in the 80s and 90s) as employees, leaders, entrepreneurs, consumers, and even parents.
The more you know about the Millennials the better equipped you’ll be to lead, communicate, and market to them.
Presented by Ryan Jenkins, Millennial & Generation Z keynote speaker and blogger. http://ryan-jenkins.com.
Marketing to Moms presentation given by Kathy Murphy (Veritas Communications) and Ed Lee (com.motion) on the influences that surround the modern day mom - with a focus on health and nutrition.
Expedia and PHD won the unique 'Day of influence' package – one day of advertising across all major UK newsbrand platforms, including print tablet, online and mobile – for a campaign to promote tourism back to the Philippines following the devastation of typhoon Haiyan.
How do nonprofit communicators rank and combine different goals? We took a look based on data from the 2013 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report. Full report at http://npmg.us/2013
Healthcare providers must understand their patients’ preferences, behaviors, and expectations in order to best meet their changing needs. New survey data reveals some of the key differences in patient behaviors and expectations between Millennials and Baby Boomers. So, what do providers need to know in order to ensure their patients are having an optimal care experience?
How to use the Power of Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry.pdfdnyaneshwarivedpatha1
Impact of COVID-19 on Social Media Engagement
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought about significant shifts in online behavior, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. With national lockdowns and social distancing measures in place, people turned to social media as a primary source of information, entertainment, and connection. The average user spent more time than ever on social media platforms, seeking news updates, community support, and healthcare guidance.
Importance of Understanding Regulatory Landscape
Amidst this digital evolution, it’s crucial for pharmaceutical companies to navigate the regulatory landscape effectively while leveraging the power of social media. Regulations play a vital role in ensuring ethical practices, accuracy of information, and protection of consumers’ health and privacy. Therefore, understanding and adhering to regulatory guidelines is paramount for pharmaceutical organizations engaging in social media marketing.
This blog will delve into the intersection of social media marketing and regulatory compliance within the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting key guidelines, best practices, and the evolving landscape shaped by global trends and pandemic influences.
Evolution of FDA Regulations
Historical Restrictions on Pharmaceutical Content
In the early days of social media, pharmaceutical companies faced stringent restrictions on the type of content they could share online. The FDA’s regulatory framework, aimed at ensuring public safety and preventing misleading information, posed challenges for marketers in the pharmaceutical sector. Companies had to navigate complex rules regarding the promotion of prescription drugs, including limitations on discussing specific drug benefits and risks in online platforms.
Changing Landscape and Updated Regulations
Over time, the landscape of social media marketing in the pharmaceutical industry has evolved significantly. Regulatory bodies like the FDA have recognized the growing influence of digital platforms and the need for updated guidelines that strike a balance between promotional activities and regulatory compliance. This shift has led to the revision of regulations and the introduction of updated guidelines tailored to the digital era.
The FDA, in collaboration with industry stakeholders, has issued guidance documents and updates to help pharmaceutical companies navigate social media marketing responsibly. These guidelines address key areas such as fair balance in promotional content, disclosure of risk information, handling of adverse events, and engagement with online communities. The changing regulations reflect a broader acknowledgment of the importance of digital communication channels in healthcare information dissemination.
Importance of Compliance Amidst Evolving Regulations
Compliance with regulatory requirements is paramount for pharmaceutical companies operating in the social media landscape. As regulations evolve
For our April buzzReport, Buzz Marketing Group is proud to present the third installment of our four-part 2015 Millennial Retail Report! Here, you will get the chance to dive into the world of the Millennial and gain insight into how they shop, what they buy, how much they spend, and how they want to interact with retailers.
This information is useful to any brand or retailer that hopes to better understand the Millennial generation. So what are you waiting for? Dive in!
Resilient. Trendy. Unapologetic. These are the words Multicultural Millennials use to define themselves. We're in a marketing season where consumers are defining themselves, and deciding how and where they see themselves. They're filtering out what doesn't serve their vision of themselves.
We hope this report inspires you to expand how you view Multicultural Millennials and the clear marketing opportunity that exists wth this unique demographic.
Right now, an entire generation, larger than the Baby Boomers and with unprecedented discretionary spending power, is growing up knowing only a world that is always electronically connected, always portable and always customizable. How will this generation's immersion in today's technology challenge the world as we once knew it?
Understanding digital millennials is critical to maximizing and sustaining growth. The good news? Through extensive research, Resource Interactive has mapped the Millennials' daily digital interactions to shed light on their attitudes and behaviors.
Review this presentation and discover:
• Who digital millennials are
• How millennials perceive philanthropy
• How they are shaping the political landscapes
• What millennials expect from their shopping experiences
• What you can do to maximize your interactions with digital millennials
Learn tips on Marketing to Millennials. This presentation:1. Defining the Generations. 2. Separates Millennials: Facts vs Fiction. 3. States Why Millennials are Important. Full of statistics about marketing in 2017. How the marketing world has changed and statistics about Millennials.
Millennials – a generation of people born between 1980 and 1995. They have been described as the most selfish, generation of the past millennium but is this really true?
Indeed they can be narcissistic, lazy and demanding but on the other hand they are tolerant, think globally and love to cooperate.
Here at Fenomem, we did some research and discovered a little more about them! Check out exactly what we learned about Millennials! If you want to know more, write a message!
We are excited to update you on Born This Way Foundation’s progress and to acknowledge you, our Born This Way Foundation community, who make that progress possible. Here are some highlights of what we accomplished together.
Rethinking Marketing to Women: Presented by Crowdtap & Beeby Clark+MeylerCrowdtapforBusiness
With the rise of female-empowerment campaigns, marketing to women has shifted from painting an idyllic portrait of how life should be, to a refreshing and realistic reflection of how life is for millions of women. The challenge for brands in this new environment becomes how to surface the powerful stories of real women – and do so effectively and at-scale.
Learn how forward-thinking brands are putting people at the heart of their marketing to drive product ideation, inform marketing strategy and create authentic content that fuels earned media.
Speakers:
Mindy Davis, SVP, Professional Services, Crowdtap
Mariana Rodriguez, Senior Account Director, Beeby Clark + Meyler
The essence of parenting hasn’t changed. Parents love their children unconditionally. What has changed is the look and make up of families today. The Marketing to the Modern Family study looks at the changing dynamics, then offers insights and recommendations to ensure brands are poised for future success.
Generation Z encompasses ages 13 to 19, with a psychographic overlap with young Millennials ages 20 to 24. As digital natives with more familiarity with virtual worlds than previous generations, Generation Z is redefining the "new normal."
Relevant statistics about Millennials (those born in the 80s and 90s) as employees, leaders, entrepreneurs, consumers, and even parents.
The more you know about the Millennials the better equipped you’ll be to lead, communicate, and market to them.
Presented by Ryan Jenkins, Millennial & Generation Z keynote speaker and blogger. http://ryan-jenkins.com.
Marketing to Moms presentation given by Kathy Murphy (Veritas Communications) and Ed Lee (com.motion) on the influences that surround the modern day mom - with a focus on health and nutrition.
Expedia and PHD won the unique 'Day of influence' package – one day of advertising across all major UK newsbrand platforms, including print tablet, online and mobile – for a campaign to promote tourism back to the Philippines following the devastation of typhoon Haiyan.
How do nonprofit communicators rank and combine different goals? We took a look based on data from the 2013 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report. Full report at http://npmg.us/2013
Healthcare providers must understand their patients’ preferences, behaviors, and expectations in order to best meet their changing needs. New survey data reveals some of the key differences in patient behaviors and expectations between Millennials and Baby Boomers. So, what do providers need to know in order to ensure their patients are having an optimal care experience?
How to use the Power of Social Media in the Pharmaceutical Industry.pdfdnyaneshwarivedpatha1
Impact of COVID-19 on Social Media Engagement
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought about significant shifts in online behavior, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. With national lockdowns and social distancing measures in place, people turned to social media as a primary source of information, entertainment, and connection. The average user spent more time than ever on social media platforms, seeking news updates, community support, and healthcare guidance.
Importance of Understanding Regulatory Landscape
Amidst this digital evolution, it’s crucial for pharmaceutical companies to navigate the regulatory landscape effectively while leveraging the power of social media. Regulations play a vital role in ensuring ethical practices, accuracy of information, and protection of consumers’ health and privacy. Therefore, understanding and adhering to regulatory guidelines is paramount for pharmaceutical organizations engaging in social media marketing.
This blog will delve into the intersection of social media marketing and regulatory compliance within the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting key guidelines, best practices, and the evolving landscape shaped by global trends and pandemic influences.
Evolution of FDA Regulations
Historical Restrictions on Pharmaceutical Content
In the early days of social media, pharmaceutical companies faced stringent restrictions on the type of content they could share online. The FDA’s regulatory framework, aimed at ensuring public safety and preventing misleading information, posed challenges for marketers in the pharmaceutical sector. Companies had to navigate complex rules regarding the promotion of prescription drugs, including limitations on discussing specific drug benefits and risks in online platforms.
Changing Landscape and Updated Regulations
Over time, the landscape of social media marketing in the pharmaceutical industry has evolved significantly. Regulatory bodies like the FDA have recognized the growing influence of digital platforms and the need for updated guidelines that strike a balance between promotional activities and regulatory compliance. This shift has led to the revision of regulations and the introduction of updated guidelines tailored to the digital era.
The FDA, in collaboration with industry stakeholders, has issued guidance documents and updates to help pharmaceutical companies navigate social media marketing responsibly. These guidelines address key areas such as fair balance in promotional content, disclosure of risk information, handling of adverse events, and engagement with online communities. The changing regulations reflect a broader acknowledgment of the importance of digital communication channels in healthcare information dissemination.
Importance of Compliance Amidst Evolving Regulations
Compliance with regulatory requirements is paramount for pharmaceutical companies operating in the social media landscape. As regulations evolve
Companies can leverage social media to drive business and compete effectively in the new era of health care. But what do you need to know before jumping in or expanding your efforts? What considerations do medical technology marketing professionals need to take into account when implementing a strategic social-media plan?
Part one of our five-part series outlines how medical technology professionals can use social media in a regulated environment. Even more importantly, it gives readers the supporting evidence needed to recommend specific social-media strategies to management and internal legal and regulatory teams.
Perficient Perspectives: The Evolution of Social Media in HealthcarePerficient, Inc.
Healthcare organizations continue to navigate the transforming healthcare industry and identify new avenues to engage with consumers outside of the facility walls. In a fast-paced, information-dominated world, successfully interacting with consumers may seem like a daunting task. The key is to connect with consumers where they are and provide them with actionable health and wellness information they need to live a healthier life.
When you think of social media in healthcare you might think it is a tool for marketing, but it goes much farther than that. Sure, social media can be used to attract and retain consumers, but social media can also be a powerful tool to reduce healthcare costs and help with chronic disease and population health management.
Healthcare organizations are in varying stages of becoming social enterprises, from social innovators like Mayo Clinic to those beginning the journey to developing a comprehensive social media strategy.
In this perspective, we take a look at the evolution of social media in healthcare and discuss what social media in healthcare will look like in the future.
Life science companies need to ensure their business initiatives take advantage of social media analytics. Read about the challenge of maximizing the opportunity and generating value from real world patient insights.
These slides provide an overview of a white paper - “Connecting with Patients, Overcoming Uncertainty” white paper was produced by Envision Solutions, TNS Media Intelligence/Cymfony and law firm Seyfarth Shaw.
4 Internal Environmental Analysis and Competitive AdvantageTh.docxgilbertkpeters11344
4 Internal Environmental Analysis and Competitive Advantage
“The biggest problem with health care isn't with insurance or politics. It's that we're measuring the wrong things the wrong way.”
— ROBERT S. KAPLAN AND MICHAEL PORTER
Introductory Incident
Two-Way Communication and Competitive Advantage
Health care organizations are notorious for one-way communication. When communicating with patients and communities, health care organizations typically employ traditional techniques such as broadcast advertising, distribution of educational materials prepared for a variety of audiences, and similar methods.
A few organizations, however, have recognized the possibilities created by social media and understand that health is extremely personal and materials prepared for mass audiences rarely address the unique concerns of individual patients. Moreover, when patients must access the
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health care system they are unprepared for the experience, lost in the confusion of the high-technology environment of health care, and grasping for information. Social media has done much to change this situation. Patients can easily communicate with people across the globe, share common experiences and fears, discover the personal experiences faced by others, and access all types of medical information.
Unfortunately, many health care organizations choose to use social media as just another means of one-way communication. In some cases most of the organization's posts are designed to promote the hospital or medical practice rather than address patient issues and concerns. A few organizations, recognizing this temptation, develop policies that “no more than a certain percentage” of posts can be used for promotion purposes. At Inova Health System an effort is made to ensure that 80–90 percent of its posts address patient health rather than promoting the System.
Inova has made serious attempts to use social media effectively. It has created Facebook communities in specific areas such as wellness, pediatric care, bariatric surgery, and so on. Attempts are made to encourage users to trust Inova as a supplier of valuable health information. Information can be shared about the System but only after trust is built and the interests of the organization are consistent with the interests of the communities.
It is essential to remember why social media is important. The goal is to connect with friends and build communities around common interests and to share information better and faster. Furthermore, communicating poorly is almost as bad as not communicating. The quality of posts is more important than the quantity. Because real-time communication is so exciting we frequently confuse social media overuse with proper use. Designing social media that is honest and transparent is the important determinant of how likely individuals are to follow and participate in an organization's communication efforts.
Some general recommendations for health care organizations to .
The Public Relations Society of America and the Word of Mouth Marketing Association filed joint comments with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concerning guidelines for pharmaceutical companies' use of social media.
HCS490 v11External Influences on Consumer Choice WorksheetHCSJeanmarieColbert3
HCS/490 v11
External Influences on Consumer Choice Worksheet
HCS/490 v11
Page 2 of 2
External Influences on Consumer Choice Worksheet
Health care consumers receive various communications about different health care options. It is important to understand consumer demographics to determine the impact (positive or negative) media, social networks, branding, marketing, and communication play in health care consumer choices.
In this assignment, you will research managed care plans to determine what impact social media and other external influences have on consumer behaviors. Research the different managed care insurance plans listed below by reviewing various health care organizations or resources (e.g., Kaiser as an HMO).
Consider within your research who might access the health care systems (i.e., age, generation, socioeconomic status, military/veteran, and health care insurance plans, etc.).
List 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages of HMOs, PPOs, and POSs in the following chart.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)
Point of Service (POS)
Advantages
1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
2.
Disadvantages
1.
2.
1.
2.
1.
2.
Write a 90- to 175-word response to the following prompts. Consider the information you listed in the chart above as well as what you know about consumer behavior when you compose your response.
· Explain the impact media and social networking have on consumers when choosing the most appropriate managed care health insurance plans. Consider the positive and negative impacts.
· Describe how branding, marketing, and communication influence a consumer’s choice when considering an appropriate managed care health insurance plan. Consider positive and negative influences.
· Explain how communication and education to consumers differ by generation when marketing managed care health insurance plans. Consider why it is important to communicate and educate differently across generations.
Cite 2 peer-reviewed, scholarly, or similar references.
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2021 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.
7.2 Discussion Board: Effective Project Communication Topic 1
Topic 1: Documenting and Communicating Project Progress
One of the concepts discussed in Chapter 6 of the textbook “Strategic Project Management – BUS 5661” is the importance of documenting and communicating the progress on a project. Your company is a major software development company that develops enterprise software for Internet and mobile applications. You have recently been appointed the team leader on a new software development project. The members of your team have worked on various software development projects for the company. At your first team meeting, you suggest that the team meet every time the project reaches a major milestone, as defined in the project plan. However, several members of your team complained that the meetings are a waste of time. These members feel that a well-writte ...
Similar to Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma (20)
For multinational companies, business as usual no longer exists. As the world fought to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the outlines of a less visible battle came into focus around the world: a new era of Great Power Competition whose consequences will endure long after the virus is eliminated.
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Designing the Employee Experience of the FutureWeber Shandwick
In our sixth session, “Designing the Employee Experience of the Future,” TIAA's Chief Associate Experience & Employee Relations Officer Andy Habenicht and Chief Talent Management Officer Josh Greenwald discussed their journey to becoming an employee-centric organization, including:
- The importance of focusing on employee experience
- Changing expectations in today’s environment
- Considerations to inform planning
Please visit our website for more information: http://unitedmindsglobal.com.
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Leadership in Uncertain TimesWeber Shandwick
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Perspectives to Guide Re-entry webinar series explores different considerations for people, culture, and change leaders managing the return to work.
In our fourth session, “Leading in Uncertain Times,” former Chief Human Resources Officer of State Street Capital Alison Quirk and President of United Minds Kate Bullinger discussed:
- The leadership challenge before us
- Profile of a leader in these uncertain times
- What employees need from leadership now
- Preparing leaders for re-entry
- Seizing the long-term reinvention opportunity
Please visit our website for more information: http://unitedmindsglobal.com.
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Fostering Workplace InclusionWeber Shandwick
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Perspectives to Guide Re-entry webinar series explores different considerations for people, culture, and change leaders managing the return to work.
In our fourth session, “Fostering Workplace Inclusion in Challenging Times,” Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer at CMG Margenett Moore-Roberts, and SVP of Diversity & Inclusion at United Minds Tai Wingfield discussed:
- How recent events have impacted diverse populations
- How workplaces have become more and less inclusive
- Measures to meet the moment
- Redesigning for the long term
Please visit our website for more information: http://unitedmindsglobal.com.
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Understanding Treatments and VaccinesWeber Shandwick
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Perspectives to Guide Re-entry webinar series explores different considerations for people, culture, and change leaders managing the return to work.
In our second session, “Understanding Treatment and Vaccines,” Duke University Professor of Global Health Dr. Mike Merson and Global Director of Element Scientific Communications Dr. Frank Orrico discussed:
• Mitigation and containment
• Blunting impact with treatments
• Vaccines as the key to normalcy
• Implications for businesses
Please visit our website for more information: http://unitedmindsglobal.com.
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Navigating Government GuidelinesWeber Shandwick
United Minds’ Forward to Work: Perspectives to Guide Re-entry webinar series explores different considerations for people, culture, and change leaders managing the return to work.
In our first session, “Navigating Government Guidelines,” President of Global Public Affairs for Weber Shandwick Pam Jenkins and Executive Vice President of United Minds Anthea Hoyle discussed:
- The political lens through which leaders and citizens are viewing the COVID-19 crisis
- The challenges of conflicting guidance from local, state and federal government and how organizations are balancing government guidance with business needs
- The ways in which this crisis has changed the expectations of employers from both their people and their customers
Please visit our website for more information: http://unitedmindsglobal.com
A recent KRC Research poll of American employees and consumers explores perceptions around the corporate response to COVID-19, as well as implications for the workplace as companies navigate the re-entry phase. The results suggest effective, consistent communications, an emphasis on employee safety and a commitment to corporate values will all play a key role in navigating the recovery phase.
This year’s edition highlights five critical trends for communicators in the next 12-18 months. Each is brought to life with real-world examples, implications for businesses and a carefully curated selection of classes from innovative institutions worldwide.
The Study Guide is designed as both a primer and a resource to allow for deep-dives. We hope it piques your curiosity and gives you fluency in new elements of modern media and communications.
Lydia Lee, President, Weber Shandwick China, shares more on the experience of managing COVID-19 for our offices in China as well as how we advised companies on communicating across the three stages: outbreak, quarantine and recovery.
Chief Diversity Officers Today: Paving the Way for Diversity & Inclusion SuccessWeber Shandwick
This workplace diversity and inclusion survey, conducted among D&I professionals at high revenue companies in the U.S., focuses on the best practices of D&I functions that are well-aligned with the overall business strategy of the company and the roles, responsibilities, and challenges facing today's Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs).
The State of Corporate Reputation in 2020: Everything Matters NowWeber Shandwick
This new survey was conducted among executives from 22 markets worldwide and examines what drives a company’s reputation, why it is important to be highly regarded and the benefits that come with having a strong corporate reputation.
In partnership with Weber Shandwick, KRC Research conducted 23 in-depth, guided, qualitative interviews among C-level and other top executives to understand the challenges and opportunities of doing business in disruptive times.
The latest installment of Civility in America, an annual poll conducted by Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate, in partnership with KRC Research, once again finds that the majority of Americans perceive incivility to be a problem in our society.
Weber Shandwick, in partnership with KRC Research, has released Employee Activism in the Age of Purpose: Employees (UP)Rising, as an expansion upon Weber’s extensive work on corporate activism.
CEO Activism: Inside Comms & Marketing - InfographicWeber Shandwick
CEOs are increasingly speaking out publicly and taking stands on controversial issues. To understand how executives perceive their own CEOs’ activism and whether organizations are prepared to respond to hot-button issues, Weber Shandwick partnered with KRC Research to survey 500 communications and marketing executives in the US (300), UK (100) and China (100).
Weber Shandwick, in partnership with KRC Research, released CEO Activism: Inside Comms & Marketing, the third report issued in the 2018 annual CEO Activism poll conducted by Weber Shandwick in partnership with KRC Research. The latest research is a survey of communications and marketing executives in the US, UK and China and finds that CEO activism is squarely on the corporate agenda and reaps reputational rewards.
The Great American Search for Healthcare InformationWeber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick, in partnership with KRC Research, released The Great American Search for Healthcare Information, a survey of 1,700 American adults. The research focuses on Healthcare Information Seekers, or those who look for health-related information at least once a year.
Civility in America 2018: Civility at Work and in Our Public SquaresWeber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick and Powell Tate, in partnership with KRC Research, have conducted Civility in America: A Nationwide Survey annually since 2010. View the full report at http://bit.ly/2t5SxE2
Weber Shandwick, in partnership with KRC Research, released CEO Activism: The Tech Effect, a follow-up to The Purposeful CEO from earlier this year. The Tech Effect surveyed technology professionals such as software/application developers and software engineers in seven global markets: Brazil, Canada, China, India, Mexico, the UK and the U.S.
Weber Shandwick, in partnership with KRC Research, released CEO Activism in 2018: The Purposeful CEO. This survey is the third installment of Weber Shandwick’s CEO activism series, following The Dawn of CEO Activism (2016) and High Noon in the C-Suite (2017). This year’s report finds that nearly eight in 10 consumers (77 percent) agree that CEOs need to speak out when their company’s values are violated or threatened.
Falcon stands out as a top-tier P2P Invoice Discounting platform in India, bridging esteemed blue-chip companies and eager investors. Our goal is to transform the investment landscape in India by establishing a comprehensive destination for borrowers and investors with diverse profiles and needs, all while minimizing risk. What sets Falcon apart is the elimination of intermediaries such as commercial banks and depository institutions, allowing investors to enjoy higher yields.
Attending a job Interview for B1 and B2 Englsih learnersErika906060
It is a sample of an interview for a business english class for pre-intermediate and intermediate english students with emphasis on the speking ability.
[Note: This is a partial preview. To download this presentation, visit:
https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations]
Sustainability has become an increasingly critical topic as the world recognizes the need to protect our planet and its resources for future generations. Sustainability means meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves long-term planning and consideration of the consequences of our actions. The goal is to create strategies that ensure the long-term viability of People, Planet, and Profit.
Leading companies such as Nike, Toyota, and Siemens are prioritizing sustainable innovation in their business models, setting an example for others to follow. In this Sustainability training presentation, you will learn key concepts, principles, and practices of sustainability applicable across industries. This training aims to create awareness and educate employees, senior executives, consultants, and other key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, and supply chain partners, on the importance and implementation of sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts that form the foundation of sustainability within corporate environments.
2. Explore the sustainability implementation model, focusing on effective measures and reporting strategies to track and communicate sustainability efforts.
3. Identify and define best practices and critical success factors essential for achieving sustainability goals within organizations.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction and Key Concepts of Sustainability
2. Principles and Practices of Sustainability
3. Measures and Reporting in Sustainability
4. Sustainability Implementation & Best Practices
To download the complete presentation, visit: https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations
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2. Introduction
With a greater number of patients seeking health information
online and engaging in two-way conversations with other patients
and caregivers via social media, the healthcare industry has
entered an exciting and game-changing era. In fact, 72% of online
U.S. adults have looked for health information online in the past
year, 1
and a similar proportion of European online consumers
are social health users. 2
Moreover, a recent study found that
adoption of physician-only social networks by European doctors
almost doubled in 2012.3
It has never been more imperative for pharmaceutical companies
to engage with their audiences and become part of the
conversation – by building valuable relationships with patient
communities, participating in disease awareness, listening and
gaining insight into physician, patient, and community needs.
Weber Shandwick is widely known as a thought leader in digital
media and communications trends in the healthcare industry.
To answer the frequently asked question of how to build the
social confidence of healthcare companies in a heavily regulated
sector, Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma
examines what social engagement means to a rapidly-changing
pharmaceutical industry.
Patients are increasingly harnessing
the Internet to gain knowledge about health
conditions and even self-diagnose, leading
to a more empowered health consumer
and contributing to more informed patient-
physician discussions. In this new age of
participatory medicine, pharmaceutical
companies must start by understanding what
health communities want and need, then
use digital technologies to reach them with
information that meets that need and does
not run afoul of applicable regulations.
Laura Schoen, President Global Healthcare, Weber Shandwick
Why We Did the Research
Building upon a previous global quantitative survey jointly
conducted by Weber Shandwick with Forbes Insights,
Socializing Your Brand: A Brand’s Guide to Sociability,
Weber Shandwick wanted to better understand findings from that
study that suggested obstacles facing the pharma sector may be
more internally-constrained, yet surmountable, than previously
thought. With various internal functions, such as legal, regulatory,
marketing and communications, involved in social media
decision-making, responsibility for the medium and its strategic
implementation is complex.
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma explores how
global pharmaceutical companies are using social media in their
external communications. A particular focus is on understanding
specific challenges that pharma communicators face in developing
and executing social strategies, and identifying how professionals
are overcoming these barriers. The goal of this research is to help
them leverage this important medium and ultimately get closer to
their audiences.
How We Did the Research
This report presents learning from 12 in-depth telephone
interviews conducted at the end of 2012 with senior in-house
pharmaceutical executives responsible for social media decisions
and one marketing consultant with comprehensive industry
experience. Interviews were divided by regional markets,
where we conducted four interviews with executives located
in the U.S., four in Europe, three in Asia and one responsible for
communications in Latin America. Where possible, differences
between these markets are summarized.
Prior to the in-depth interviews, we interviewed healthcare
professionals at Weber Shandwick to hear their perspective on
social communications in the industry and to better understand
pharmaceutical regulations by region.
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 2
1
Fall, 2012 Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project
2
Manhattan Research, Cybercitizen Health® Europe 2012
3
Manhattan Research, Taking the Pulse Europe 2012
3. Four Key Take-Aways
Our research identified four paradigm-shifting conclusions:
1
3
2
4
Regulatory is no longer the primary barrier
to engagement:
In lieu of clear guidelines, companies have
recognized that they must find ways to engage.
It’s now more about “how” than “if.” So, while
regulations are a persistent concern, companies
are more challenged by internally socializing the
strategy, instilling confidence in the ability of
teams to make social engagement effective and
aligning the right resources.
Don’t underestimate the value of
social confidence:
It is imperative to gain experience in using social
platforms with distinct audiences. Pharma
communicators are starting with small pilot
projects, often with listening and monitoring of
constituent activities. Starting small, but starting
somewhere, is the name of the game in building
organizational confidence in this digital medium.
ROI in an often unbranded space is uniquely
challenging for the pharma industry:
Without the ability to directly correlate social
media activity to the bottom line, non-branded
disease and corporate social efforts are difficult
to value. However, pharma communicators are
increasingly recognizing that listening to patient
communities is a powerful benefit of being
social. The insights that can be gained through
monitoring and assessing social media postings
is akin to participating in a 24-7 focus group at a
fraction of the cost.
In today’s “open 24/7” world, it is riskier to
not engage than to engage:
Social engagement is too often deemed a business
risk by pharma companies. Ensuing inaction often
results in brand invisibility which consumers find
suspect and which can have a negative effect on
the reputation of the company.
It is the responsibility of pharma communicators to drive the industry’s social engagement. Pharma companies have been slow
to recognize the valuable role communications, as a discipline, can play in building engaging relationships in brand or disease
awareness communications. At times, social media has been thought of as the domain of regulatory personnel and marketing.
However, well-crafted communications strategies aimed at engaging consumers and health stakeholders in meaningful dialogue
ultimately enhance brand and company reputation.
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 3
4. The following details our learning about
social media in the pharmaceutical sector
– from the benefits, to the challenges, to
resolutions. We distill our learnings into 10
Rules of Engagement that serve as a guide
to pharma companies working to build their
social confidence.
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 4
5. BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
ARE UNDERSTOOD
Interviewees cite a variety of advantages
from their existing social media programs:
Allows direct communications
with audiences
Many appreciate the ability to communicate with patients and
caregivers in such a direct manner.
“Social media is very important, because this is the first
opportunity that the pharma industry has had to really be able
to engage with groups of people we haven’t been able to before.
The walls are down.”
Director of New Customer Channels, European Commercial Division
Notably, communicators emphasize that social engagement
should not assume a one-size-fits-all approach. While Facebook
continues to be effective, especially for disease awareness and
community building, other specific social platforms offer unique
benefits. For example, Pinterest and YouTube can effectively
communicate employee culture to job applicants while Twitter
can help build a following among government and media
audiences with its simple and targeted features.
Adds value to patient and
physician communities
Communicators recognize that social media is a platform
where caregivers, physicians and especially patients exchange
information. As one interviewee observed, “People are helping
each other and getting good value from the medium.” Some
communicators are engaging in these online communities and
carving out a supportive role for themselves.
Importantly, the social programs managed by these
interviewees are driven by the needs of their communities and
not by the communication priorities of the pharma company.
For example, one executive described how advanced cancer
patients can feel underserved by broader advocacy groups
and therefore the communicator developed YouTube videos
focused on coping strategies for this audience. The benefits
of this type of engagement are multifold, including a better-
informed patient community, a sense of emotional support for
all involved and goodwill towards the sponsor company.
“As a company or industry with expertise in treatment and
patient education, we are actually one of the stakeholders
– like nurses or moms of patients. We try to find a role that
is valuable for the community…If you look at traditional
marketing practice, you try to find a platform and get
your message out. But, social media is another level of
engagement…It has taken time for companies to learn that.”
Associate V.P. of Communications, European Business Unit
Shapes perceptions
One global communications executive described how her
company’s lack of social engagement was deemed a business
risk by the corporate board of directors. Inaction had led
to misinformation about the company and its products that
lingered online. Correcting misperceptions and monitoring
has now become a priority at this company. Another digital
executive shared how her team is building greater trust among
key audiences, including advocacy groups and government
officials, through regular tweets as well as transparent social
policies that clearly state the purpose of different platforms
and rules of conduct.
“Social media is very important from an issues management
perspective; we have to know what people are saying about us
and work on how to reply.”
Global Head of Communications, Europe
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 5
6. Gains insight into patient populations
Some have gained valuable learning into the lives of patient
groups through hosting or monitoring of social communities.
For example, one interviewee learned why patients were not
complying with a regimen – a specific treatment produced
anxiety for the patients and their families. This insight
resulted in a company-sponsored education effort around
the advantages of the treatment and led to better patient
outcomes as well as business results. Digital communicators
who have engaged in category-specific efforts believe that
social media can serve as a valuable market research tool.
“From a medical perspective, we have lots of accumulated
information. But the more we talk with patients and doctors,
we realize that these are people and they have their challenges,
as well as fun parts to their lives…Traditionally, the way
pharma supported patients was to work with doctors and that
was it. You believed the patient would take the drug and that
was it. But the more you understand patients, you realize they
may not be using [the drug] as prescribed or they may drop the
prescription and they don’t share all their questions with their
physician.”
Director of New Customer Channels, European Commercial Division
“First, you need to listen. Be humble if you really want to
understand patients...You can do this in many ways – interviews,
talk to nurses…Social media is one of my tools – it is one element
of a bigger picture and then once you know your patients, you can
develop solutions and programs.”
Associate V.P. of Communications, European Business Unit
Extends important messages
Some view social media as a complementary channel that
strengthens key messaging programs. One company’s core
priority is to demonstrate how it serves as a trusted partner in
health and education and therefore the communications team
uses Twitter to share proceedings from medical congresses
with healthcare professionals and journalists. Slideshare is
also considered to be an excellent and cost-effective resource
for disseminating professional papers and presentations.
Another company’s business unit regularly offers disease
education on their corporate Facebook page and has also
found that Twitter and YouTube work well together in
promoting one core message to important advocacy groups by
building followership and driving traffic to relevant content.
Others have used YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to support
traditional media relations.
“We think Twitter, YouTube and Facebook all work in a holistic
way of speaking with one strong voice.”
Global Head, eCommunications and Social Media, U.S.-based Business Unit
BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ARE UNDERSTOOD Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 6
7. REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IS NO LONGER
THE PRIMARY CONCERN
Formanyexecutivesinthisresearch,the
regulatoryenvironmentunderstandably
presentsseriousconsiderationwhen
developingsocialstrategies. Yetitis
perceivedasagivenorpriceofentry
forthepharmaceuticalindustry. Most
intervieweesciteregulatoryissuesfirst
whendiscussingchallengestosociability
buttheyalsoreadilyoffersolutionsthat
haveworkedforthem.
Indiscussingindustryregulations,European
intervieweesgenerallyarticulatedless
anxiousopinionsaroundthischallengethan
thoseinAsiaandtheUnitedStates. And
whilerulescanvarybyEuropeancountry
–whereFranceisseenasparticularly
strictandGermanyandSwitzerland
lessso–thereappearstobeanoverall
understandingofwhereEuropeanrules
fall. InApril2011,theUnitedKingdom’s
PMCPA’sreleaseofQ&Ashelpedresolve
somereservationsamongEuropean
intervieweesaboutthatmarket.
AsiaPacificrespondentscharacterize
regulatoryissuesascomplicated.For
them,requirementsdifferwithintheir
wideregionalmarket,especiallybetween
moreadvancedmarketssuchasJapan
orAustraliaversusdevelopingones,
includingChina. Still,asidefromadverse
eventreporting,thesecommunicators
werevagueaboutotherrequirementsthat
presentchallengestosocialactivity.
IntheUnitedStates,brandanddisease-
specificsocialcommunicationsareof
concernascompaniesawaitFDAguidelines,
whichhavebeenexpectedsince2009.
Whilehopefulthatguidancewillbeissued
byaJuly2014deadlineimposedby
Congress,someintervieweesexpectany
rulingstobenon-binding(asweretheir
off-labelrecommendationspublishedin
December2011)orevensomewhatvague.
Withsuchanewandevolvingmedium,these
executivesdon’tbelievethatregulations
canremainrelevantforlong. Thespecific
rulesthatgoverncurrentanxietiesinthe
Americanmarketincludeadverseevents,
firstusesubmissionrequirements,fair
balanceandoff-labelpromotionguidelines.
Regardlessofgeography,adverseevent
concernsarementionedmostoftenby
communicators,yetthefearmaybe
overstated. Withexperienceandresearch
showingthatlessthanhalfapercentof
socialmediamentionscontainanactionable
adverseevent(AE)4
,pharmacompanies
haverealizedthattheyareunlikelytobe
presentedwithlargenumbersofnewAEs.
However,whatremainsbothersomeisthe
difficultyinresearchingoftenanonymous
AEsreportedthroughsocialmediaand
demonstrating“goodeffort”indoingsoto
regulators. Withoutclearguidanceonwhat
constitutesgoodeffort,communicators
areconcernedabouttheinvestigativework
involvedinevenasmallnumberofevents,
especiallywithina24-hourreporting
requirement. Moreover,asanincreasing
numberofcompaniesstarttoseethevalue
inlisteningtosocialdiscussionsoccurring
outsidetheirowndigitalproperties,itis
unclearwhetherpharmacommunicators
areresponsibleforclaimsmadeonnon-
proprietaryplatforms.
The adverse
event concern has
evolved beyond
volume. How much
of the Internet
they are liable
for is becoming
the next question
that pharma
communicators
want addressed.
Stacey Bernstein, Senior Vice President, Director of
U.S. Digital Health, Weber Shandwick
4
Visible Technologies
“Yes – these are important
issues, but you just have to put in
the time to understand them and
get them right.”
Director of Communications, Europe
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 7
8. Intervieweescitecorporatecultureandstrategy
barriersfordelayingsocialmediaadoption:
Decentralized culture
Research participants portray how business divisions work in
silos, with only limited consideration given to broader corporate
communications priorities. As one interviewee stated, “They
need to build a presence in specific disease-related markets and
that is their focus.”
An important consequence of this decentralization is
minimal knowledge sharing company-wide. In fact, only one of
the emerging market interviewees was able to describe larger
corporate-wide or category-specific communications initiatives.
It was clear how isolated those regions are in terms of their ability
to build upon existing activities and experience. In developing
markets, interviewees feel particularly disadvantaged from
a resource perspective, pointing to larger budgets enjoyed
by corporate and central brand groups. One Asian executive
addressed this challenge by bringing a digital expert from the
company’s North American operations on a tour of Asian offices
to share the benefits and how-to’s of their social strategy.
Currently, a number of overarching internal
barriers hinder adoption of social media in
the pharma sector, and they all point to a
need for stronger internal alignment and
understanding of the medium.
Rachael Pay, Managing Director, Health, Europe, Weber Shandwick
INTERNAL IMPEDIMENTS
TO SOCIABILITY
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 8
9. Diffused control over social media
In some companies, social activities are divided into two loci
of ownership: corporate is responsible for reputation issues,
including IR, public affairs, employee recruiting/retention and
media relations, while marketers – who are diffused throughout
business units – are responsible for disease education and
brand communications.
Execution of social programs is locally-driven, mostly at the
country level, by various functional disciplines. Reasons for
this local management of social media vary. Some point to
stronger experience in specific geographic markets (especially
the United States) or resource allocation differences by region
and business unit. Others describe how communications
must be tailored to specific standards governing industry
communications which vary by country. For example, privacy
rules differ in Europe, necessitating one interviewee to disable
community registration functions of their custom social
platform in some markets. And importantly, others suggest
that diverse information needs, cultural, language and social
characteristics are best addressed at a more local level.
Further complicating the organization of social media
responsibilities, some interviewees shared how different
corporate functions are vying for command over the medium.
One interviewee with a regulatory background believes their
newly-formed commercial function is best equipped for social
communications decisions while another believes PR and
marketing should not be privy to all results from social media
tracking so that pharmacovigilance issues can be properly
managed. On the other end of the spectrum is the global head
of communications for a large multinational, who is responsible
for all social media risk management and is currently devising a
company-wide social policy.
Another level of complexity is in developing markets for some
pharmas, where distribution partners are responsible for
communications (including disease education/advocacy) on
behalf of the pharmaceutical company, making decision-making
around new platforms a challenge.
What results from this multi-layered landscape, where
different and sometimes competing players manage social
programs, is an environment that lacks coordination and
produces inefficiencies. To begin addressing these issues, a
few interviewees shared how their companies are beginning
to consolidate overarching social decisions within either
corporate communications or a commercial/operational
function at the centralized level. The role of these central
professionals will be to share a corporate vision, standards and
rules governing social media as well as best practice examples.
However, implementation of social programs will still remain
the purview of local staff.
“Unsocial” orientation of upper
management, not CEOs necessarily
Two-way dialogue and direct contact with the public represents
a tectonic shift in thinking for the marketing organizations
of pharma companies. As one interviewee described, “These
are heads of business units or marketing divisions that are
experienced, one-on-one physician sales experts or highly
skilled project managers. Communications and marketing
with a broader public are very new to them.” Accordingly, when
making decisions over how to allocate limited resources, pharma
marketers are wary of choosing what is new and unproven.
This challenge does not appear to extend to most members
of the C-suite, however. Some interviewees point to overall
support by the CEO and/or regional leadership for social media,
while others describe minimal involvement by the company’s
leadership in these decisions. None of the executives
interviewed mentioned top corporate leadership as an issue.
Aside from senior marketers, the other internal pockets of
resistance to social media can come from the legal, regulatory
and medical departments, a challenge that is unique to the
pharma industry. Interviewees recognize that these functions
do not often have the headcount available to address social
media communications, impeding social program execution.
Those communicators who have more sophisticated social
strategies have built strong relationships and support from
their legal and medical colleagues, but others still struggle in
developing these important partnerships.
INTERNAL IMPEDIMENTS TO SOCIABILITY
If pharma companies are going to
truly leverage social media, internal legal,
regulatory and medical functions will require
improved understanding of the risks and
benefits of social channels as well as greater
support to sustain their contributions to
digital programming.
Rachael Pay, Managing Director, Health, Europe, Weber Shandwick
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 9
10. Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 10
Limited and constrained resources
The respondents in our study frequently acknowledged that they did not have the proper social
media architecture in place for supporting a world-class social initiative. Resources would be
required in three areas…
STAFFING – Many recognize that executing longer-term, two-way programs involve larger
staffing commitments. For many, however, budget allocations are not yet adequate to
cover this need.
EDUCATING – Many believe that senior executives as well as colleagues responsible for
regulatory approvals need to be educated on the basics of social media and how it can
positively support their company’s strategic objectives.
HIRING AND TRAINING – Interviewees are concerned with the existing level of experience
among staffers who are responsible for social programs. A few participants would like
to hire social media professionals but find it challenging to attract them to an industry
often viewed as unfavorable to young, entrepreneurial Web 2.0 professionals. Others are
concerned with the involvement of in-house IT staff in social media decisions.
1
2
3
INTERNAL IMPEDIMENTS TO SOCIABILITY
Lack of industry-specific ROI measures for
social media programs
Interviewees are struggling with how (if at all) standard metrics
such as number of ”likes” and followers can be linked to social
objectives unique to the pharma industry such as engagement
with disease communities and support for patient journeys.
Part of the ROI challenge is finding appropriate benchmarks,
especially difficult when starting a new education or support
initiative where the needs of a disease community are still
unknown. Communicators also mention the complexity of
linking social efforts to sales. Without click-through data, sales
can be challenging to measure. Some are considering pre-post
research surveys to explore attitudinal and behavioral changes
resulting from social campaigns. Others are measuring
the quality of their social engagement, examining who is
retweeting and the sentiment of those retweets. Another
consideration is whether to measure total engagement with
all of the social channels employed in digital programming, or
whether each channel requires separate metrics.
Interviewees believe that finding effective ROI metrics will
simplify the process of selling-in social communications to
internal stakeholders. This challenge is especially pressing for
those who have more advanced social media programs, as they
believe that in order to sustain and grow their efforts, clear and
relevant measures of success will be required. Unlike consumer
goods companies, pharma can’t use coupons or sweepstakes
to tie social activities to sales. ROI becomes a lot more
challenging when you’re dealing with qualitative metrics.
“Senior management asks for it, but trying to explain the
tangible benefits of implementing a social strategy is hard.”
Director of New Customer Channels, European Commercial Division
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 10
11. Researchparticipantswerepresentedwithalistof18specificchallenges. Theinternally-derivedchallengestendtorankhigherthan
externally-drivenonesintermsofthedegreetowhichtheyimpedesocialefforts.Interestingly,internalchallengeswerementionedas
especiallyproblematicbythoseintervieweeswhohadexperiencewithgeneralpublic/consumersocialprograms.
HIERARCHY OF SOCIAL IMPEDIMENTS
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 11
NEUTRAL:
Lackofsocialmediastructureorpolicy,where
responsibilitiesandstandardsareclearly
establishedorganization-wide
Difficultyworkingwithinternallegal/regulatory
departmentonsocialmediacommunications
Theexpenseorcostinvolvedinexecutinga
socialmediastrategy
ITinfrastructureandITabilitiesorknowledgeto
executeonsocialmediaplatforms
Concernoverknowingwhattocommunicateona
regularbasis
Concernofantagonizingregulatorsor
drawingtheircriticism
MOST TROUBLESOME:
Effectivelyengagingthecompany’sinternal
stakeholders,suchaslegalormedical
departments,tosellintheneedandbenefitof
social mediacommunications
IdentifyingthemosteffectiveROImeasuresfor
socialmediaprograms
Insufficientcommunicationsstaffingforsocial
mediaprogramming
Insufficientinternalcommunicationsexpertise
inbuildingandexecutingsocialmediaprograms
TROUBLESOME:
Theneedtomonitorandpotentiallyfilter
outcomments(suchasoff-labeldiscussions)
postedinsocialmedia
Clarityoverwhatisandisn’tpermittedby
governmentregulatorybodies
Fearofmakingmistakes,incorrectly
reportingsomethingorinsufficiently
reportingsomethingwhenusingsocialmedia
Monitoringandreportingadverseevents
Consumerprivacyordataleaks
Lackofseniormanagementsupport
forsocialmedia
Clarityoverownershipofand
responsibilitiesforindependent
opinionsvoicedonsocialmedia
Lackofacomprehensivesocialmedia
strategythatcanladderupintoa
larger,enterprise-widestory
LEAST BOTHERSOME:
13. 10 Rules of Engagement: Building Social Confidence
Based on our in-depth interviews with industry professionals,
Weber Shandwick recommends that pharma companies consider the
following strategies to maximize their social confidence:
FOCUS ON THE CONTENT, NOT THE CHANNEL – Anything you can do
offline, you can do online, as long as your content adheres to current
regulatory standards. Companies have run afoul of regulators when
they have not followed standards that apply to non-digital rules of
communication. Insuring that content adheres to established codes of
conduct, regardless of the medium, will build social confidence and allay
the anxieties that currently encumber pharma companies.
START SMALL – Test the waters with focused projects – perhaps around
corporate goals, news and reputation issues – to gain an understanding
of what works, how to begin finding audiences and building reach.
Interviewees agree that starting small, such as with pilot programs, is key
to gaining the experience and assurance they need to build their digital
social strategies.
PREPARE, BUT REMAIN FLEXIBLE – Many state that preparation is
important, principally to anticipate problems and devise solutions.
However, interviewees caution against devoting significant resource to
developing a fully “buttoned-up” strategy, as it will change and evolve
over time. They describe how they learned, adjusted and needed space to
experiment without the pressure of stringent expectations or metrics.
“Be prepared to get little sleep for the first three months. Problems always
come around 11:00 p.m. on a Friday night…You learn as you go along; you
learn when to be quiet and when to intervene…It is quite a journey.”
Director of New Customer Channels, European Commercial Division
One communicator described how a company-wide social strategy,
currently in development, will encompass an overall vision for what social
media means to the company and specific rules of operating within existing
regulations. However, it will also allow for flexibility to adapt by region or
country, business unit or platform.
Of the FDA warning
letters issued to
pharmaceutical companies
in the social space, very
few were actually related to
an activity that was ‘social’
in nature. In most cases,
online violations would have
solicited a warning letter had
the exact same tactic been
undertaken offline.
Stacey Bernstein, Senior Vice President,
Director of U.S. Digital Health, Weber Shandwick
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Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 13
14. CHOOSE YOUR CHANNELS WISELY – Some interviewees portray industry colleagues as
quick to jump into social media simply for the sake of “being there” and they advise on a
more strategic approach, especially in choosing platforms. Facebook, for example, may
not be the most appropriate platform for some audiences or may be more effective in a
supporting role.
Communicators suggest initial monitoring and research of specific audience groups to
explore where they currently engage and what types of information they seek as well as
share. Developing a strategy without this “social listening” is not recommended. Additional
considerations around platform choice include the resources required for the development
and maintenance (a long-term and generally larger expenditure) of each channel. One digital
media executive warns against developing communities on custom platforms instead of
using existing applications such as YouTube or resources such as PatientsLikeMe.
“There is a reason why you find competing gas stations on the same street corner – you go
where the masses congregate.”
Director, Digital and Social Media, U.S. Commercial Division
ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY – Interviewees insist on clear rules of
engagement and making them plainly visible on all social platforms. Some companies
make a digital code of ethics available to both internal and external audiences. Others
point to “soft” and “genuine” tones as most effective with consumer audiences. Offering
information or support that is valued by a community such as detail on clinical trials or
lifestyle advice demonstrates that a company cares more than simply “pushing” or “selling”
a message.
DEPUTIZE A PERSON OR TEAM, AND GIVE THEM FULL SUPPORT – Allocating staff
resources for social endeavors and providing all appropriate training and support are key in
successful social programming.
“First, you need a dedicated person who can really focus on your channel(s). This can’t
be unowned.”
Director of Digital Communications, U.S.
Relatedly, empower social media staff with the authority to post by agreeing upon what
is and is not acceptable, and as the organization’s social confidence increases, move
beyond the need to pre-approve all posts or tweets. This model of empowerment works
in conjunction with clear rules of conduct provided to all employees, insuring protection
against rogue internal social posters.
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5
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Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 14
15. BRING OTHERS INTO THE FOLD – Working to gain the support of internal colleagues, especially
from legal, regulatory and medical teams is critical. Additionally, including socially-supportive
leaders from business units in strategic planning will ease the process of resolving any issues
that arise in social media programming. One communications executive described how an
internal audit became a “godsend,” producing a companywide mandate for social media where
senior executives sit on a steering committee to oversee strategy development.
RAMP UP INTERNAL EDUCATION EFFORTS – Sharing the benefits and best practices around
social communications will go a long way towards gaining broad support for the medium. Some
interviewees are engaging outside experts to evangelize social platforms to internal company
stakeholders. A few guidelines to consider include:
–– Use case studies (from within the company
or outside) to show what works and
importantly, how to apply the learning to
a company or business unit’s particular
situation. Share relevant examples – as
one interviewee said, don’t showcase an
online community for a high-incidence
condition when considering rare-disease
communications. Share examples from
the geographic region in question when
possible. Describe the benefits of specific
social platforms for specific audience
groups (and how they use the platform).
–– Share what has NOT worked or where
companies and brands have run into
trouble – especially on the regulatory front.
Directly addressing these setbacks and how
to avoid them will help alleviate trepidation.
One interview stated his interest in learning
from others so that… “if we have to fail, we
fail quickly and only once.”
–– Customize education efforts for your
internal audience.
—— For those who are unfamiliar with the
medium, offer hands-on examples of what
a platform is about and how it is used. Let
socially-inexperienced colleagues explore
a Facebook page or Twitter feed for an
organization they may be interested in
following (for personal or professional
reasons) to illustrate the value of the medium.
Offer interactive opportunities.
—— Consider the information needs of internal
content approvers. For example, medical and
regulatory staffs do not require training in
actual rules and regulations but may benefit
from demonstrations of how regulations work
with digital communications and what to look
for during the approval process.
–– Especially in developing markets where
pharma is less active in social media,
provide statistics on the adoption of digital
technologies to demonstrate the potential
of social communications. Additionally,
share the particulars of regulations in
individual markets and their implications
for social activities. Discuss how various
audiences in the region are currently using
social media. Communicators in Asia
and Latin America want to understand
the overall social environment in their
respective markets.
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8
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 15
16. STAFF FOR SOCIAL CONFIDENCE – A large proportion of interviewees find the level of current
staff experience to be lacking, while others recognize that they require additional resources to
execute social media programs. Therefore, it is important to:
CONTINUE PUSHING THE LIMITS OF ROI – While no one has answered the unique ROI challenges
faced by the pharma industry, it is imperative to persistently seek better ways to articulate the
ROI from social media. Consider:
–– Offer ongoing training on company
guidelines and codes of conduct. Don’t
assume that one session is sufficient.
Supplement training sessions with updates.
–– Identify internal and external resources
that can supply fresh and relevant content
for social platforms. Cultivate multiple
sources of content as access to a robust
information pipeline will insure that social
channels regularly engage their audiences.
–– Similarly, determine which resources are
needed to implement a social monitoring
program – this can be time-intensive and
should be considered upfront.
–– Develop an employee attraction and
retention strategy that demonstrates
exciting opportunities for socially-skilled
professionals. Consider ways that a young,
entrepreneurial prospect could flourish in
a digital communications role and shape
job descriptions to support individuals with
social media skills. Research participants
are concerned about their ability to retain
digitally-savvy employees. Thus, it is
imperative to work with internal HR staff
or outside resources to help shape an
environment where these professionals
can succeed.
–– How to value the benefits of listening to
audiences and developing new market
insights. Set up monitoring programs to
get closer to important constituencies, and
keep track of actionable learning.
–– Developing internal benchmarks to
measure what different business units or
markets have done to determine resource
allocations. Capture data such as overall
cost of monitoring different platforms,
average maintenance expenditures,
average hit rate, share rate, etc.
–– Taking into account the audience served
by social programs – their potential size,
disease-state incidence, information needs.
–– Participating in industry-wide initiatives to
compare data for benchmarking purposes.
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Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 16
17. It is truly an exciting time for pharma communicators to build on the learning already achieved over the
last few years of digital social experimentation. It is not too late for those companies that have been
slower to engage the medium to reap the rewards of being social. Our research clearly demonstrates that
some of the obstacles often cited against pharmaceutical social confidence are manageable and those
that require greater energy derive from the internal cultures of pharma companies themselves. With this
knowledge, communicators can take steps to more fully inculcate social media into their organizations and
lead them in establishing deeper relationships with important stakeholders that yield business success.
–– Evangelize the value of social
communications to those who are new to
the medium and impact its implementation,
including medical and regulatory
professionals.
–– Disseminate successes and how-to’s across
markets and business divisions to bypass
the decentralized operating culture that
prevents knowledge sharing at some
companies.
–– Recognize the critical pharmacovigilance
priorities involved in social programming
and work with relevant internal functions
toward a team approach in addressing
these issues. Additionally, monitoring
the regulatory environment for changes
as well as industry trends and POVs
will be important in demonstrating full
knowledge of this evolving environment
and equip communications teams for
internal discussions addressing relevant
requirements.
–– Be more vocal in influential industry
and marketing blogs, conferences and
working groups that address the digital
social activities and concerns of pharma
companies.
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 17
Conclusion
Giventhediffuseownershipoversocialmediaatmanyglobalcompanies,communicationsprofessionals
mustdemonstratetheimportanceoftheirdisciplineinshapingsocialstrategyandimplementation.
Notably,communicatorsshould:
18. The extent of digital social confidence represented by our
interviewees ranged from no current social media experience
to ongoing, consumer-facing and two-way dialogue platforms.
Four interviewees are actively managing disease-related
social media platforms, three of which incorporate two-way
dialogue features. Three additional interviewees described
their experience with corporate reputation-focused social
programs, mainly targeting media, investors, government
officials and employees (current and potential). The three
Asian-based interviewees and fourth marketer responsible for
Latin American operations are not currently engaging in any
social media in their respective regions despite their interest in
and active exploration of social possibilities.
All of the digital communicators we spoke with described their
efforts as early-stage or experimental. Many believe they are
at fairly rudimentary points in their social media experience,
even if they have been managing active properties for over
two years. These executives depict a careful and thoughtful
approach to their use of social media, pacing themselves to
gain learning and tweak their activities as their efforts evolve.
Additionally, very few express confidence, let alone expertise,
in social strategy and implementation. Most feel they have
developed a strong understanding of what works for their
specific audience(s) and how to begin planning for next-stage
activities. Revealingly, few interviewees were able to cite more
than one or two companies or information sources that they
were tracking to help inform their efforts.
“We are proceeding carefully and reasonably slowly. We’ve
limited the number of channels so that we can give each one
enough time and effort to develop it in line with our strategy.”
Director of Communications, Europe
“Our social media strategy is lean. We’re not cautious; we’re
not afraid of it. We’re evaluating it and doing cost benefit
assessment...and we ask ourselves whether we’re doing it
because of general consumer expectations or because we have
something to say here.”
Director of Digital Communications, U.S.
Even if the social experience of these executives is in formative
stages, each interviewee recognizes the significance of the
medium for their communications strategies. Moreover,
everyone believes social media will continue to grow in
importance for their company. Many recognize that key
industry audiences will only increase their use of social media
and interviewees also point to growing acceptance of and
experience with the medium within the industry.
“We recognize that the web and digital channel is where people
are going first to get their information; they’re not looking to
traditional channels as much anymore.”
Director of Digital Communications, U.S.
“The need for people to be connected with others like them
won’t go away This is human nature… [social media is] bringing
a lot of benefits to a lot of people”
Global Head of Communications, Europe
APPENDIX:
RESPONDENT BACKGROUND
Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma / 18
19. www.webershandwick.com
For more information about Digital Health: Building Social Confidence in Pharma
please contact:
ThoughtLeadership@webershandwick.com
Laura Schoen
President, Global Healthcare
Weber Shandwick
lschoen@webershandwick.com
Rachael Pay
Managing Director, Health, Europe
Weber Shandwick
rpay@webershandwick.com
Stacey Bernstein
Senior Vice President, Director of U.S. Digital Health
Weber Shandwick
sbernstein@webershandwick.com
Barbara Box
President, New York/Chicago
Weber Shandwick
bbox@webershandwick.com
Stephen Morgan
Executive Vice President, Regional Director, Asia Pacific Healthcare
Weber Shandwick
smorgan@webershandwick.com
Leslie Gaines-Ross
Chief Reputation Strategist
Weber Shandwick
lgaines-ross@webershandwick.com
Chris Perry
President, Digital Communications
Weber Shandwick
cperry@webershandwick.com
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