MedNet is a health website that provides free, evidence-based medical information to consumers and generates profits through advertising. Windham Pharmaceuticals, an advertiser, is considering shifting its ad dollars to Marvel, a competing website. Heather Yates, MedNet's VP of business development, needs to convince Mahria Baker, Windham's CMO, to continue advertising on MedNet. Potential strategies include focusing content on new areas, increasing social media presence, and targeting ads towards common conditions many users research online.

1. MedNet.com Confronts
“Click-Through”
Competition
Harvard Business
School Case

2. What is MedNet?

3. The award winning organization which is considered the
best health website for trusted, evidence based, consumer
health information.
It is an organization which provides scientifically based
medical information to a non-professional consumer
audience.
They provide this information for free.
They generate profits from advertising sales.

4. Who are the key
players?

5. Heather Yates
vice president for business development at Mednet
Mahria Baker
Windham Pharmaceuticals CMO
Bill Bishop
MedNet’s vice president of consumer marketing

6. Situation Analysis
What is the current situation?

8. Windham Pharmaceuticals are
considering shifting its
MedNet ad dollars to Marvel,
a competing website with
which Windham already did
some business.

9. Windham Pharmaceuticals Advertising
Campaign Results

10. SWOT analysis of MedNet

11. The Problem
Statement

12. Heather Yates needs to convince Mahria Baker, CMO
of Windham Pharmaceuticals, to continue advertising
on MedNet.com

13. Strategic Alternatives

14. 1.
MedNet can offer unproven therapies
and alternative medicines.

15. But that won’t be helpful to its current consumers
(neither visitor demographic, nor advertisers as it
would attract an audience unlikely to trust corporate
pharmaceutical only).

16. 2.
It can change its advertising structure
from cost-per-impression from cost-per-
click.

17. But this isn’t solving the main problem. It needs to
attract more visitors and generate more returning
traffic to its site.

18. 3.
Develop and manage employer’s
website.

19. But it can create social issues and new marketing
costs. And the Board also will not agree with it.

20. What can be the new
strategy of MedNet to keep
Windham with them?

21. MedNet Visitor Survey Results

22. MedNet Visitor Survey Results(cont..)

23. 3 Important steps
MedNet can take to
prevent loosing
Windham

24. MedNet need to provide its site visitors with
new ways to explore its content, share, and
engage.
1.

25. To do this, MedNet need to focus on channeling
traditional, print advertisements through doctors’
offices, health insurance providers, and retail
pharmacies.

26. MedNet should also spend a portion of its advertising
budget on ads in telephone directions, print
newspapers and print magazines.

27. These ads could either invite customers to visit
MedNet.com or a simple information collaboration
between MedNet and its offerings such as Windham’s
prescriptions medications.

28. MedNet needs to add additional focus to social
media tools such as Facebook,Twitter,Wikis, and
discussion boards/forums.
2.

29. Not only does this allow users to interact, it allows
users to interact on a 24/7 basis and shine new
light on MedNet as a partner in health and wellness.

30. This will attract those segments of visitors who fits
into the group PRIZM(2003) F1: Accumulated Wealth
life stage group(people from age group 25-54).

31. According to the Forrester report by Golvin and Schadler
(2008)
38% of 23.6 million Baby Boomers(29-42)
visit health sites
48% of Older Boomers(51-61) are likely
perform health research online in order to
confirm what their doctors tell them during
their checkups.

32. It should target producers medication for high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, allergies and
depression/anxiety as its providers of advertising
content.
3.

33. According to the Forrester report
Over 20% of US adults have diabetes (40% of
them research the condition online)
15-20% of US adults have high cholesterol
(41% research the condition online)
10-15% of US adults have allergies (55% of
which research allergies online)

34. Positioning Map of MedNet with other
competitors
Huge gap between MedNet
and Cholesterol.com

35. These slides were created by Ankit
Kumar (IITD), as part of an internship
done under the guidance of Prof.
Sameer Mathur
(www.IIMInternship.com)"
THANKYOU!