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Evolution of Pharma Marketing Part 3: Go Digital or Go Home

Published September 7, 2022

Evolution of Pharma Marketing: Go Digital or Go Home

When people think of prescription drug marketing, the most common examples that come to mind are the iconic television ads that fill up every commercial break. As the world shifts more and more into the digital universe, prescription drug ads have also made their way onto the internet. Just like with print and commercial ads, digital prescription drug marketing also has a fascinating history.

2005

A study conducted showed that 49% of American adults would first research their symptoms online before consulting their doctor.

2009

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out warning letters to over a dozen pharmaceutical companies who bought sponsored search engine links for their products. This is one of the first times that the FDA would crack down on online advertising.

2011

Research showed that when pharmaceutical companies spent money on online marketing, they received a 5 to 1 return on investment.

2014

The FDA published draft guidance that regulated how pharmaceutical companies can advertise on social media.

2015

On July 20th of this year, celebrity influencer Kim Kardashian partnered with Duchesnay and posted a photo with a lengthy caption that raved about their anti-nausea drug. At the time, Kardashian had 42 million followers. The FDA told Duchesnay that Kardashian had to remove the post because it didn’t explicitly state that the post was a sponsored ad nor revealed any of the drug’s side effects. Kardashian deleted the post, and one month later reposted it, adding the hashtag “#CorrectiveAd.”

2016

Facebook began to allow pharmaceutical advertising on its platform.

2019

Pharmaceutical companies spent almost one billion dollars on advertising with Facebook mobile ads.

2021

YouTube banned any prescription drug ad from appearing on its masthead, which is the banner that appears on the top of their home screen.

While online prescription drug ad regulations are still in the beginning stages of development, the trend is here to stay, and pharma marketers are dumping big dollars into digital marketing. To stand out from the competition, consider having a presence on multiple channels. Ads on medical communications websites, sponsored webinars, YouTube videos, social media campaigns, branded podcasts, and interactive educational games are just a few options, and new platforms are being created every day. What online marketing trends do you see on the horizon?

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