In a recent article by eMarketer, found here, there is discussion that the pharmaceutical industry is moving away from consumer marketing and advertising, otherwise known as direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. This is the type of advertising for specific drugs that you probably get annoyed by on TV or in magazines. The change is caused by smaller budgets and a larger focus on direct-to-patient advertising. Some basic testing must have proven that marketing to patients produced a higher ROI than the generic, mass-marketing approach taken through traditional TV and other advertising. I think that digital media could save DTC advertising for pharmaceuticals because it provides more cost-effective reach to consumers. Adding promotional tactics to digital marketing on the web to drive drug sales offline could be a very large potential opportunity and could replace other forms of traditional media that can’t be measured.
