- 13 December 2007
- Author: Onyx Health
- Posted in: e-Marketing
- Tagged under:
All Change – The End of an Era
So that is it, after 26 years of publishing weekly magazines for GPs and hospital doctors, Elsevier is closing down two of its iconic brands, Doctor and Hospital Doctor, in the New Year. The reason they give for the closure is simply due to a lack of advertising revenue, and while their competitor brands have been quick to suggest the closure is some sort for failure by the publishers, we must not forget that the company has only recently launched www.doctorportal.co.uk which will continue to be the beacon for the brands. So, rather being seen as a failure, perhaps the publishers at Elsevier should be applauded for responding quickly to on-line market forces.
2007 has been a difficult year for all pharmaceutical marketing companies, as traditional sales and marketing activities have begun to show less and less return on investment. Some companies have dabbled in e-marketing, but the majority are still sitting on the fence in some sort of marketing void.
As individuals we have all made changes in the way we access information, make purchasing decisions, and communicate with our friends. Even the news is reported in a completely different way. We regularly see viewers sending in virtually real-time mobile phone video clips and interacting with presenters by commenting on particular stories. Whilst many consumer brands have embraced these new opportunities, pharma have been slow to identify possible marketing opportunities.
2008 will probably be a transitional period for us all involved in pharmaceutical sales and marketing. Everyone seems to be waiting for the big “e” breakthrough, the idea that is going to WOW us all and significantly change a company’s sales line. In truth there is probably nothing groundbreaking out there. We are already seeing more and more companies setting up me-toos of OnMedica and Doctors.net. There will certainly be a great push from publishers to maximise their on-line offerings, e-detailing may become a market entry criteria and I am sure we will see a Sermo type social medical network launching in the UK.
But what is truly needed is for more companies to start dipping their toes in the e-marketing water by looking strategically at how to engage on-line with all of the various customers. We need to reinvigorate our plans and put lots of energy back into the market. Whilst it may be the “end of an era” for Hospital Doctor and Doctor, there is a brand new era out there just waiting for pharma companies to get involved.