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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF DIGITAL MARKETING IN PHARMA

COMPANIES: A REVIEW

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OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF DIGITAL MARKETING

IN PHARMA COMPANIES: A REVIEW
Dr. Bamini Rajasekharan, Professor & Director, School of Management, Sri Ramakrishna
College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
K. Sasikumar, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Management Studies, Sri
Ramakrishna College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
ABSTRACT
Digital marketing is becoming more popular. Strategists are no longer restricted to
traditional marketing methods; the internet has expanded their options. It has proven to be
a superior medium for reaching a specific population due to its speed and widespread
coverage. In this digital age, pharmaceutical companies face new challenges and
opportunities. Digital marketing is the use of electronic media by businesses to promote
their products or services in the market. The primary goal of digital marketing is to attract
customers and allow them to interact with the company via digital media. This essay will
discuss the significance of digital marketing for both marketers and customers. The
distinctions between traditional marketing and digital marketing will also be discussed in
this paper. This study will look at the various types of digital marketing used by
pharmaceutical companies.
KEYWORDS: Pharmaceutical Marketing, Digital Marketing, Traditional Marketing,
Pharmaceutical Promotion.
INTRODUCTION
Digital marketing has risen in prominence due to the introduction of cutting-edge
technology into companies. It fundamentally altered traditional marketing tactics and
pushed marketers to stay connected with their purchasers or customers. They use the
internet to sell products and services. As a result, marketers must evaluate and assess both
the advantages and limitations of digital marketing when developing marketing strategies
and creating corporate objectives. Digital marketing has been acknowledged by all
company organizations for its efficiency and efficacy, and it is currently expanding
rapidly with each passing day. Small firms will soon compete with large-scale
competitors on the same platform. As a result, digital marketing has become a critical
necessity for both small and large-scale enterprises in today's digital world.
The digital revolution has impacted both customers and companies. In the
previous decade, technology and its use have changed tremendously. Previously, the

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Internet was only a source of information; however, it has now evolved into a place where
people can share their experiences and ideas, a platform for thought and discussion, a
source of entertainment, and even more. Social networking has had an even greater
impact on the Internet, which has evolved into a platform for reaching out to the general
public. As businesses scramble to capitalize on the growing use of the Internet, so has
digital marketing. Strategists are not limited to traditional marketing tactics; the coach has
tremendous potential to capitalize on the increasing economy and a major market's fast-
growing digital marketing sector. This study aims to provide an overview of the purpose
and potential of digital marketing in the Indian Pharmaceutical market. This research will
take a theoretical approach, reviewing the relevant literature on pharmaceutical digital
marketing in the Indian setting. Other research can be used to test a theoretical structure
empirically.
Pharmaceutical Marketing
The pharmaceutical business is strongly reliant on brand sales and
advertising. Pharmaceutical marketing efforts are defined as increasing physician
awareness of current and upcoming pharmaceutical brands. Freebie samples,
comprehensive goods, literature, patient care programs, patient user manuals, awareness
camps, and doctor meetings are all common components of pharmaceutical marketing.
Pharmaceutical marketing may also be defined as a management approach that
identifies and profitably addresses the needs of patients.
Pharmaceutical marketing, which translates research theories into actual treatment
devices, is the final phase in information continuity. The business of advertising or
otherwise assisting the sale of pharmaceuticals or drugs is known as pharmaceutical
marketing or medico-marketing. Pharmaceutical marketing is well-organized, providing
clinicians with comprehensive information about drug safety, efficacy, availability, side
effects, risks, and administration options. Doctors believed that medical representation
impacted prescription. The samples were thought to be more useful than medical
literature by the doctors.
Traditional marketing in Pharma Companies
Brand Sales promotions are the most common approach of pharmaceutical
marketing. It uses details in conjunction with a variety of other tools. Brand Detailing is
the most widely used method. It is described as "the personal selling and other sales
promotion work done for pharmaceutical companies among doctors, dentists, and other
professional persons to protect the good reputation and feasible distribution or

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prescription of the product." Because sales representatives are the primary resource for
most pharmaceutical marketing strategies, various gifts and materials support the
connection between prescribers and medical representatives. Drug information pamphlets,
literature, drug samples, freebies, personalized gifts, prizes at conferences and seminars,
and various other tools have been used to promote this strategy.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
• To understand the theory of digital marketing in Pharma companies
• To determine the significance of digital marketing in pharmaceutical companies
• To explore the difficulties and opportunities of digital marketing in pharmaceutical
companies.
METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY
The study is exploratory and focuses on reviewing the literature, newspapers,
articles, journals, and the writers' own experiences. Some alternative websites of some
digital marketing agencies have been visited to learn about the method, aspects, and
functions of digital marketing.
Data collection
This study is fully based on the secondary data collected from various websites,
journals,
articles, books, newspapers and related to Digital Marketing in pharma companies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
This article discusses some significant literature on Pharma Digital Marketing,
including an overview of concepts, theories, and probable digital marketing results in
pharma companies. Some challenges and opportunities have arisen to implement digital
marketing in pharmaceutical companies.
Theory of Digital marketing in pharma companies
Pharmaceutical companies employ technology-based services to understand their
patients' ailments better and track their progress. It may also be beneficial to give
physicians information on the patient's health and any product's side effects. Physicians
can connect with patients about specific medical concerns more easily using these digital
platforms. The low cost and efficient ways of digital marketing have simplified
advertising, awareness campaign systems, and mass access. Medicinal medications are
used on a global scale. Heart disease and excessive blood pressure are always rising in
developed countries. Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid, and other diseases

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are frequent in undeveloped countries. Pharmaceutical firms are putting forth much effort
to adapt to the changes that digital technology has brought about. Companies have been
able to adopt a different strategy to address clients, physicians, and caregivers in recent
years due to digital marketing in this industry. The healthcare industry will be
transformed by mobile communications, advanced analytics, the Internet, and the cloud.
ANALYSIS
Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing in Pharma Companies

Significance of Digital Marketing in Pharmaceutical Companies

Source of Data: https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview

In January 2022, the internet will be used by 4.9 billion people worldwide,
accounting for 62 per cent of the world's total population.
Furthermore, less than 3 billion individuals worldwide do not use the internet,
marking another significant milestone on our path to universal accessibility.
This figure is continually rising, with our most recent statistics revealing that 192
million new users joined the internet in the last year.
Internet users are now rising at a 4.0 per cent annual pace, which equates to even

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more than 5 million new users per day.

Source of Data: https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview

Most internet users (92 per cent) use mobile devices to access the internet at least
part of the time, although laptops also account for a significant portion of internet activity.
Approximately two-thirds of internet users in the world's biggest economies use laptops
and desktop computers for at least part of their online activity.

Source of Data: https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview

In the past year, the number of new individuals accessing the internet has climbed
by 2.9 per cent. Two hundred thirty-three million new customers joined from January
2021 to January 2022. In terms of the environment, netizens are increasing at more than
thirteen new users per second.
According to the statistics shown above, pharmaceutical companies have a
significant opportunity to utilize digital marketing tools to contact their consumers so that

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their production values are consistent with their prospective buyers and sales are
enhanced.
Digital Marketing Tools in Pharma Companies
• e-Detailing (In-person)
• Digital CME
• e-Drug Index
• Mobile App
• Web Conferencing
• Customize Web portals for Doctors & Patient
• Telemedicine
• System of Practice Management
• Marketing Emails
• WhatsApp
• Tele detailing
Digital Marketing Opportunities in Pharma Companies
After applying various tools and approaches, digital marketing in pharma
companies may be effective and provide opportunities. These technologies assist pharma
marketers in reaping the full advantages of digital marketing.
For Easy Customer Engagement in Pharma Companies
Digital marketing in Pharma Companies is an efficient approach for businesses to
reach out to a vast number of potential customers simultaneously. Using the internet as a
marketing channel is a quick way to reach a large number of potential customers and
prospects all over the country at the same time.
Direct Marketing in Pharma Companies
Digital marketing allows for direct promotion and raises awareness of a brand and
service. Pharma companies may now display adverts about their brands and services on
various digital media. A brilliant online advertising strategy and promotional tools, on the
other hand, may assist digital marketers in doing so successfully in a highly competitive
marketing environment.
Increased access to adverts
Digital marketing Advertisements reach target customers at any time or in any
location. The constantly displayed adverts entice prospects to contact and locate the items
and services they require. Prospects may visit any website and view advertisements at any

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time and from any location. However, for these advertisements to appear on a webpage,
they must be successfully handled.
Worldwide promotion in Pharma Companies
One of the most compelling advantages of digital marketing since it allows
businesses to generate worldwide ads and increase their client reach to other nations
beyond geographical borders.
Branding Made Easy
With the advancement of new technology and the usage of the internet in
marketing, firms can effectively interact with their customers.
A low-cost service
Digital marketing in pharma firms has proven to be a more cost-effective and less
expensive way of selling their products than conventional marketing techniques such as
visual aids, samples, and leave-behind literature, among many others. Marketers may use
digital marketing to establish their brand advertising campaigns depending upon their
budget availability.
Customer engagement
Due to the increasing popularity and capabilities of digital marketing, customers
have become more comfortable accessing information at any time. Digital marketing has
enabled direct interaction and quick resolution of problems.
Marketing Activity Accountability
Digital marketing enables pharmaceutical companies to measure their marketing
activities such as web conferences, brand promotion, customer engagement activities, and
the involved conversation. Digital marketing also helps marketers quickly evaluate and
audit their activity.
Assisting Pharma Marketers
Through the internet, digital marketing has become more beneficial for
implementing the marketing strategy and helping Pharma companies expand their brands
to target customers.
Challenges of Digital Marketing in Pharma companies
Without question, digital marketing is a powerful instrument for Pharma business
growth, but it is not without its obstacles. Among these difficulties are:
The Threat of Cracking Strategies
One of the disadvantages of digital marketing is the threat of stealing pharma
businesses' promotion tactics through digital platforms. Competitors can follow and

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replicate a well-known company's lucrative promotional methods, which they may use for
their own goals.
Promotional Material for Limited Products
Another practical disadvantage of digital marketing is that it mainly benefits
consumer items, and all pharma brands cannot promote through digital means.
Pro Activity
Another disadvantage of internet marketing is that even a single individual or
group of people may tarnish the reputation of a well-known company. Anti-brand
activists, bloggers, and opinion leaders use the word to criticize a brand's image.
The Internet Access Limit
The Internet is crucial in digital marketing. In areas with no or limited internet
availability, digital marketing may be useless. Customers may not access the Internet or
have poor internet connectivity in some locations.
Brands face intense competition.
When a consumer looks for a particular product of a specific firm on the Internet,
several rival products and services with the same marketing methods emerge on the
customer's home page. As a result, customers are dissatisfied, and another company's
product is cheaper and higher quality. Consequently, some buyers lack faith in the many
advertisements that appear on a website or social media and mistake them for fraud or
dishonest businesses.
FINDINGS
Researchers who discovered the challenges faced by pharmaceutical companies
also discovered the positive outcomes of the Pharma companies could incorporate a
digital platform into their marketing and other activities by utilizing the Internet and
technology.
SUGGESTIONS
Researchers believe that all pharmaceutical companies might benefit from using
digital marketing principles. New technologies and tools are constantly developing, and
conventional marketers may use them as trial projects for their marketing campaigns. In
addition to that, companies might use various tools and techniques by a specific team or
engage a consultant to assist them in adapting to digital marketing. The essential thing is
for companies to recognize the value of digital marketing in Pharma marketing.
CONCLUSION

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Digital marketing has elevated the notion of business from its physical to its
virtual features of marketing and selling. Digital activities are becoming a crucial
component of every marketing and sales plan. There is a radical transformation in
pharmaceutical company operations from the old model to the digital approach. Products
and markets are expanding, and new difficulties are arising to make the participants more
competitive in the area. Today, most pharma businesses are either contemplating or
pursuing digital transformation programs. Every business has a website, and few
marketing plans are completed without adding social media. While social media is an
essential component of any digital strategy, a comprehensive response to digital change
must go further.
The world is changing due to the digital age, and development is not linear. In a
world where a smartphone is no longer simply a device but a possible revolution,
pharmaceutical businesses must consider what digital advancements mean for them and
their stakeholders. Market leaders see digital as an opportunity to be capitalized on rather
than a danger to be avoided. Not every digital endeavour will be successful for every
organization, and it is critical to evaluate capabilities and change capacity before
implementing a digital marketing strategy. The more comprehensive the project, the
better its chances of success. We think that those that respond comprehensively and
quickly will acquire the most competitive edge.
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