Achieving a Cult Following in Pharma: Interview with: Jim Metropoulos, MD, Managing Partner, Cult Health, a healthcare advertising agency at the marcus evans PharmaMarketing Summit 2013, on healthcare brand loyalty.

1. Achieving a Cult Following in Pharma
Interview with: Jim Metropoulos, because physicians, consumer-patients, Is this more relevant for drugs
MD, Managing Partner, Cult Health caregivers, and managed care and going off patent?
policy decision-makers are all
customers. Healthcare knowledge is A common goal is to spike prescription
“All brands want to achieve cult status – power. But denial is more powerful, and brand momentum going into the OTC
loyalty that transcends purely rational healthcare information is rarely market or before competition from
explanation – but when it comes to transformed into actionable knowledge. generics. The economic argument will
healthcare products, it is difficult to Why? We do not always understand well always favor generics but how far
execute and synchronize the tactics enough our motivations, fears, and the should this go? Every day consumers
essential to reach the highest level personal and interpersonal voids that make purchase decisions in favor of
of long-term brand appreciation. need filling. We need to assess brand values. The same mindset should
Effectively communicating the benefits information and applied knowledge gaps be in play when someone thinks about
of these brands, arguably more to understand how the interplay walking away from a brand that has
important to people than computer between patient and physician leads to reduced their risk of disease for a
or car brands, requires deep decision discordance that erodes brand decade.
understanding of the dynamics that appreciation. The right kind of primary
underlie consumer and HCP behavior as research will create a foundation of
well as the patient-HCP relationship,” deep insights that give marketers
says Jim Metropoulos, MD, Managing advantages.
Partner, Cult Health.
The
Every communication needs to be
As a solution provider attending the considered comprehensively. Inte-
marcus evans PharmaMarketing gration is more important today as
physician-
Summit 2013, in Palm Beach, Florida, patients look for information in order to
May 8-10, Dr. Metropoulos puts forward have meaningful conversations with
some recommendations for improving their HCP, who is then influenced by
the outcome of pharmaceutical these conversations.
marketing.
Creating a cult following. What does
The primary target audience for
communications should be neither the
patient
that mean in the pharma business?
If you look at the definition of a cult, the
physician nor the patient, but the
composite physician-patient rela-
tionship. We must anticipate the
discussion
has the
description that interests us the most is dialogues between them in the privacy
the one where people have a high level of the consultation room and create
of devotion to a person, idea, communications that are in harmony
power to
movement, or work. The idea that with the thoughts and feelings of the
people can be extremely loyal to a patient and physician not only before
product that has changed their life, the they are in the room together but also
way a healthcare product does, is very after the consultation is over. Every
interesting. There is no reason why
certain healthcare product and service
brands should not have the same level
physician -patient dis cus sion wil l
enhance or erode brand appreciation.
These discussions can be in accord with
enhance or
of customer loyalty that Apple and Audi
have achieved with computers and cars.
We are talking about the kind of loyalty
DTC and sales representative commu-
nications or not. diminish
a brand’s
that overcomes adherence barriers, To have a group of people who truly
competition, and even generics. appreciate the benefits of a branded
medication, the physician and the
value
How can this desired level of brand patient have to be exposed to the brand
loyalty be achieved? in a comprehensive and holistic way
across communication channels. This is
First, we have to acknowledge that we still one of our biggest challenges as
all come to tasks with biases, which evidenced by adherence rates that are
may not be shared by most of the illogical and by generic erosion that is
people with whom we need to emblematic of minimal brand
communicate. Healthcare is complex appreciation.

2. About the PharmaMarketing Summit 2013
The Marketing Network -
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This unique forum will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, Florida, May
delivers peer-to-peer information
8-10, 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this
on strategic matters, professional
exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and
trends and breakthrough
solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event.
innovations.
www.pharmamarketingsummit.com
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About Cult Health
Cult Health believes products that reduce risks, relieve pain, heal wounds, and save lives should have cult followings – just like
some of the best cars, computers, and clothes do. Cult Health helps elevate brands to cult status by deploying 360-degree
marketing communications that engage audiences, spark meaningful conversations, and increase ROI. Consumers and HCPs will
stand up and speak out for brands that make meaningful differences in their lives.
www.culthealth.com
About marcus evans Summits
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To view the web version of this interview, please click here: www.pharmamarketingsummit.com/JimMetropoulos