DTC in Perspective: Speakers Needed, Share Your Success!

One of our annual challenges for the DTC National is getting good pharma case studies to present to the audience. I always wonder why legal departments appear afraid to discuss the advertising that is already public and has been seen by 100 million people. Some companies seem to have a blanket policy against speaking but most do not. It is usually up to the legal and PR groups to determine if the talk is good for the company. Their view is usually to avoid risk. It is up to the brand team and their agency to push the benefit of speaking.

?Join us and speak at the DTC National.? - Bob Ehrlich

Some companies want to keep their DTC efforts on a low profile out of fear of DTC criticism. I guess they do not want to say they were successful which confounds me because that is why you advertise. Stock analysts like DTC because it shows a company is trying to grow their brand. I always thought a company that is a successful marketer would like that reputation to be known within the marketing world. The best marketers want to work for the best marketing companies.

We never ask that any confidential data be given. We only want the thinking behind the DTC and the consumer insights that created the commercial campaign. We do not ask for sales or market share or even spending levels. You folks do good work in creating advertising. Consumers benefit from seeing it. Many of you face incredible challenges in trying to discuss sensitive and often embarrassing conditions. Tell us how you managed it, how you found those consumer insights to make those patients come forward to ask their doctor.

So I appeal to all those brand managers and agencies to join us and speak at the DTC National. Tell us about the campaign a hundred million people have already seen. Ralph Nader will not like it and the critics of DTC will blog about how they hate your ad. Of course they will do that anyway so why worry about it. There is nothing unseemly selling awareness of your drug to consumers.

I ask, then, that anyone who wants to profile their brand at the 2015 DTC National write me back at bob@dtcperspectives.com. It is good for you personally to get known in the industry and good for your company that surely wants to be seen as a leading marketer.

Bob Ehrlich

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at DTC Perspectives

Bob Ehrlich has over 20 years marketing experience in pharmaceutical and consumer products. Bob is the CEO of DTC Perspectives, Inc., a DTC services company founded in 2000. DTC Perspectives, Inc. developed the DTC National Conference, the largest DTC conference in the industry. DTC Perspectives, Inc. also publishes DTC Perspectives, a quarterly journal dedicated to DTC issues and practices. In addition DTC Perspectives, Inc. does DTC consulting for established and emerging companies, and provides DTC marketing plans for pharmaceutical companies.