OUT OF THE BOX: An e-MR

Hi everybody! John can be a true sharp “real change agent”. He plays the role of a belligerent Devil’s advocate by calling the product management guys lemmings. This is a challenge call given out by John. So here is an out-of-the-box idea “e-MR” dedicated to Mr John! (http://www.pharmamkting.blogspot.com and http://www.forums.pharma-mkting.com).

Today we are in the era of IT and the web 2.0 revolution. It is prudent to use this vehicle to transform the way we deliver messages to doctors with this medium.

Storyboard:

Web 2.0 is transforming marketing; planting concepts, products and ideas in to conversations, blogs and creating “word-on-net” publicity (akin to word-of-mouth), which is opening new front(s) in marketing. In fact it is not an exaggeration to say that the web 2.0 is a new element in the marketing mix.

In advanced countries almost every doctor has an e-mail id and in developing countries big time doctors, most of the opinion builder doctors and up coming young doctors are electronic savvy.

Animation is a big ticket game in IT. Animation involves creating characters; each character with some traits and there is a story board. Animated characters go in to cartoon films, multimedia presentations, gaming, ads….. In fact, it is joked somewhat seriously in Indian IT circles that IT companies are slowly becoming infotainment companies! ITTINA, Digital juice and so many others are in to this business stream.

IMAGINE Merck, Pfizer, Himalaya, Cipla or some other company takes a decision to develop their “copyright animated “e-MR”!

Let us say the animated e-MR will be christened, if Himalaya or Cipla or Sun Pharma from India develop it, “SUNDER” (meaning handsome in Sanskrit, Hindi and in most other Indian languages) for a he e-MR or “SUNDARI” (meaning beautiful in Sanskrit, Hindi and in most other Indian languages) for a she e-MR. This will be an animated character with speech and other basic traits.

It is a fact that doctors like “regularity”. So this can be made to happen – electronically ensure Sunder visits the target doctor’s e-mail box every 1st of a month at 12.00 noon. (You can call your e-MR “Sunder Noon” if you like since he visits at 12.00 every month.)

Imagine…Sunder Noon greets the doctor dynamically & animatedly with lots of multimedia effects when the doctor opens his e-mail. Sunder Noon the e-MR then takes out his electronic visual aid from his detailing bag and using multimedia effects, graphics, and films e-details the target product all in two and half minutes.

Imagine…at the end of e-detailing by the e-MR, the interactive electronic visual aid presents a menu of value added services to the doctor to click on and opt for.

Egs.: A hyperlink to a game where the doctor can zap cancer cells of the uterus using the antibodies produced by the cervical cancer vaccine (the game can be played by the doctor in his leisure hours).

A hyperlink can offer the doctor and his family sponsored tickets to the latest film release GURU (by Maniratnam) at the nearest INOX (the multiplex).

Hyperlinks can give access to message boards, blogs on target products or target therapy area, archives of past visits of the e-MRs and even to the company website or the company’s CME website.

Imagine…a message box on the electronic visual aid where the doctor can write his or her message or query to the company and send it to the company (or the BPO handling the account at Bangalore..heh..heh!) at the click of an icon!!

Imagine…special e-MRs (like the MIB, men-in-black concept) can be created for product launches; after the launch and initial use of the product the target doctors can send the specially created force of MIB e-MRs to a cyber heaven, if the target doctor is happy with product or send the special launch task force e-MRs to a cyber hell if the target doctor is unhappy with the new product. More the heaven sent e-MRs, more successful is the product!!

Imagine….the doctor can co-create his e-MR, for example using an option on the interactive visual aid the doctor can (A) select which product the e-MR has to detail in the next electronic visit (B) can alter the next time of visit by the e-MR based on the convenience of the doctor (C) can request the e-MR to clarify on some product point in the next electronic visit (D) can highlight on some clinical trial aspect as requested by the doctor during the next electronic visit by the e-MR (E) can decide which dress the e-MR has to wear based on the options given eg. an Indian “sherwani” or tie and suit…(F) even give a command to the e-MR to grow a “French beard” in the next electronic visit!!

Imagine…the doctor can forward e-MR calls to his colleagues and get bunny points for each successful forward and swap those bunny points for some freebies.

Imagine…the electronic visual aid can offer a menu of e-greeting cards for the doctor to use.

A variation of visit of e-MR can be an initial dispatch of e-visiting card by e-mail and when the doctor clicks on the visiting card, the e-MR enters the in-box and makes a call.

The e-MR can also play the role of a patient counselor too if the doctor gives the command and link to his patients. The e-MR can counsel on how to take the medicines, precautions etc. This is useful to paediatric and geriatric patient groups.
This e-MR concept will work for specialty divisions of Indian companies and for all types of doctors in advanced countries. At no point of time, can an e-MR replace the human MR, but the e-MR is a value added web 2.0 facilitated database marketing initiative.

In this “open source age” I am using John’s platform to put out this “open source concept of e-MR”. As a seasoned pharma professional I am confident of the success of this web 2.0 facilitated marketing initiative to connect to target audiences. However, it is said it is easy to conceive but difficult to deliver!! The success of any innovation requires corporate will, corporate and team initiative and resources. Best of all, this out-of-the-box concept will not get any problem from the US FDA or any other regulatory body.

The possibilities of the web 2.0 concept in pharma marketing are endless; this e-MR is one such inspired web 2.0 based concept.

I also dedicate this idea to the President of India (our President is a bold gentleman, one who motivates Indians to dream and achieve. Visit www.presidentofindia.nic.in)

I am Sunil S Chiplunkar M Pharma PGDMM from Bangalore, India; my blog is www.pharmaceuticalshealthcare.blogspot.com (mobile 9880225760) and as Sean Connery one of my favorite actors says GODSPEED to all of you. Happy Sankranti too (Harvest festival of Karnataka).