Specialized Delivery: Reasons for Choosing a Healthcare Advertising Agency

As a medium-sized pharmaceutical company, you begin preparing the launch of an innovative new allergy medication for kids. The release date is firm. Test markets have been selected. The question now shifts to who — as in, who will be in charge of advertising this new medical breakthrough? Do you select the large-scale full-service ad agency or the smaller, specialized healthcare agency?

Below are three reasons why we at HC&B Healthcare Communications believe a specialized agency should always be the choice.

1. Regulations: Medical advertising is subject to the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For some creative teams, this can be an asphyxiating experience. Among other legalities, the benefits and risks of a product must be listed or displayed equally in an ad. Healthcare agencies understand this guideline and work with (and around) it on a daily basis. The geniuses behind the Old Spice ads could easily be humbled trying to figure it out.

2. Expertise: Offhand, the account manager for a specialized agency can tell you the average monthly website traffic data from a competitor in 2009. Better yet, they will tell you the weekly trends of pharmaceutical ad click-through rates on Facebook over the past summer. They may even mention the top keyword searches for products similar to yours. They’ve been following these trends for years, and all signs now point to the value of engaging social media. Reports show young mothers are likely to search for healthcare information on Facebook, and they’re your key demographic.

3. Media: The creative approach is set, but the avenues to reach your audience are unclear. TV spots? Industry magazines? Billboards? Customer relationships are built over years, not days — and you need a plan for the long haul. As a specialized agency, we choose the media best suited for your needs. Whether it’s through scientific journals, physician websites, or another medium closely tied to the industry, we make sure your ads receive the traction they deserve for optimal ROI. We can create economies of media, and we work to ensure your brand has a life of its own.

Bottom Line: What specialized agencies lack in prestige they make up for in experience and intelligence. These agencies understand your industry and will help better serve your needs in the long run. Consider us your inside source to success.