Video stars	May 2008

The leaders of several pharmaceutical advertising agencies discuss the work they have done with online video and how their agencies are planning to use the medium in the future.

Mike Devlin, executive VP, managing director, consumer, Concentric Pharma Advertising (concentric-rx.com)
“At Concentric, video is a core strength. It’s probably because we see video as part of the overall mix, and a vital part of the patient/physician partnership that is so vital to positive outcomes. Everything ties back to this — compliance, positive word of mouth, mentoring, and brand results.

“We have produced immersive video for Bayer, allowing patients (and nurses and physicians) to experience multiple sclerosis first hand, on a journey through the body and reinforcing action at the first warning sign. We’re also deeply involved in compelling patient stories, since patients can really benefit from seeing their peers succeed. And we’re currently working in MS and other categories where the patient population is active, engaged, and yearning for information. That’s the best combination for anyone looking to leverage video.

“Videos serve multiple strategic needs, on DVDs, for physicians, online. This is sometimes driven by budget, but it’s also a strategic decision as well. Plan wisely, invest once, and leverage the video across the brand. We’re currently involved in a wide range of video work for a client in MS, and that video is being cultivated and edited holistically. Great video can work on tablet PCs as much as in a patient education kit they take home, if the right thinking was done beforehand.”

Christine Higgins, senior VP, creative operations, Digitas Health (digitashealth.com)
“We produce digital educational videos for healthcare professionals and consumers. Our videos are integrated in Websites, rich media creative ad units, and convention kiosks. We anticipate an increase in demand for interactive online video.”

Mark Nolan, senior VP, group creative director, Digitas Health
“Some of the roots of Digitas Health originate in broadcast quality video. Today for our clients, our work extends from creating DTC TV commercials to producing interactive long form video about how consumers can become more empowered in better managing their health.”

James Pietz, VP, digital strategy, MicroMass Communications (micromass.com)
“As a behaviorally driven marketing agency, we use video and other multimedia applications to provide greater value and more positive experiences. Multimedia tools provide a level of personal connection that static experiences cannot. When behavioral insights guide the consumer selection process, the value exchange becomes even more valuable and the user experience more intense.

“In fact, the number of projects we’ve done in the last two years that incorporates video has doubled, and nearly all have involved some level of self-selection. Our efforts incorporate videos within a series of vehicles, and within the context of a complete program, versus as stand-alone tools.

“We’ve done online education videos both for consumer and professional efforts. We are also developing a number of proprietary services that include behaviorally driven, video-based education elements. We recently re-launched a Website for a client, using filmed characters who describe the benefits of an adherence program. Consumers who come to the site have the choice of selecting different characters to relate to. The experience was so powerful that within the first 45 days after launch, program enrollment increased by 80% over the previous 45-day average.”

Tim Lewis, director, interactive/relationship management strategy, AbelsonTaylor Inc. (abelsontaylor.com)
“AbelsonTaylor has produced pharmaceutical consumer-directed video for quite some time, and much of that video has been created for use online. We have used this type of video for any number of purposes, including helping consumers to self-identify, understand the impact of their disease on their health, and prepare to have a conversation with their physician about their options.

“Some of our most recent work has been in the diabetes category. We animated the drug’s brand identity to help visitors understand the potential consequences of diabetes to their bodies. These animated characters helped tell a story that might otherwise have been uninteresting. While this may be an atypical use of video, it demonstrates an understanding of audience need and how that need can be met in an engaging fashion. This particular site was recognized in a recent Manhattan Research study as the second-highest rated site for consumer satisfaction. We believe that the use of animated brand identity was an important part of that satisfaction.

“Another recent example of our video work was created for a drug in the sleep category. Here, we developed a ‘talk show’ format to deliver brand messaging. Technology created an opportunity to deliver dynamic video content to site visitors on demand, which allows visitors to navigate through questions that are relevant to them and see video answering those questions. Consumers who have been educated this way appear to have a higher satisfaction once on therapy.”

Steven Roy, VP, HC&B Digital (hcbhealth.com)
“We have worked extensively with an advanced wound care device company to develop and execute patient friendly videos for their products. Our client asked us to create a series of consumer-directed videos to help explain how their products work, how to operate and care for the product, and help answer any potential patient questions. Because our client operates in a global marketplace, we produced these videos in multiple languages. The finished product is an engaging, easy-to-understand, 30-minute video that is sent along with the wound care device to educate patients.

“We’re currently recommending [consumer-directed video] to all our pharma clients and are using our experience in this category as relevant case studies. We are always actively pursuing new engagements to develop social educational programs that make use of online consumer educational video content.

“One of the more interesting projects we’re developing involves a series of Webisodes that follows a patient who is dealing with a pulmonary condition. Consumers respond by joining a community of patients who lend support to one another.”

Raj Amin, CEO, HealthiNation (healthination.com)
“HealthiNation is a provider of health literacy video programming, delivering our videos to consumers on popular Websites and on television across the country through Video-on-Demand. We’re available on popular sites like US News, Prevention, Yahoo! Health, Quality Health, and many others. We use video to create health learning experiences that educate and inspire action. Pharma advertisers can partner with us to deliver their messages in an advertiser location, which allows viewers to see relevant advertising while watching HealthiNation’s independent video content. This lets the advertiser be part of the learning experience in a way that works for health consumers.

“We give much higher exposure to existing banner programs, by placing banners in a contextual location while a viewer is watching video on a specific topic. We generally can drive 20 to 100 times higher click through rates against these banners when placed against our video than they normally see when running them on Web pages. This is because of the much higher brand exposure time that we deliver by engaging a consumer with video for several minutes at a time.”