The PM360 Brand Manager Awards in 14 major disease categories recognize brand and marketing managers who made major contributions to the success of their brands and companies. The winners were chosen based on the leadership, skill, and originality shown in work which came to fruition in the past year. They designed carefully orchestrated national campaigns, transformed company marketing operations, and pioneered new marketing techniques, in many cases a creative blend of new technology with an old-fashioned understanding of what moves the customer. They often had the courage to stick with their ideas in the face of skepticism and adverse market conditions. In many cases, the result was greater patient awareness as well as greater access to vital drugs. We congratulate them all.
AUTOIMMUNE
Joe Shields of Pfizer for Enbrel
The RA Management Guide, an online education center featuring articles and tools designed to help rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients live better with their condition, was developed by Everyday Health and sponsored by Pfizer’s and Amgen’s Enbrel. However, the program could not have been accomplished without the help of Joe Shields, the Product Director and Team Leader for Enbrel at Pfizer. Joe demonstrated outstanding leadership as well as great communication skills to ensure the program was closely aligned with brand objectives.
The website included materials such as Questions to Ask Your Doctor (a downloadable worksheet designed to promote doctor-patient dialogue), The Role of the Rheumatologist (an article explaining the value of consulting a specialist and a link to help users find one in their area), a photo gallery of 10 tips to fight fatigue, targeted special report emails, and the Living with RA Social Networking Group. The program has been highly successful, generating more than 770,000 page views and attracting more than 190,000 unique visitors since launching in January. The special report emails also received above-average open rates and the Living with RA Support Group attracted nearly 3,000 community members.
“This campaign raises the bar, not only due to metrics that are ‘off the chart’ but also owing to excellent use of the digital channel,” one judge noted. “Joe clearly knows his stuff and isn’t afraid to push the envelope. Brand managers take note: This is how it’s done!”
CARDIOLOGY
Andy Boyle of Sanofi-Aventis
Andy Boyle of Sanofi-Aventis U.S. is being recognized for his work in developing a unique and innovative closed-loop marketing approach.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
Priya Madan Brooke of Bristol-Myers Squibb for Abilify
“Innovative,” “compassionate,” “non-threatening,” “confidence building,” and “well-executed” are the words one of our judges used to describe the campaign that Senior Product Manager Priya Madan Brooke developed for Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Abilify to support its new indication for add-on use in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It was through Priya’s direct input and influence that the campaign was able to focus on the powerful statistics from the National Institutes of Health sponsored STAR*D study. The study found that approximately two out of three patients taking antidepressants still suffered from incomplete resolution of depression. The campaign helped alert millions of patients suffering from depression to appropriately self-identify and initiate discussions with their doctors. Thanks to Priya’s guidance and tenacity, the brand achieved true synergy across multiple channels including TV, consumer print, digital, patient education, and healthcare professional communications.
In addition to launching the campaign for the MDD indication, Priya also managed to ensure a cohesive brand identity while continuing communications for Abilify’s multiple indications and target audience, including Bipolar Disorder. She also led the efforts to develop a caregiver communication platform for Abilify’s newest indication as a treatment for irritability symptoms associated with Autistic Disorder in children ages 6 to 17.
By effectively leveraging DTC communications, Priya was able to fully realize the potential of Abilify and help turn a brand that began as a fifth-in-class entry to a $4 billion megablockbuster.
DERMATOLOGY
Stuart Davis of Sanofi-Aventis for Sculptra Aesthetic
Stuart Davis, Director of Aesthetic Marketing at Sanofi-Aventis U.S., took a new product with a familiar name and oversaw the creation of a campaign that improved Sculptra Aesthetic’s brand perception and recognition. Sculptra Aesthetic was a new dermal injectable product launched in 2009 for aesthetic rejuvenation. The challenge of marketing this innovative product was that Sculptra had already been available for the correction of facial wasting in patients with HIV. This required Stuart and his team to launch a new brand while simultaneously shifting historical perception away from a previous use. They were able to overcome this challenge by focusing on previously unknown consumer preferences discovered through their own research. The findings revealed that consumers preferred a product that created gradual results and lasted two years over a product that worked quickly but lasted only one year.
Stuart put this research into practice by motivating his ad agency to take the brand to new creative heights with high-impact visuals, a new campaign design/shape, and clear copy focusing on the unique attributes of the brand. The campaign changed how physicians visualize the outcomes possible with a facial injectable product by featuring progressive photos of patients taken throughout the process, instead of the previously standard before and after photos. Based on direct feedback from physicians, this unique approach has changed the perception of the product among physicians and is a campaign that many physicians have identified as best in class.
DIABETES/METABOLIC DISORDERS
Jim Kerrigan of Otsuka America for Samsca
Jim Kerrigan is Senior Director, Global Marketing, at Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc. (OAPI). Against a backdrop of daunting challenges, Jim demonstrated the highest levels of professionalism and leadership in his efforts to launch Samsca (tolvaptan).
In addition to the typical demands that characterize the launch of any new pharmaceutical brand, Jim was forced to contend with an additional obstacle. Only a few months preceding the approval of Samsca, the product label that was originally anticipated was drastically modified. Consequently, years of pre-marketing work to develop brand positioning and messaging required drastic and immediate modification.
As brand champion, Jim showed leadership in numerous ways. Through his flexibility in effectively responding to change and an ability to inspire innovative thinking in his teammates, Jim is the quintessential “trailblazer.” He is also a pioneer, as he boldly went where no pharmaceutical marketer had gone before by being the first in the industry to roll out a campaign on the iPad.
The team wanted something interactive for their kiosk at the June 2010 ENDO conference and an idea was proposed to do something with the iPad, even though it had only been available for two weeks. The reaction among physicians was dramatic. Later that month, Otsuka announced it would be adopting the iPad for all field representatives. Jim and his team took the lead and by July a fully trained sales force rolled out messaging for Samsca on the iPad.
GASTROINTESTINAL
Andrew Young of Eisai
Andrew Young knows about competition. As Eisai’s Group Marketing Director, Gastroenterology & Metabolic Diseases, Andrew has spent the last five years successfully leading teams through ever-increasing competition. He flawlessly guided his products through increasingly competitive markets with intense competition from entrenched brands, new market entrants, generics, OTCs, and even house-brand OTCs. He never wavered from his goal of educating patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) about treatment options. He embodied Eisai’s corporate mission of human healthcare by spearheading an integrated professional and consumer effort for products that focus on meeting the needs of patients.
Andrew led the marketing team to dig deep into the insights of patients suffering from GERD. They developed creative communications directed to both healthcare professionals and patients that brought the condition into the appropriate light by addressing the need for a product to treat GERD and all its associated symptoms. The campaign stood out from its rivals by not only focusing on heartburn (the most discussed symptom of GERD), but also on regurgitation, belching, and early satiety because each symptom is equally troublesome. Andrew was able to break through an intensely competitive marketplace by capturing this patient insight and creating a unified platform. The result—after a decade on the market, his product still ranks as one of the top-selling medicines in the United States.
HEMATOLOGY/ONCOLOGY
Sharon Griff of AMAG for Feraheme
Sharon Griff leaped seemingly insurmountable boundaries, raised awareness for a commonly underdiagnosed condition, and provided aide to patients while launching Feraheme (ferumoxytol) Injection for Intravenous (IV) use for adult chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). As Senior Director, Anemia Marketing, at AMAG Pharmaceuticals, she faced several obstacles when launching this new brand, including entering a ridiculously competitive category in which two competitors had a stranglehold on the market. She combined sheer marketing muscle (sending 180,000 mailers, placing 2,650,000 print impressions, distributing 35,000 mL of samples) with some creativity to pioneer unique ways to reach her target audience.
Sharon and her team spearheaded an unbranded campaign to raise awareness about IDA within the nephrology and hematology communities, and it is safe to say it surpassed that goal. The unbranded multi-channel campaign ran for a year longer than originally planned and actually inspired nephrologists to check iron earlier and more often in CKD patients as recommended by National Kidney Foundation guidelines. Sharon also showed her passion for patients through several initiatives, including AMAG Assist, Patient Reimbursement Assistance that provided resources and assistance to patients who are uninsured or underinsured.
Since its launch in mid-2009, Feraheme has been on a strong trajectory as the fastest-growing IV iron in both share and units. Awareness of the brand is extremely high with target audiences, and the brand has found a market outside the dialysis unit, with 60% of revenues coming from outside this traditional outlet for IV iron.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Andrew (Drew) Otoo of Pfizer for Prevenar 13
Drew Otoo is being recognized as an exceptional leader and global communicator. Both traits are essential to his role on the global commercial development team for Pfizer’s Prevenar 13. Prevenar has long been a market-leading pediatric vaccine for the prevention of pneumococcal disease (PD) in pediatric patients, but a potential new indication the company plans to seek offers hope for another major at-risk group, older adults. Drew and his team are working hard to increase appreciation of the global magnitude and impact of adult PD.
MEDICAL DEVICE
Jennifer George of ArthroCare for Cavity SpineWand
Sometimes the best marketing plan is to let a device speak for itself. However, Jennifer George made sure everybody heard its message. ArthoCare developed the Cavity SpineWand medical device, which has the ability to dissolve hard-to-reach tumor tissue using plasma mediated (low temperature) ablation. What makes this device special is the technology allows it to be used near sensitive structures such as the spinal cord and it works with complementary procedures such as radiation, chemotherapy, or cement augmentation. The procedure is also minimally invasive, so patients can opt out of open surgery.
As Marketing Director for ArthoCare’s Spine Division, Jennifer wanted more people to hear about this innovative device. Instead of using standard marketing practices such as print advertising, she chose to spread the word through thought leaders via clinical studies and also by working with nonprofits and other groups such as CK Society to develop a strong following. Physicians were also encouraged to participate in tumor boards and grand rounds to share case results. Several physicians also presented patient outcomes data at key conferences such as SIR. Jennifer worked with her PR team to help increase awareness of patients who benefited from the treatment by providing testimonials to local writers.
Since Jennifer became Marketing Director over three years ago, her product lines have experienced double-digit growth and a dedicated following. As awareness for Cavity SpineWand increases, the company expects this novel technology to lead them further into the oncology field where their products can make a significant difference.
MEN’S HEALTH
Eileen Grossman of Boehringer Ingelheim for Flomax
Thanks to Eileen Grossman, it is practically a foregone conclusion that not only have you heard of Flomax, but you can recall a Flomax commercial. As the Consumer Marketing Lead for Flomax at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Eileen developed and launched five new TV spots in 2009. She also oversaw the implementation of a national multi-cultural consumer campaign for Flomax, which resulted in a 300% increase in awareness among Hispanic males age 45 and above. In the general marketing campaign, Eileen worked to adjust the existing messaging to reinforce adherence; one example was by expanding offers to include existing patients. She also made courageous moves with the existing media investment to test different levels of reach and frequency on brand recall, intent, and prescription impact.
As a result of Eileen’s work, Flomax has maintained a strong leadership position in the marketplace and secured awareness levels that made it a household name. It has achieved 93% brand awareness and was ranked the No. 1 and No. 2 most-recalled pharmaceutical commercials by Nielsen IAG for 2009. Flomax is also constantly popping up in pop culture. There have been unsolicited mentions by Jay Leno and David Letterman on their late-night TV shows, inclusions in stand-up routines by Jerry Seinfeld, and it was mentioned in movies such as It’s Complicated. All of this means that when men start experiencing symptoms of BPH, they will know exactly what drug to ask their doctors about.
OPHTHALMOLOGY
Todd Love of Alcon for Opti-Free RepleniSH MPDS
How do you market a product without direct communication with the buyer? This is the issue Todd Love, Senior Brand Manager, Contact Lens Care, at Alcon, had to solve. Although Alcon’s Opti-Free RepleniSH contact lens solution is sold over the counter, sales are driven mainly by doctor recommendations.
Todd developed an elegant and creative solution to address this need, one that brings substantial value to patients and doctors as well as effectively promoting Alcon sales. The solution—the eyeVIP Program, the first program of its kind—is a highly interactive program designed to connect doctor to patient. Even with no precedent, Todd had the confidence to stand behind and sell the program to key Alcon leaders to bring it to life with impressive results.
The eyeVIP Program makes it easy to set up automated, personalized messages from doctors to patients that encourage patient compliance, reinforce the brand recommendation, and strengthen the doctor-patient relationship. Doctors benefit because regular communication keeps the doctor top of mind and builds loyalty with their patients. Patients benefit from better contact lens care and from coupons for Opti-Free RepleniSH MPDS and other products received through the program. And Alcon benefits because of the greater likelihood patients will remain loyal to Opti-Free RepleniSH and increase usage through proper compliance. The eyeVIP Program also strengthens the relationship between doctors and the sales reps who introduce the program.
The judge’s verdict: “Powerful marketing and good medicine.”
PAIN/INFLAMMATION
Jeff Dierks of Endo for Lidoderm
Jeffrey Dierks is the Senior Product Director at Endo Pharmaceuticals, where he directs marketing strategy for Lidoderm, a pain therapy product with more than $1 billion in annual gross sales. He was singled out in particular for his 2009 Patchwork of Hope Network (P.H.N.) unbranded campaign.
The goal of the P.H.N. campaign was to raise awareness of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), or after-shingles pain, a debilitating condition that strikes 200,000 Americans annually, especially women over 50. The key to Dierks’s strategy was use of third-party organizations to provide access to this audience, secure credibility, and multiply the campaign’s resources. He formalized relationships with three national organizations: National Council on Aging (NCOA), which connected him with senior centers, assisted living facilities, and YMCAs; National Pain Foundation (NPF), which provided a network of physicians; and Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA), which reached an audience of caregivers.
The campaign consisted of a series of live social/educational events located in six key markets, a national media campaign, and a newly redesigned website, www.AfterShingles.com. The site is a comprehensive online community resource on PHN, with stamps of approval from NCOA, NPF, and VNAA. The campaign culminated on the NPF-sponsored first annual PHN Awareness Day, accompanied by a multi-media tour that included 20 broadcast interviews.
“Jeff has demonstrated through a solid awareness of PHN sufferers how to build campaigns that stick,” said one of our judges. Dierks also received two internal awards at Endo in 2009: Circle of Excellence Award and Brand Team of the Year Award.
RESPIRATORY
Andrew Watson of Wockhardt for Bromfed DM
Andrew Watson, Director of Marketing at Wockhardt Pediatric Care, found the Achilles’ heel of his competition—with lethal results. Everyone knows there are dozens of generic cough and cold products sold over the counter, but not everyone knows that the vast majority of available prescription cough and cold products are marketed illegally, as they have never been FDA approved for use as prescription drugs. Of the 355 non-narcotic cough and cold products prescribed in 2008, 93% were not FDA approved.
Andrew knew these facts very well and took steps to make sure everyone else did. As the marketer of Bromfed DM, the only generic prescription antihistamine/decongestant/cough suppressant medication that is FDA approved, he undertook to drive public policy around the issue of “unapproved” products in two advertising campaigns. One—“Action Against Illegally Marketed Medicines” (AIM)—targeted parents as well as physicians and pharmacists, citing FDA warnings that unapproved cough and cold medicines and their labeling may not meet currently accepted standards and may in some cases be unsafe or ineffective. The other—“No Surrender”—focused on the FDA-approved clinical indication of Bromfed DM for use in young children in the appropriate dosage.
With a very limited budget and a focused, targeted, well-positioned message, his team was able to triple Bromfed DM’s prescription market share in about 12 months.
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Glenn MacEachern of Upsher-Smith for AmLactin, Divigel, PreNexa, and Slo-Niacin
Rising star Upsher-Smith Laboratories has a lot to be thankful for. The company has more than doubled in size since 2001 and has at the same time transformed itself from primarily a generics manufacturer to an innovative, fully integrated pharmaceutical company poised to become a significant player in women’s health and CNS.
Glenn MacEachern, Director of Product Marketing, was at the vanguard of this cultural evolution. In a generic/trade-driven company, marketing is largely a service provider to corporate and trade sales. In order to compete in new drug development in today’s market, the company recognized that it needed to become a marketing-driven organization, one in which marketers have a central role in shaping the product from inception to launch. Glenn played a major role in masterminding the transition and in designing the marketing-driven development infrastructure.
To accomplish this, he created brand planning teams drawn from medical, manufacturing, sales, and regulatory specialties. He instituted a product manager training program, complete with performance guidebook and monthly workshops. His work in women’s health included supervising the launch of menopause medication Divigel and prenatal prescription vitamin PreNexa. He’ll be launching four new-to-market brands in 2010 and 2011. He also has been a strong advocate for the use of online and social media, including AmLactin website www.littleredbumps.com, now also a delightful YouTube video.
The result has been brand awareness, market presence, and sales that rival the efforts of companies two and three times the size of Upsher-Smith. Bravo, Glenn!
—Trailblazer Award winner articles by Special Projects Editors Bruce Lacey and Andrew Matthius
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