Every new year it’s only natural to reflect on change. The changes you have undergone the past year, the changes you plan to make in the new year, and even the changes you secretly hope to see but realize might be a tad unrealistic. That practice should not be limited to just individuals, but companies as well as entire industries. If you fail to properly track change, then it makes it harder to enact change when you really want to.
For the life sciences industry, the pandemic forced a lot of changes, exposed other areas in desperate need of more change, and opened the door to discussions about how else the industry is changing or could for the better. Last September, we held such a discussion with our 2021 Trailblazer Awards Brand Champions as we gathered them virtually for a roundtable—sponsored by Calcium—to really dig into the “The Changing Face of Life Sciences Marketing.” You can read exactly what unfolded as the participants focused on the positive impact of COVID-19, the need to better address underserved and minority communities, the actual effect of the many supposed industry-altering changes we have been hearing about for the last decade, and the biggest wish list items marketers would magically make happen if they had the power to change anything.
One thing that remains unchanged, however, is the creative excellence of our industry. Yes, life sciences marketers don’t have the same freedoms as those in less regulated industries, but their imaginations are just as great—if not greater. The pandemic made it necessary for marketers to think differently, and the resulting campaigns have been some of our industry’s best work. If you don’t believe me, just check out the winners of our 2021 Pharma Choice Awards.
These winners represent the most creative campaigns of 2021, but what is most significant about these awards is that they are decided on by the entire industry. More than 8,000 votes were cast by all of you to determine what campaigns were most deserving of honors. They truly represent pharma’s choice of the year’s best work.
So, take some time and reflect on the best from last year, consider everything that has and will likely change, and then let’s get to work on making this year our industry’s best ever. It’s the one resolution we should share each and every year.