Every little helps

Shaheed Peera
Creative Director



Japan. 



You just have to see that one word. 



And your heart sinks.



Like most people, I couldn't even begin to imagine how painful it must be to see your whole world torn apart.

Fundraiser.

One word that instils hope. 



And above all, shows we all still care.



So for our agency fundraiser day, we've come up with a simple thought. 



Next Friday, we're going to give our staff the option to add £1 to their bill in our canteen.



That £1 will be given directly to the Japan disaster fund.



And to spread the word we've made this poster.

When I thought about the simplicity of our idea and the ad.



It seemed a shame to not share this with the rest of the country.



There are a lot of businesses (of all shapes and sizes) out there, who could do exactly what we're doing.

So, I'm proud to say that today we’ve launched:

http://publicislifebrands.co.uk/japan

Anyone can go to the site, download the poster for free, and start raising money for the Japan disaster fund.

We'll keep you posted on how our day goes.

Big hugs,
Shaheed

Living in a digital world

Nick Bartlett
Digital Strategy Director

Sitting reading all the blogs, tweets, awards and press coverage of digital marketing in the pharmaceutical industry you might be led to believe that we’re actually at the forefront of this dynamic industry, showing other B2B industries and even some of those consumer wannabes how it’s done.

With so much back slapping going on it’s easy to get distracted. The bright lights of digital seem to have distracted many from the end game. Patient groups remain aggressively independent online and doctors groups highly cynical of pharma’s digital engagement. Strategies seem to evolve around the same old game of pushing information at an audience in the hope that some will engage. Luckily for us, the fact that it’s now on an ipad guarantees results!

Until we approach digital planning with a long term attitude, one that is based on a philosophy of engagement, listening and understanding we stand little chance of maximising the opportunity that digital offers.

Wanting to “own” a brand’s digital space crops up in far too many briefing conversations and is indicative of the approach that needs to change. Digital marketing is not about the brand owning anything, it’s about what that brand can do for its customers using the digital tools available.

Getting to grips with your brand’s Online Value Proposition is the key to unlocking its potential and to do that you need to take a breath, listen, think and then act. What can your digital strategy offer that no other marketing avenue can? The old adage of “ready, fire, aim” still holds true in pharmaceutical digital marketing, hence we have a lot of great looking tactical outcomes but few that add long term value to the brand, its customers or indeed its patients to.

The secret equity in digital marketing is for brands to get to grips with the language of its online self. When a brand takes its time to understand the meaning of its digital language, the words, their meaning to all groups, its context, the gaps in conversations, connections, grammar, negatives, syntaxes, then your every strategic move is built on a foundation of knowledge and strength.

There’s no awards for language, no apps, no widgets but then our online communities aren’t interested in that. Pharmaceutical digital marketing needs to decide what it’s most interested in.