Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November/December 2007 - (Page 58)

58 Last Word Nov/Dec 2007 Pharmaceutical Executive Europe Pharm Exec Europe 2.0 Kevin McGeehan discusses the paradigm shift in modern communication, and details how Pharm Exec Europe is staying ahead of the wave. s the incoming publisher of Pharm Exec Europe, one can’t help but note the tidal wave of articles being submitted to the magazine that give reference to the digital revolution’s impact on the industry, as well as offering practical advice to those who want, or indeed need, to embrace a new way of working. The whole structure of the working process, from purchasing goods and services to communicating with patients and regulators, has undergone a complete transformation in the last decade or so. In this issue, for example, we have Lynn O’Connor Vos (page 50) not only extolling the virtues of digital communication, but urging companies to facilitate a change of mindset and of employee skill sets, to adapt and develop to get on board this bullet express train. A The first rule of effective marketing is to ask your customers what they want; the second, not to forget to give it to them Terry Wilcox (page 52) details the improved efficiency and transparency, not to mention cost effectiveness, which can be achieved when a pharma company adopts a fully electronic procurement system. In recent months, other Pharm Exec Europe articles have revisited IT training, explored the concept of online consumers as the new key opinion leaders and looked at how pharma marketers can deliver more effective web videos. In the UK last month, more than 1.4 million adults (not kids) downloaded and listened to podcasts. Faster broadband, as well as the increased quantity and quality of online videos available for download, have enabled this. A recent Ofcom report stated that average daily web use has risen by 158% in the past four years; the over-50s account for nearly 30% of total time spent online. The Internet is now officially the fastest growing medium — it will attract 6.5% of all advertising in 2008, against 4.5% in 2005. Advertisers go where the readers are! The first rule of effective marketing is to ask your customers what they want and the second rule is not to forget to give them what they want — that’s what we at PEE are doing (our “customers” in this case being the readers of this title): almost 90% of our readers have given us their email addresses to receive our content online, and starting in January, we wave goodbye to print; we will be publishing PEE as a series of digital ezines and we have upgraded our website, www.pharmexeceurope.com. We all know about Web 2.0 and the social networking sites that turn readers into columnists, allowing them truly to interact with and contribute to the content they consume. Typical readers of this title are chief executives and senior board members of leading pharma companies, such as Pfizer and Novartis; they demand to have their news and its analysis instantly, as well as to be able to click to a service or product provider’s web site for more information and to action their decisions immediately, rather than wait for the dutiful postman to turn up (or not) each month. As in politics, a week is a long time in the world’s largest industry. The medium lends itself to more than just delivering a direct response; it builds brands too. This new format is essential and unique in its ability to gather and interpret valid, authenticated information and data, and for communicating in a creative manner a company’s message in a targeted and highly relevant way. Exciting times lie ahead. I am thrilled to be on board with PEE, and look forward to helping the brand around the myriad of digital possibilities that this new era of publishing will bring. ■ About the Author Kevin McGeehan is the associate publisher of Pharmaceutical Executive Europe. He can be contacted on kmcgeehan@advanstar.com or +44 208 956 2671. http://www.pharmexeceurope.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November/December 2007

Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November/December 2007
Contents
From the Editor
News and Analysis
Calendar
Brussels Report
A Year in Pharma
Working With IQWiG
Developing Strategies for Developing Countries
Due Pharmacovigilance
Streamlining Synergies
A New Europe for CROs
The Mix
Last Word

Pharmaceutical Executive Europe - November/December 2007