We are delighted to introduce Michelle Bridgman who brings along with her 10 years of experience working as a Pharmaceutical Brand Marketer with Prescription Medicines, OTCs and Medical Devices. Michelle understands well the benefits and importance of cross-functional working and discusses this here in more detail and from a Marketing perspective.
We are all aware that pharmaceutical marketing teams must comply with a number of guidance documents, processes and the Code of Practice – in spirit and to the letter. All promotional or non-promotional activities online, in person or printed are reviewed and approved by a medic with the intended audience in mind. As a Pharmaceutical Brand Marketer, I always strive to deliver a visually eye-catching campaign but with substantiated claims and clinical data to support the brand, creating a strong proposition for my customers, but how does a marketer get to the end result with a tangible item to share?
Whether I am creating a promotional sales aid, website or packaging for the brand, my work is the result of collaboration and cross-functional working. Whilst I know what I want to achieve and how I will do it, I’ll always look for advice from my colleagues in their areas of expertise. I need to understand and discuss details of any regulatory restrictions that could have an impact. I need medical advisers to share their preference on how we navigate the ABPI Code and to ensure we are recommending the best treatment plans and providing the level of detail that a patient will require.
In the case of medicinal packaging design there are several requirements – other than a few differences for small labels and different types of medicines, the information to be included is not negotiable. The level of detail varies depending on the legal classification of the product and this is where guidance from my regulatory colleagues is necessary. They understand the intricacies of the licences held, the current legal requirements and any possible upcoming changes that might affect the packaging.
Working cross-functionally, with all departments in a company gives me the opportunity to learn what is important to each team. I can tailor internal communications to be relevant and timely, gaining buy-in for the brand and support for my role in the company’s success. I’m continuously working with agencies who create the finished items so my briefs must be clear and formed using the guidance and feedback from my colleagues early in the project. Internal acceptance is needed if you really want to demonstrate the commitment a company makes to a brand, in turn leading to customer engagement. After all, marketers are a friendly bunch and we strive to deliver passionate, quality communications every time to support the products we know have such a life changing potential for some patients.