Mapping the e-Pharma Landscape -- Who's Doing What in Pharma Social Media
More than 430 million people talk on Facebook. Another 60 million people tweet on Twitter. Millions more chatter on YouTube, MySpace, Windows Life and instant messaging.
In short, the universe of social media is hyper-connected, wired up and buzzing. Ever evolving, converging and developing, social media and its users have become—despite the phenomenal diversity of their demographic profile—a staging ground for marketing and communications platforms. Yet despite the opportunities it presents, not all in the pharmaceutical industry have effectively taken up the challenge.
Although 95 per cent of the top 20 companies have at least one staging ground in social media—seven have their own iPhone applications—30 per cent of the top 50 companies have no presence at all. Yet the impetus is growing. Led by companies such as Novartis, which has the largest number of social media sites and followed by AstraZeneca, Bayer and Johnson&Johnson, the top 20 companies have secured an 85 per cent successful uptake through Twitter, followed by Facebook (65 per cent) and YouTube (60 per cent).
The result? Social media is being shaped not just by its users—but by those who connect with them.
Key insights from expert sources
Commanding a sweeping view of the e-pharma landscape, FirstWord’s authoritative report explores the terrain of the social media universe from its changing population and their habits, to the ways in which the top 50 drug company’s Web 2.0 campaigns are evolving with them. Based on wide ranging statistical and narrative analysis, and updating FirstWord’s best-selling social media trilogy, Mapping the e-Pharma Landscape: who’s doing what in Pharma social media focuses its attention squarely on specific social media platforms, as well as new initiatives and campaigns over the past three months.
The report reviews the most up to date social media activity to determine:
The report
PULL OUT QUOTES
“Social media platforms are converging. Facebook is currently testing a new feature that is designed to enable posts on its network to be automatically published on Twitter. Although Facebook have not said when this new feature will become available, it is rumoured to be imminent.”
“Large hospitals and clinics have been early proponents of the social media revolution, quickly seeing its potential as a marketing tool. Since August 8, 2009, the number of hospitals using social media has increased by 54 percent to reach 540 hospitals.”
“It is perhaps no surprise that drug companies are beginning to look at taking advantage of i-Phone applications in order to communicate to a wider audience. According to research forecasts produced by the Yankee Group, by 2013, smart phone app downloads are expected to reach seven billion and generate approximately $4.2 billion in revenue for the likes of Apple, Research in Motion, Nokia and Verizon.”
In short, the universe of social media is hyper-connected, wired up and buzzing. Ever evolving, converging and developing, social media and its users have become—despite the phenomenal diversity of their demographic profile—a staging ground for marketing and communications platforms. Yet despite the opportunities it presents, not all in the pharmaceutical industry have effectively taken up the challenge.
Although 95 per cent of the top 20 companies have at least one staging ground in social media—seven have their own iPhone applications—30 per cent of the top 50 companies have no presence at all. Yet the impetus is growing. Led by companies such as Novartis, which has the largest number of social media sites and followed by AstraZeneca, Bayer and Johnson&Johnson, the top 20 companies have secured an 85 per cent successful uptake through Twitter, followed by Facebook (65 per cent) and YouTube (60 per cent).
The result? Social media is being shaped not just by its users—but by those who connect with them.
Key insights from expert sources
Commanding a sweeping view of the e-pharma landscape, FirstWord’s authoritative report explores the terrain of the social media universe from its changing population and their habits, to the ways in which the top 50 drug company’s Web 2.0 campaigns are evolving with them. Based on wide ranging statistical and narrative analysis, and updating FirstWord’s best-selling social media trilogy, Mapping the e-Pharma Landscape: who’s doing what in Pharma social media focuses its attention squarely on specific social media platforms, as well as new initiatives and campaigns over the past three months.
The report reviews the most up to date social media activity to determine:
- Which social media platforms are most receptive to e-pharma’s presence
- Statistical trends within the social media demographic
- Which pharmaceutical companies are gaining a foothold on the new territory—and how
The report
- Taps into the evolving social media universe to establish trends, opportunities and outcomes
- Determines which top 50 pharmaceutical companies have established a solid e-presence and which have yet to break ground
- Offers the latest statistical and narrative analysis of e-pharma’s efforts in social media as well as in-depth articles on the FDA’s social media hearing and the implications of SideWiki for the industry
- Includes complete breakdowns on e-pharma’s outreach on a range of platforms, including branded, sponsored community forums
- Includes case studies from e-pharma leaders such as AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Sanofi-aventis and the Cleveland Clinic
- Summarizes the key areas of interest being discussed by leading social media commentators
PULL OUT QUOTES
“Social media platforms are converging. Facebook is currently testing a new feature that is designed to enable posts on its network to be automatically published on Twitter. Although Facebook have not said when this new feature will become available, it is rumoured to be imminent.”
“Large hospitals and clinics have been early proponents of the social media revolution, quickly seeing its potential as a marketing tool. Since August 8, 2009, the number of hospitals using social media has increased by 54 percent to reach 540 hospitals.”
“It is perhaps no surprise that drug companies are beginning to look at taking advantage of i-Phone applications in order to communicate to a wider audience. According to research forecasts produced by the Yankee Group, by 2013, smart phone app downloads are expected to reach seven billion and generate approximately $4.2 billion in revenue for the likes of Apple, Research in Motion, Nokia and Verizon.”
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter
Coming of age for social networking sites?
Convergence
Other new features
Facebook
What does this mean for pharmaceutical companies?
ROUND-UP
Pharmaceutical Companies
Boehringer Ingelheim
AstraZeneca
Novartis – a change of heart?
Pfizer – becoming more social?
Healthcare Professionals (HCPs)
Hospitals and clinics
News & research
Summary of key industry commentators
FDA Hearing on social media
FDA Hearing news & initiatives
New sites launched
SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS – DRUG COMPANIES
Twitter
Table 1: Top 50 Pharmaceutical companies on Twitter
YouTube
Table 2: Top 50 pharmaceutical companies on YouTube
Facebook
Table 3: Top 50 pharmaceutical companies/brands on Facebook
Brand-sponsored patient communities
Table 4: Brand-sponsored patient communities
Highest number of social media sites?
Most popular social media format?
Apple iPhone Applications
Table 5: Top 50 pharmaceutical companies that have released iPhone applications
IN-DEPTH
Google
Google’s “FDA Friendly” ads
Sidewiki
“IN THE SPOTLIGHT”
AstraZeneca
Boehringer Ingelheim
sanofi-aventis
Cleveland Clinic
GLOSSARY
SOCIAL MEDIA
Coming of age for social networking sites?
Convergence
Other new features
What does this mean for pharmaceutical companies?
ROUND-UP
Pharmaceutical Companies
Boehringer Ingelheim
AstraZeneca
Novartis – a change of heart?
Pfizer – becoming more social?
Healthcare Professionals (HCPs)
Hospitals and clinics
News & research
Summary of key industry commentators
FDA Hearing on social media
FDA Hearing news & initiatives
New sites launched
SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS – DRUG COMPANIES
Table 1: Top 50 Pharmaceutical companies on Twitter
YouTube
Table 2: Top 50 pharmaceutical companies on YouTube
Table 3: Top 50 pharmaceutical companies/brands on Facebook
Brand-sponsored patient communities
Table 4: Brand-sponsored patient communities
Highest number of social media sites?
Most popular social media format?
Apple iPhone Applications
Table 5: Top 50 pharmaceutical companies that have released iPhone applications
IN-DEPTH
Google’s “FDA Friendly” ads
Sidewiki
“IN THE SPOTLIGHT”
AstraZeneca
Boehringer Ingelheim
sanofi-aventis
Cleveland Clinic
GLOSSARY
