Is Your Brand Positioned for Success with Patients?

Does your Brand need a patient positioning if you're not doing DTC? You better believe it.

In today's healthcare environment, patients are becoming more and more involved in their care across all therapeutic areas. To understand the importance of patient positioning, let’s take a lesson from the launch of CYPHER, a drug-eluting stent from Cordis Corporation, in 2003. That's right—a stent, because if you think patients have a tough time relating to a pharmaceutical Brand, what about a medical device that's actually implanted inside of them?

Usually, patients aren't aware of medical treatments that are highly specialized. But in CYPHER's case, a recent article from Reuters cited that patient Brand recognition is so high that supplies are actually running short…all in the face of no DTC marketing by J&J. The tremendous demand comes from the fact that the stent really works and, more importantly, it's been positioned that way in communication vehicles that potential patients can access. (eg, Internet.)

It seems that generating patient interest and demand doesn't have to entail sinking hundreds of millions into DTC. If you're doing anything to communicate with potential or existing patients, translating your Brand's unique professional positioning into an ownable consumer corollary is essential. It's the only way to ensure you're positioned for success with this key audience.

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