Apr30

Video Is the New Reality

Posted by Patrick Suler from Ogilvy CommonHealth RedWorks - Parsippany, NJ

By Patrick Suler from Ogilvy CommonHealth RedWorks - Parsippany, NJ | Published: April 30, 2013

Phone Video_ThumbnailWhen I was in college, I studied both film and philosophy. Regarding philosophy, to paraphrase Steve Martin, I remember just enough to screw me up for the rest of my life.

One of the reasons I love video is that it is a simulated reality. Although print, radio, and poetry all evoke different wonderful experiences, video feels the most like real life.

Simulated reality, though, is not reality, and that’s great! It’s better than reality. Because we can construct the world as we think it is…as we feel it is…as we wish it to be.

And as grandiose and highfalutin as that sounds, it actually applies to us quite specifically in pharma advertising. With video, we can truly bring a brand to life. That’s important. So important, I’ll say it again, this time boldfaced, and in italics:

With video, we can truly bring a brand to life.

Think about it. You can see a product in three dimensions, hear patients or doctors or scientists talk about it, portraying either personal experience, or research, or clinical trials; contemporary 3D animation is so good now, you can see on a molecular level how a compound works exactly. Video is creatively exhilarating.

Audiences these days also crave and utilize video more than ever. What’s the first thing most people do when they want to learn about anything? They look it up on YouTube. Well, they actually Google it first, but YouTube results show up at the top.

Personally, I go to YouTube for nearly everything: to check out music, to learn how to tile a floor, to watch cat videos, or to find out about particle physics. And of course I’m not the only one.

You can count on the fact that any patient or HCP will be inclined to do a search for a product. If there’s a legit-looking video there to greet them, you can count on them watching it.

What do you want to show the world about your brand?

There may be plenty of not-legit-looking videos about your product. Viewers, though, have developed a sense that crappy videos on YouTube are not very credible, and click away quickly.

High production values can deliver a huge amount of credibility to your brand. Not just a well-designed logo, but excellent lighting, good audio where you can clearly hear the voice, beautiful cinematography, innovative motion graphics, sound design…all these things bring a viewer into a world, a simulated reality, that shows experientially what a brand is like.

OK, OK, I know what you’re thinking…you’ve got a little Muse on one shoulder whispering all the cool things you could do in video, and a little Regulator on the other shoulder with a pile of ISI that will have to be attached.

Well, I say don’t worry about it!

Firstly, video producers in healthcare are quite skilled at dealing with fair balance and ISI. We know how to make it quite palatable! Secondly, consumers and HCPs have integrated safety information into their viewing experience. Pharma TV commercials are now nearing 20 years old, so some younger viewers have heard ISI their whole lives and think nothing of it.

Honestly, I’m shocked that more brands in pharma aren’t using video. The other day I went to the website for Moleskine, which makes notebooks. They’re basically a glorified stationary brand. And they have a YouTube channel. With hundreds of videos. Hundreds. About a NOTEBOOK.

Seriously, it’s a digital, digital, digital, digital, digital, digital world. There are videos all over the place. Every new business budget should have a brand video built right in. Not having a video is like not having a logo. But more importantly…

A video represents the best of what your brand can be; a video represents what your brand is, and a video places your brand firmly in the senses of the viewer, creating a powerful and lasting experience.

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Also posted in Branding, Healthcare Communications, Marketing, Video | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment
Apr25

When Will Pharmaceutical Companies Embrace Behavioral Retargeting to Drive Adherence?

Posted by James Ruiz from Ogilvy CommonHealth - NJ, North America

By James Ruiz from Ogilvy CommonHealth - NJ, North America | Published: April 25, 2013

Shopping KeyPicture this: You visit a website, add something to your shopping cart, but abandon the transaction. Maybe you are distracted or decide to shop around to get the best deal.

The next day, you’re on a different website. Suddenly an ad pops up on your screen…for that item you had in the shopping cart the day before. In your mind you’re thinking, “Wow, maybe this ad is an omen that I should buy that item?”

You’ll be relieved to learn that the ad is not an omen. It’s just “behavioral retargeting,” one of the tools that a smart marketer is leveraging to capture your attention. They want you back at their site to complete the purchase.

Digital channels can leverage relevancy (based on action and exposure) to deliver highly motivating advertising. If it works well for consumer products, how would this work for pharmaceutical brands?

The Web as a Research Tool
The Internet is used by consumers to compare prices and features. What we find online often influences both online and offline purchasing decisions. In the early days of the Internet, consumers were leery of making significant purchases online and would compare prices on the web then go to a brick-and-mortar store to make their purchase. With improved mobile technology, consumers now see and touch products in stores, only to make the purchase online. Many consumers are now willing to make major purchases online.

The prescription drug buying process is different. Some consumers see advertising for lifestyle drugs on TV and in print, go online for additional information, and ask their doctor for a prescription. If their doctor agrees, they may receive a prescription. A pharmaceutical website for a prescription drug may play a role in initial patient-doctor discussion, but it can really play a much more significant role in influencing medication adherence.

Behavioral Retargeting to Influence Good Behavior
We see many prescription drugs with elaborate, multichannel medication adherence programs that often have minimal impact on the bottom line. The reasons for this are twofold.

  1. Programs that are dependent on patients signing up tend to have very limited reach against the patient base.
  2. They often attract patients who are adherent, so there is little opportunity to increase sales. We also see programs where enrollment is driven by activating a savings card—but too often patients are unaware they joined the program and don’t engage with the communications they receive.

What if we used behavioral retargeting to increase awareness of compliance programs? Imagine if retargeting didn’t just apply to shoes and baby clothes, but also encouraged medication adherence.

Behavioral retargeting provides the ability to extend reach and deliver highly relevant adherence messages contextually, then bring consumers back to your site for deeper content. It provides an additional channel to get key adherence messages to customers who might not sign up for a program.

Then again, even if we can do it, we may not want to deliver behavioral retargeting. After all, some patients have conditions that they’d rather keep private. They may not appreciate a reminder message from a pharma company that manifests as a banner ad on their favorite website. If this is the case, such issues can easily be addressed with a simple opt-out that prevents future retargeting from the ad server.

These days, behavioral retargeting is closely associated with advanced ecommerce websites. Looking forward, it will probably become another tool for communicating with patients and healthcare professionals. Before that happens, industry thought leaders need to think carefully about how patient health information is used and retargeted across different websites, channels, and platforms.

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Also posted in adherence, advertising, Analytics, behavior change, Data, Healthcare Communications, Patient Communications, Research, Strategy | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Mar28

What Health Marketers Need to Know About Google’s Knowledge Graph

Posted by Anthony Danzi from Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide - Parsippany, North America

By Anthony Danzi from Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide - Parsippany, North America | Published: March 28, 2013

Tiger_ADDo you know Tiger Woods’ real first name? It’s Eldrick. How about his middle name? No, it’s not Serial Philanderer, it’s Tont. As a weekend hacker and golf enthusiast, I knew about Eldrick, but I had never heard Tont before.

I came across this little nugget when I did a Google search on “Tiger Woods.” In fact, if you do a search on any celebrity, historical figure, artist, movie title, geographic location, etc., the right side of Google’s page will likely display a mini bio of facts, images and links to related information.

Lipiator_AD

Google implemented this feature, which it calls the Knowledge Graph (KG), in May of last year, and it has slowly been evolving to include other verticals. At the end of November, Google got the attention of healthcare marketers when it began including brand and generic drug information into the KG, or what some in the industry have relabeled as the Medication Knowledge Graph (MKG).

MKG results are populated from three primary sources—the FDA, the National Library of Medicine, and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs—and any brand whose drug label information is sent by the manufacturer to the FDA is eligible for inclusion.

The info you’re likely to find will be:

  • Indication
  • Side Effects
  • Warnings
  • Drug Class
  • Related Medications or Related User Searches

Interestingly, there is currently no option for removal or exclusion from the MKG. And while the implications to marketers may at first seem negative—having side effects, warnings and competitor information positioned prominently against your brand—there may be positives as well. For example: the indication, which is always a challenge to present against a brand name because of fair balance requirements, is now being displayed for you. Your brand may show in the MKG of a competitive brand. Some MKG listings have a “May Treat” result, containing potential off-label uses for that drug.

As I mentioned, the format is evolving.  As users become more familiar with the MKG format, and more trusting of the info being provided, the greater the SEM/SEO challenge becomes to gain visibility in the all-important search space. Creative pharma marketers will find ways to complement or feed off of the MKG results. Those who ignore this new format will likely miss out on qualified website traffic.

And no, while we don’t yet know all there is to know about the impact of the Knowledge Graph, we do know that we need to stay in the know—know what I mean? So keep on it, I gotta run—my wife just called and said she got a provocative text message from some guy named Eldrick. Yikes!

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Mar21

Telemedicine for All – The Future of Distance Diagnosis

Posted by Maureen Ruff from Ogilvy CommonHealth Wellness Marketing, North America

By Maureen Ruff from Ogilvy CommonHealth Wellness Marketing, North America | Published: March 21, 2013

telemedSeventy-nine years and never sick a day in her life…until 79½. Diagnosis was grim: pancreatic cancer that has metastasized to the liver. Stage 4, inoperable. It rang over and over in our ears…unbelievable.

Mom wasn’t a medicine person—barely took an Advil. She wasn’t overly fond of doctors but would go when she was supposed to. So seeking out a second opinion wasn’t going to be an option. We’d be lucky if she’d try chemo. Although the oncologist she went to provided treatment options, we would never know if there was more that could have been done. Too bad we couldn’t get a second opinion; maybe a pancreatic cancer specialist could have reviewed her case—all without leaving her doctor’s office. Who knows if Mom would have gone for that, but it would have been a great option when seemingly all hope was gone.

Luckily, for those who do want it, telemedicine is here and provides patients exactly that option.  Without traveling out of state or even out of your doctor’s office, patients can now connect with specialists anywhere across the globe for diagnosis, treatment regimens, or guidance when the news is, well, unbelievable.

Understanding Telemedicine

The best doctor for your condition might not be in your neighborhood, but rather across the country. Imagine if you live in New Jersey but the thought leader is located in San Francisco. It might not be feasible for you to hop on an airplane, but with the click of a mouse you might be able to gain a diagnosis. Imagine a doctor in Chicago asking a child in Florida to open wide and say “ahhh”—this is happening today because of the new technologies and advanced healthcare networks that are making telemedicine a likely future for patients and healthcare professionals.

But many ask, is this too good to be true? Telemedicine is rapidly growing and is becoming a cost-effective alternative to the more traditional face-to-face way of providing medical care. Although it may take a few moments to get used to speaking to a TV monitor versus speaking to your doctor in person, the assessment can be as real as speaking to your physician face to face.

Patients may not feel comfortable without the typical hands-on, in-office experience they were once used to. However, now telemedicine opens doors to gain the expertise of a doctor who specializes in your disease state—although he or she might not actually be in your “state.”

Distance Diagnosis
How is it done, you may ask? Technology such as cameras and screens are making it affordable and effective for doctors to examine patients without actually being there. More hospitals and medical practices are adopting these techniques, finding that they save money and for some patients work as well as flesh-and-blood visits.

Right now, telemedicine may seem a bit futuristic and perhaps too expensive for the average patient. But historically, technology decreases in price over time, so telemedicine may become a way for patients to get better care for less money. Maintaining a convenient office location with a large support staff may no longer make sense for busy physicians. They may move to a model where they can serve patients in need from anywhere in the world.

In fact, actually seeing a physician face to face may become an optional recommendation determined by your doctor.

The question remains: does or will telemedicine change the outcomes for future patients? Would it have made a difference for Mom? Maybe. We’ll never really know, but it is certainly starting to change medicine for today’s patients. Earlier detection, less upfront guesswork, and leveraging the best resources might just start to shift healthcare in the direction of, well, the patient’s health. Today, patients AND doctors have access to the information and expertise to deliver the best possible treatment…no matter where they happen to be.

So, when the doctor you need is hundreds of miles away, you may just need to pick up the remote, aim it at the flat-screen TV and say “ahhh” into the camera. The good news is the “doctor is in” and your results are only a click away.

Also posted in Great Ideas, Health & Wellness, Technology, telemedicine | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment
Mar18

SXSW 2013: Bad Behavior – the Saga of SXSW

Posted by John Nosta from OCH Specialty Marketing - NJ, North America

By John Nosta from OCH Specialty Marketing - NJ, North America | Published: March 18, 2013

sxsw logoAs you act, so you become

Health and digital health are emerging themes at this year’s SXSW.  The chatter is robust, the personalities many, and the health and fitness devices ubiquitous.  The behavior is also legendary.  One notable tweet was: “SXSW is a fountain of knowledge where all go to drink!”  And while this is partly true, it’s the behavior that really got my attention this year—but not what you think.

My observations were around health behavior as it relates to the digital health movement that is taking hold at SXSW.  The “device” was clearly embraced by the attendees.  From higi to dosIQ, the technological mechanics and theories seem to be in place to transform your smartphone to a wellness device that’s going to save your life.  At least, that’s the desired impact.  But it all seems to hinge on this huge leap of faith—will people really do it?

I’m not sure.

Communication must empower innovation

The success of digital health is a function of both technology and a story well told.  We all know about the Higgs particle.  It’s the biggest discovery in physics in the last 100 years.  Some even call it the “God Particle.”  But I challenge anyone to provide a brief description of any aspect of this innovative discovery.  Simply put, there’s a disconnect between the discovery and the relevance.  Similarly, I’m afraid that the mishmash of health devices has become more of a novelty than a true innovation.  And while CERN, the lab that discovered the Higgs particle, continues to receive praise, so do the likes of device manufacturers such as Scanadu, Misfit Wearables, and Fitbit.

Understanding the nature of the health dialogue and how it impacts outcomes is an essential part of the digital health journey.  The complicated discussion of disease is already largely broken in the physician’s office.  And adding to this complexity is the “sell” of digital health.  And conversely, the hectic and often confused lifestyle of a patient (I’m not talking about the fitness freak, where adoption is much simpler) doesn’t bode well for engagement and learning.

So, maybe we need to add a few more presentations at next year’s SXSW around driving the correct behavior when it comes to digital health.  The technology side of the equation seems to be coming together, but the human side is still a bit unclear.  “Build it and they will come” doesn’t always apply to health.  And digital health is no exception, regardless of how cool or sexy.

Check out OCHWW’s other SXSW 2013 blog posts:

SXSW 2013: Small Data in a World of Big Data

SXSW 2013: How Zombies Are Helping Us Get Fit

SXSW 2013: BIG Data and Personal Technology at SXSW

SXSW 2013: The Mobile Healthcare Revolution

SWSW 2013: Empty Information Calories

 

Also posted in Apps, behavior change, Health & Wellness, SXSW Interactive, Technology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment
Mar12

SXSW 2013: The Mobile Healthcare Revolution

Posted by Martha Walz from Ogilvy CommonHealth, Parsippany, NJ

By Martha Walz from Ogilvy CommonHealth, Parsippany, NJ | Published: March 12, 2013

Fitness+AppMobile has come to healthcare, and in a big way. From digital healthcare products that created a buzz at CES in January to innovative new fitness apps on display at SXSW this week, it’s clear to see that mobile technology will change the way we manage our health. But it also has the potential to revolutionize healthcare globally.

mHealth apps have the potential to improve patients’ quality of life while at the same time reducing healthcare costs. Remote monitoring of patients will reduce the need for face-to-face consultations, saving patients time and money. Electronic health records (EHRs) save on administrative costs for practices and hospitals. Mobile technology can also help save lives in situations where typically nothing can be done. For instance, a mobile heart monitor allowed a doctor to diagnose heart conditions in passengers in-flight on two separate occasions over the past two years–http://bit.ly/WOFeFt. In one case, he diagnosed the passenger as having a heart attack, which led to the pilot making an emergency landing so the passenger could receive treatment.

While a lot of mHealth focuses on such advanced apps and technologies, simple SMS messages can have a great impact on healthcare as well. SMS appointment reminders can reduce the incidence of missed appointments, while text reminders can increase compliance for patients undergoing treatment for chronic conditions.

TxtAlert, an open source project developed by Praekelt Foundation, has exclusively been used for over two years to send antiretroviral treatment reminders to patients in South Africa. According to a report from GSMA and PricewaterhouseCoopers, the success has been resounding with missed appointment rates declining from 27% to 4%. Additionally, SIMpill, a medication management system that detects noncompliance with medication regimens, uses SMS reminders. Results showed 94% compliance in a tuberculosis trial and a 92% cure rate.

Increased compliance and cure rates coupled with lower costs and less hassle for patients is a perfect recipe for patients and healthcare providers alike to adopt mobile solutions in healthcare. This mobile healthcare revolution has the potential to lead to a much higher quality of life for people the world over.

Check out OCHWW’s other SXSW 2013 blog posts:

SXSW 2013: Small Data in a World of Big Data

SXSW 2013: How Zombies Are Helping Us Get Fit

SXSW 2013: BIG Data and Personal Technology at SXSW

SXSW 2013: Bad Behavior – the Saga of SXSW

SXSW 2013: Empty Information Calories

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Also posted in Apps, Health & Wellness, Social Media, SXSW Interactive, Technology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment
Mar11

SXSW 2013: BIG Data and Personal Technology at SXSW

Posted by Matt Balogh from Ogilvy CommonHealth, Parsippany, NJ

By Matt Balogh from Ogilvy CommonHealth, Parsippany, NJ | Published: March 11, 2013

4153048(2)Big data isn’t new. We’ve been talking about it for years. What’s new is where it’s coming from and what we’re doing with it.

When it comes to personal information, the term big data used to be synonymous with Big Brother. Google, DoubleClick, pretty much anything you did online was tracked, categorized, and sold. The value exchange wasn’t there (or at least it wasn’t obvious)—so people resisted.

Today that’s not the case. Big data is still there, but we have a new rallying call: context. A personalized layer of technology is built on the aggregate data of yesterday and then combined with personalized data of today linked to deliver real value to users.

The wearable technology that generates personal data is a huge theme at #SXSW this year. Nike has Nike+ and the FuelBand to measure track activity, Oakley has Airwaves for real-time feedback to skiers, Artefact created a Pilates shirt that monitors body position, Google has Project Glass (which we all know), and now a live-feedback talking shoe.

Personal data stemming from mobile technology is in ready supply.  Think of all the things you tell your smartphone.  We list our friends and family in our contacts, we search and browse the Web for things that interest us, and we have favorite apps like Facebook we use all the time. Facebook alone captures tons of data on our likes, dislikes, interests, birthday, and several other demographics.  Gimbal, a mobile contextualization platform dubbed the “digital 6th sense” released by Qualcomm last year, does more than just track you—it uses this data to learn about you.

Indirectly, these devices come standard with a plethora of sensors. Our phones know where we are at all times, how fast we’re moving, in what direction, and at what elevation. They know where we came from, how long we stayed, and where we went next. All that plus the option to add even more personal sensors. Fitbit will track both your activity and your sleep; iHealth tracks your weight, blood pressure, heart rate, body fat, muscle mass, blood glucose, pulse oximetry, and much more.

These devices know everything from who our friends are to what food we like and what’s happening in our own bodies. And because we have begun experiencing the value of the data they collect, we’re okay with it.

Big data isn’t new. What’s new are the wearable and mobile technologies we use to track, optimize, and augment our daily lives.  We no longer fight big data, we contribute to it.

As the SXSW presenters of the Sensor Technologies: The Future of Health talk asked, can you imagine a world in which all your physiologic parameters were measured, monitored, and managed in such a way that you always maintain perfect health?  That world may be just around the corner.

Check out OCHWW’s other SXSW 2013 blog posts:

SXSW 2013: How Zombies Are Helping Us Get Fit

SXSW 2013: Small Data in a World of Big Data

SXSW 2013: The Mobile Healthcare Revolution

SXSW 2013: Bad Behavior – the Saga of SXSW

SXSW 2013: Empty Information Calories

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Questions? Comments? You can contact the author directly at blog@ochww.com.
Please allow 24 hours for response.

Also posted in behavior change, Data, Health & Wellness, Healthcare Communications, Social Media, SXSW Interactive, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Mar8

SXSW 2013: How Zombies Are Helping Us Get Fit

Posted by Martha Walz from Ogilvy CommonHealth, Parsippany, NJ

By Martha Walz from Ogilvy CommonHealth, Parsippany, NJ | Published: March 8, 2013

Zombies Running_1Zombies seem to be everywhere these days, from the big screen (Zombieland, 28 Days Later)  to the small screen (The Walking Dead), to the smallest screen (Plants vs. Zombies). And now they are invading our fitness regimes as well, thanks to a new app, Zombies, Run!, an app that combines immersive storytelling with video game play to make exercise a fun and exciting adventure.

Many mobile apps “gamify” fitness—applying  game-design thinking, turning exercise into points to make it a game. Many companies employ similar fitness competitions at their workplaces, using the number of steps taken per day, number of minutes exercised per week, or percentage of weight lost over a pre determined period of time. Apps take this a step further by adding a social component, encouraging users to add their friends to see how they stack up against them.

Some apps take it to the next level by integrating social media, allowing users to post their progress to their favorite social networks. That social component adds an element of accountability: if Joe posts that his goal is to run a 5K in three months and posts his daily runs on Facebook, his friends become invested in his success as well. If Joe is tired at the end of the workday and wants to skip his run, he might think twice, knowing that his friends are aware of his goal and might ask why he didn’t run that day. Sometimes this accountability is the extra kick that’s needed to decide to tough out a workout instead of scrapping it.

But back to the zombies. Zombies, Run! adds yet one more element to the mix: immersive storytelling. The setup is that you are Runner 5, and hundreds of people are counting on you to save them from zombies. The story is delivered through your headphones while running, and you have 33 missions to choose from, allowing for different speeds and types of workout. On the run, you collect items that you need for your base, and when you are done with your run, you can use these items in the app to rebuild your base. With this app, you become the hero of a story that continues each time you lace up for a run.

The creators of Zombies, Run! are speaking about this innovative new approach this weekend at SXSW. They believe that adding this extra level of entertainment to fitness apps might be the next big thing in digitally tracking personal health. Making exercise fun is exactly what the average American needs to get off the couch and get moving. And if zombies can’t do it, I’m not sure anything can.

Check out OCHWW’s other SXSW 2013 blog posts:

SXSW 2013: Small Data in a World of Big Data

SXSW 2013: The Mobile Healthcare Revolution

SXSW 2013: BIG Data and Personal Technology at SXSW

SXSW 2013: Bad Behavior – the Saga of SXSW

SXSW 2013: Empty Information Calories

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Also posted in behavior change, Health & Wellness, Healthcare Communications, Social Media, SXSW Interactive, Technology | Tagged , , , , | 1 Response
Feb20

Jump Into the Petri Dish

Posted by Dan Chichester from Ogilvy Healthworld-NY, North America

By Dan Chichester from Ogilvy Healthworld-NY, North America | Published: February 20, 2013

sxsw logo

What’s the proper armamentarium when it comes to healthcare marketing and digital?

Innovation reports? Transmedia projections? Paradigm framework event horizons? Phased plasma rifles in the 40-watt range?

All may play a role. But I put forward that the most important tool is a firm belief in a simple axiom:

“You don’t know what you don’t know.”

That’ll keep you humble. That’ll keep you honest. Most keen, that’ll keep you hungry. And there’s no better place to find out what you don’t know in digital—and be inspired by the new knowledge that comes with those revelations—than SXSW Interactive.

“SXSW”—South by Southwest, or simply “South by” to vets—is the biggest conference of its kind in the world. Held every March in Austin, Texas, this “geek spring break” is an active incubator for leading-edge concepts and emerging tech. Last year, 25,000+ programmers, educators, designers, bloggers, and influencers took part in 1,000+ presentations, meetups and workshops.

With a crazy variety of programming, SXSW has been called a “big picture analysis of the future.” And as tech entrepreneur Geoffrey Clapp notes, SXSW refreshingly provides a “healthy dose of technologists, futurists, and thinkers who don’t start the conversation with: ‘But the FDA will never let us do that!’”

That doesn’t mean pursuing a compelling trend in spite of regulatory concerns. Experience provides the proper filters and balance. But achieving the potential of our clients’ brands means being energized and active in this critical area.

How does this compare to your typical healthcare web conferences? Web consultant Ed Bennett calls out most of those events as “3 to 5 years behind the curve. At SXSW, I’m seeing 3 to 5 years out.” Me, I’ve always liked the angle of living in the future, challenged and exposed to new ways of keeping the neurons firing. Plus I dig the idea of owning a personal jetpack.

At Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, digital—laptops, tablets, smartphones, websites, apps or whatzits yet to be conjured — is the critical cornerstone for our next-gen biz. That’s sympatico with the words of web strategist Jeremiah Owyang: “With engagement experiments everywhere you look, SXSW is a petri dish of social and interactive behaviors, a bellwether of what could be…” I was never much good at math—but even I can multiply those two thoughts to see there’s enormous potential in being in Austin in March.

That’s why we’ve committed to participating in this “serendipitous living lab.” There’s a deliberate chaos at work that fosters connections that weren’t expected. Our troops on the ground are there to forge new relationships with digital stakeholders, garnering dynamic insights into what’s next—and exploring ways that our pharma and healthcare partners can take advantage. This is where we can hammer and hone our expertise, test bold ideas, and share thought leadership to the health and wellness discussions rising up at South by.

As evidence of that: SXSW’s highly competitive panel selection process picked not just one, but two of our presentations to be featured sessions at the 2013 show: Digital Primitives—The Anthropology of Social, by Brad Davidson and Rob Malouf; and Information Overload & Health Decisions, hosted by Joe Gattuso and John Nosta. Watch this space: they will be sharing details on these very interesting conversations in the weeks leading up to SXSW.

This isn’t an event for every agency. The buzz isn’t always accurate. The noise level can be overwhelming. Up against that, some marketers may conclude that the comfort zone of business-as-usual has an easy, “We’ve got this!” appeal. Until that buffer erodes—quickly—and hanging back becomes left behind.

That’s not a position we’ve ever been willing to take. That’s what makes our investment in SXSW so worth it. To learn what we don’t know. To debate possibilities. To level up. To make certain our contribution to each client’s business features the right piece of the future.

If your calendar doesn’t feature SXSW Interactive this year, don’t feel left out. We will be glad to catch you up—in person, or via WebEx. More than a recap, we can also make this about identifying opportunities for your company and brand at the 2014 show. Let me know and we’ll set it up.

And if you do find yourself in Austin between March 8th and 12th, shoot me a note, text or tweet. I can always use a good collaborator on getting that jetpack fired up.

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Also posted in advertising, Healthcare Communications, Marketing, Social Media, SXSW Interactive, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Feb15

Catch Us if You Can: Part 1

Posted by Maria Colicchio from Ogilvy CommonHealth Wellness Marketing - NJ, North America

By Maria Colicchio from Ogilvy CommonHealth Wellness Marketing - NJ, North America | Published: February 15, 2013

photo 3Co-authored by Maria Colicchio and Courtney Kober from Ogilvy CommonHealth Wellness Marketing – Parsippany, NJ

A stereotypical image that normally comes to mind when someone mentions “Millennials” or “Gen Y” is a young adult (born after 1980) who is up to their ears in debt from student loans; either unemployed, lazy or working a part-time job that doesn’t utilize their expensive college degree; spends most of their time distracted online or on their phone; lives in their parents’ basement; plays video games; and is delaying both marriage and buying their first home.

Now, we’re not going to lie….this is true for a select few Millennials, but let us tell you how it really is– you may think you know Millennials, but trust us, you don’t.  Read on if you’d like to learn more.

Technology

  • I’m plugged in at all times. And by plugged in, I mean I’m connected to a multitude of Internet-enabled devices, and usually using 2 or 3 screens at the same time: my work PC, my personal MacBook®, an iPhone®, an iPad®, or my Kindle®. Not to mention I can access YouTube, among other things, via my Internet-enabled TV. This connectivity satisfied a need for instant gratification and I’ve grown up with this ability to multitask. My parents might ask how I’m able to focus on a TV show and surf the Web, but it’s just engrained in me.
  • My life is online. And it doesn’t creep me out. But, just because my life is online doesn’t mean I’ll grant the world access to it. I have layers of privacy settings in place so that specific groups of people can see specific parts of my online life. If I’ve chosen to share with you, you can find albums from my graduation, to social gatherings, to my wedding online.
  • I don’t have a landline in my house. I had one briefly as part of a 3-for deal, but ditched it when I moved. If I have to provide contact information for, say, a loyalty program, I have an arsenal of fake phone numbers to give out. I maintain a similar level of privacy with email. I have multiple levels of junk email accounts, and rarely give out my primary email – which I use to Gchat, Google hangout, or email close friends and family.

Money & Managing It

  • Are Millennials struggling? While there’s certainly a significant group of young people who are stressed financially, there are also plenty of affluent young professionals who have accumulated a nice net worth. Now, if you ask Baby Boomers, they will tell you that young people often spend their money without thinking about the long-term implications and buy “silly” items like the latest gadgets and shoes that cost only God knows how much!?! But, the reality is 8 in 10 Millennials save a third (32 percent) of their monthly income.
  • Budgeting. Here’s a little secret I’ll let you in on: Millennials like to manage a budget via credit/debit card because it’s easier and everything is trackable through online banking or apps. Plus, nobody carries that much cash on them anymore.
  • I’ll admit it, I don’t know everything. So, I haven’t completely figured out how this whole personal finance thing really works. But I do take full advantage of the free financial tools available–my personal favorite is Mint.com. The question is whether other Millennials have the willpower to take control over their financial situations, and I happen to think we do.

Purchasing

  • I don’t need to touch the items that I buy. Contrary to other generations, I don’t feel the need to touch or try out things that I buy. I’m more than happy to make a purchase online and am more likely to trust the recommendation of strangers, as opposed to my friends. I’m comfortable ordering food, clothing, or homeware from an online merchant, as long as they have a good return policy.
  • I love a good deal. But, doesn’t everybody? The difference between my generation and others is the way we find deals. I research pricing in depth–combing several sites for cost comparisons and cross-checking against product reviews. If I’m at home, I’ve got several browser windows open, checking a variety of factors before settling into a purchase. Or, if I’m at the mall, I’ll trek between several stores to find the best deal. You can bet I’ve also scanned a potential item into my phone to research prices, see if better deals exist online (coupon codes!) or if there are any major negative reviews.
  • Food shopping is a breeze. As a Millennial, I’ve become accustomed to quick food shopping. My grocery list is saved in an app that categorizes food by aisle, making it easy to maneuver around the store without trekking back and forth between aisles. With handheld (or even mobile device) scanning, I scan and bag as I go, which means I don’t have to ever wait in line at the checkout. If I’m in a jam, I can even quickly send the grocery list that I’ve saved in-app to my store, and they’ll deliver the groceries to my door.
  • Don’t ignore me. Millennials have the largest potential for spending–over $200 billion in spending power, according to Kelton Research. So, while I do like to be thrifty, if I set my mind to it, I can absolutely purchase large or luxury items.

Stay tuned for Catch Us if You Can: Part 2

Other great articles on Millennials to check out:

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