Customer-Driven Positioning: The next generation approach to pharmaceutical product positioning

Current marketing research methodologies employed to ascertain the ideal brand position are inefficient and ultimately may not permit the development of truly ‘aspirational’ positioning themes.

Abstract

Establishing the pharmaceutical brand position — the advantageous location a product owns in the minds of physicians — is arguably among the most challenging components of marketing campaign development. Identifying and owning this coveted intellectual ‘real estate’ is a key determinant of success or failure, especially in today's hypercompetitive environment. Current marketing research methodologies employed to ascertain the ideal brand position are, however, inefficient and ultimately may not permit the development of truly ‘aspirational’ positioning themes. This is simply because in the course of positioning statement development, study respondents (physicians) are exposed to fully formed messages that mingle clinical and emotional benefits with ‘aspirational’ claims, often incorporating idealistic utilization demands (eg, use us first-line). The essential problem with exposing physicians to complete positioning statements is that they are unable to unravel, and thus understand and appreciate, the meaning of these complex accumulations of ideas and often reject them simply based on the ‘weakest link’ principle. This paper proposes an alternative, eminently simple approach called ‘Customer-Driven Positioning’, which more closely reflects the process by which physicians truly want to engage and learn about a new pharmaceutical product. The paper will illustrate where this process should be employed in relation to other qualitative and quantitative research techniques used in promotions development.