Humanism in Pharmaceutical Marketing: Insights from Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’s Silent Message to Pharma Brand Managers {Part 2}
Preamble
In the sacred land of India, reverence extends beyond the animate. Inanimate objects have profound spiritual significance. This is a special part of our Indian culture.
On the auspicious Vijayadashami, soldiers worship their firearms. A poignant reminder of their duty to protect our motherland! They do this to express gratitude. It manifests not only in times of peace but also in moments of triumph, as our armed forces, even in victory, exhibit a touching compassion towards vanquished adversaries – a testament to the enduring power of our cultural ethos.
Our Jawans displayed this fifty-three years back to help liberate people Bangladesh from the Pakistan oppressors. This humanistic attitude was also displayed later in the Kargil war.
Our farmers farmers pray to their farming tools and agricultural implements, imbuing them with the hopes of a bountiful harvest.
Automobiles are adorned with vibrant garlands on the auspicious day of Vijayadashami. Newly acquired vehicles are reverently escorted to temples for divine benediction.
Prior to the commencement of construction of a new house or a building, Bhumipoojan ceremony is performed with great solemnity, seeking the earth’s benevolence for the upcoming structure.
These actions show how Indians care about everything around them. This caring nature is seen all over India is humanism.
Humanism in business and marketing for instance as practiced by the Tata Group of Companies ever since its inception in 1868, focuses on prioritizing human needs, values, and well-being. This approach emphasizes empathy, sustainability, and social responsibility.
These actions show show how Indians care about everything around them. This caring nature is seen all over India is humanism.
I distinctly recall recall Philip Kotler’s keynote address at the ‘Humanistic Marketing Executive Seminar’ on 24th November 2022.
“The philosophical core of my being is humanism. The movement called Humanism best describes my attitudes and beliefs.”
“Humanism affirms the freedom and dignity of each human being. Humanism affirms everyone’s ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfilment that aspire to the greater common good. Humanism believes in human wellbeing (health and happiness), human autonomy, and human progress.”
“Humanism is a philosophy that moves away from religious and supernatural beliefs and is grounded in secularism. Humanism relies on science and reason rather than revelation to understand the world. Humanists are strong advocates for human rights, free speech, progressive policies and democracy. Religion is not a precondition for morality. Humans can shape their own values, and live a moral, good and meaningful life.”
This is a huge advice to pharmaceutical marketers whether they are in the western countries, Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand or India
Humanism in Pharmaceutical Marketing
Does General Upendra Dwivedi’s silent message to Pharma Brand Managers bring out humanism? Although not explicitly stated, the message strongly communicates the concept of ‘Humanism in Marketing’.
‘Humanism in Pharmaceutical Marketing’ focuses on placing the patient experience at the center of strategies – emphasizing empathy, genuine connections, ethical practices, and the well-being of the patient and outcome.
It’s about seeing the patient not merely as a buyer of medicines prescribed by the doctor, but as a person with needs, emotions, and desires, aiming to create meaningful, trust-based relationships.
Part 1 of this essay highlights strategic planning, foresight, and resilience using military principles. It draws a parallel between warfare strategies and pharmaceutical brand planning, focusing on meticulous preparation, data intelligence, supply chain efficiency, and contingency planning.
While these elements are crucial for brand success, they lean towards operational excellence and tactical execution rather than the human aspect of marketing.
To incorporate humanism in pharmaceutical marketing, your role as a brand manager involves understanding and connecting with the emotions, needs, and challenges faced by doctors, patients, and caregivers.
Robust planning not only targets market success but also ensures that your brand genuinely improves lives, builds trust, and supports patient’s outcome.
This approach would balance strategic planning with a focus on empathy, making the brand’s success not just a tactical win but a human-centered or rather a patient-centered achievement.
Is the armed forces metaphor at odds with humanistic marketing principles? Let us examine.
- Military metaphor: The overarching military metaphor, while effective for strategy, can be seen as at odds with humanistic marketing principles.
Why?
Military strategy often involves viewing the “other side” as an adversary.
This is in contrast with the humanistic view of seeing doctors, patients and the caregivers at home as partners.
- Focus on strategy over human impact: Part 1 heavily emphasizes strategic planning and execution.
However, it doesn’t deeply explore how these strategies improve people’s lives or contribute to societal wellbeing.
- Limited emphasis on empathy: The story does mention understanding consumer needs.
However it doesn’t strongly emphasize empathy or emotional connection, which is key in humanistic marketing.
- Lack of focus on social responsibility: The story doesn’t address the broader societal impact of pharmaceutical marketing or the industry’s responsibility to global health.
To truly bring “Humanism in Marketing” you would need to shift focus
1. Emphasize patient-centricity: Reframe the goal from market dominance to improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
2. Highlight ethical practices: Expand on how ethical considerations should guide every aspect of brand strategy and execution.
3. Incorporate stakeholder value: Discuss how brand strategies can create value not just for the company, but for patients, doctors, and society at large.
4. Focus on transparency and authenticity: Emphasize the importance of honest communication and building genuine relationships with all stakeholders.
5. Address social impact: Include how pharmaceutical brands can contribute to solving broader health challenges and improving access to healthcare.
6. Emphasize empathy: Stress the importance of deeply understanding and empathizing with patient experiences and healthcare provider challenges.
7. Shift the Perspective: From warfare to well-being. Reframe your objective. Instead of presenting the brand as a weapon in a competitive market battle, focus on its role as a tool for enhancing patient well-being, treatment outcomes and improving lives.
Strategic planning is not just about winning market share but ensuring that the brand genuinely contributes to the health and happiness of the patients.
As an example, just as military strategies are designed to protect citizens and ensure peace, a pharmaceutical brand manager’s mission is to create products and services that enhance the quality of life for patients.
Planning meticulously ensures that these life-enhancing products reach those who need them most, when they need them.
8. Empathy and Understanding in Data Intelligence: Focus on insights for patient-centric care. While Part 1 emphasizes intelligence gathering, shift the emphasis to intelligence gathering so as to understand the human side of data.
Brand managers should analyze market data not just to outmaneuver competitors but to identify the true needs, struggles, and aspirations of patients and healthcare providers.
As a case in point, instead of just studying market trends and competitor strategies, brand managers must dive deep into understanding the pain points of patients. In oncology the patient or the caregiver at home may not be able to understand whether it’s the agony of the cancer or the side effect of the therapy. This empathy-driven approach informs brand strategies that genuinely resonate and provide value.
9. Build a Human-Centered Brand Plan: Include human stories. Utilize brand planning sessions as opportunities to connect with real stories and human experiences. This is not possible unless you meet the actual patients and may entail a lot of field work.
Emphasize how you can engage with patients and healthcare professionals to co-create solutions and tailor brand propositions based on genuine patient feedback.
For instance, when mapping out a brand’s journey, it’s not just about plotting sales figures but about visualizing the impact on the lives of millions. In the planning room, you should think of the mother who struggles to find relief for her child’s pain, or the elderly man seeking comfort from Parkinson’s disease. Incorporating these stories into the brand strategy ensures that the brand remains grounded in its purpose—improving lives.
10. Planning for the Unexpected: Supporting Patients Beyond the Sale
Highlight Ethical and Supportive Practices: Show that planning for contingencies isn’t only having a contingency plan to overcome crises but it’s also about supporting patient’s outcome.
When supply chains falter, how does the brand ensure that patients still get the medication they rely on? A brand’s resilience should include patient support programs and community outreach, demonstrating a commitment to human well-being beyond profits.
To illustrate, just as the military prepares for every scenario to protect its people, a brand manager’s contingency plan should include strategies for patient support. Whether it’s through free samples during stock shortages or telemedicine services to bridge gaps, brands that prioritize patient experience build lasting trust.
11. The Emotional Appeal: To connect with patients and doctors, weave emotion into the brand mission. Instead of viewing the brand solely as a market entity, frame it as a partner in the healthcare journey.
Highlight how the brand’s long-term plan involves nurturing relationships with healthcare providers, caregivers, and patients to build trust and loyalty.
Do you recall General Upendra Dwivedi speaks about planning for wars long before they begin? So also brand managers should prepare to connect with patients long before they need medication. Pre-diabetes is one such medical condition. Or those with a unhealthy life style which can lead to hypertension or cardiovascular problems. By understanding the emotional journey of a patient—from diagnosis to recovery—a brand can position itself as a trusted ally, always present to offer support, information, and relief.
12. Building trust: In Part 1 there’s a mention of building trust with healthcare providers and patients over time, which aligns with the humanistic principle of creating authentic relationships.
Through integrity and honest communication, build trust with doctors, patients and the caregivers at home.
An excellent example is when Sun Pharma introduced Prazopress (prazosin, an αblocker). The brand manager at the time was transparent about its side effect of first-dose syncope. Field sales managers were instructed to communicate this adverse effect upfront. While Brand Prazopress may have lost some prescriptions and prescribers, The credibility of Sun Pharma as a company skyrocketed.
By integrating these twelve elements, there is a shift from a pure strategic focus to a blend of tactical excellence and empathy in the brand plan. It becomes a narrative that not only intrigues brand managers and the field sales managers with the appeal of robust planning but also inspires them to build brands that genuinely care for and uplift the community they serve.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the essay provides a compelling strategic framework, it would need significant adaptation to truly embody the principles of humanism in marketing. The military metaphor, while powerful for strategic thinking, may need to be balanced with more humanistic analogies to fully embrace this approach.
Pharmaceutical marketing, at its core, should focus on improving human lives and well-being rather than conquering market share.
By reframing the strategic lessons from General Dwivedi and the Hezbollah conflict through a humanistic lens, brand managers can develop marketing strategies that prioritize patient needs, foster trust, and contribute positively to society.
This shift requires a delicate balance between business objectives and ethical considerations, emphasizing transparency, education, and genuine care for the end-user.
Ultimately, the goal should be to create a marketing approach that not only drives business success but also aligns with the fundamental purpose of the pharmaceutical industry: enhancing human health and quality of life. By doing so, brand managers can cultivate a more meaningful and sustainable relationship with their audience, transcending mere transactional interactions to become true partners in health and well-being.
Disclaimer:
This essay is presented for illustrative purposes only and does not reflect any political views or endorsements. The content includes an example from the Chief of the Indian Army to emphasize the critical importance of strategic planning. It is essential to note that the example is used solely to illustrate the concept of planning and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any specific policies or actions.