Art and Science of a Global Brand

After a pharmaceutical company has spent millions on R&D, years awaiting approval, and countless hours devising a brand strategy, the next most important question is where to market a new drug. Increasingly, rather than attacking the US or another primary market first, pharmaceutical brands are being launched globally. What is the reason for this shift?

For starters, the pressure to maximize return on investment often mandates the broadest market entry and increased earning velocity. In addition, the need to set competitive barriers requires preempting competition in as many markets as possible.

At the same time, the communications landscape has seen many of its geographic barriers eliminated. The Web now provides immediate global access, and medical congresses have observed an increasing number of attendees from far-reaching locations, while many key medical journals have added to their worldwide circulation. The result is an opportunity for additional reach and enhanced cost efficiencies if the brand is maximized for a global kick-off. Yet while global communications have become more streamlined, certain barriers remain challenging. We all recognize the need for awareness of various cultural differences when launching a brand. Even more daunting are the issues of differing medical practices, varied regulatory approaches, and elusive reimbursement systems.

Putting the Plan in Action

The science behind global branding involves organizing and managing a multifaceted team, as well as multiple layers of information. Building and mobilizing a global team can resemble a massive military effort, with the need for support staff at headquarters, line troops in the field, a range of alliances with specialty groups to bring depth and experience to the campaign, and a cadre of knowledge workers to translate information on global and regional markets from raw data into meaningful insights. The art of global branding lies in controlling, balancing, and focusing this multilevel, multicultural, multiregional, and multifunctional effort. It requires the subtlety of a diplomat, the foresight of a seer, and the measured hand of a symphony conductor.

Over the years, as both individual ad agencies and members of a European network, we have witnessed a number of successful and not-so-successful efforts. Here are 7 strategies that will help any leader of a global team master the art of control, focus, and balance.