This week we witnessed a great discussion with Epocrates on their webinar, Pharma Marketing 2025: Insights, Challenges, and Strategies for Success. The group dove into the pharma marketing landscape and didn’t shy away from hot topics like AI, industry changes, and up-and-coming strategies. Our main takeaways?
- Performance-driven pharma: Pharma brands can now operate more like performance brands, leveraging data-driven strategies for measurable results.
- Personalized consumer journeys: Dynamic, customized consumer journeys are vital across targeting and creative to deliver relevant messaging based on user engagement.
- First-party data is critical: As regulations tighten on third-party data, building strong first-party data strategies is more important than ever.
- AI and ML for smarter decisions: These technologies are transforming how marketers audit metrics, analyze trends, and optimize KPIs.
- Beyond decile targeting: Moving from broad decile and specialty-based targeting to identity-based strategies can enable more precise, effective outreach.
What Matters When It Comes to Data
We all know data is invaluable, but with the depreciation of third-party cookies, it is how we use it that matters. For pharma marketers, first-party data is not just a necessity, it is a competitive advantage. And when it comes to measurement, vanity metrics will not propel brands forward.
In the recent Epocrates webinar, we explored with what truly moves the needle:
- KPIs that go beyond clicks and impressions, connecting media touchpoints to real business outcomes.
- AI and machine learning to analyze patterns, predict performance, and optimize strategies in real time.
- Dynamic Creative Optimization (DCO) to deliver personalized, relevant messaging at scale.
Pharma marketing success is not about more data, it is about better data. The brands that measure what matters will be the ones that drive meaningful engagement and lasting impact.
AI In Pharma
AI has long played a role in biddable media, but recent advancements have unlocked a new level of speed, precision, and impact. With powerful systems now able to digest vast datasets in real time, AI is not just auditing performance, it is identifying trends, optimizing media, and driving smarter, more responsive campaigns.
At Butler/Till, we have had a long-standing belief that AI should act as an enhancer, not a replacement, a tool that strengthens human expertise rather than removing it. The most effective strategies blend AI’s predictive capabilities with human creativity and oversight, ensuring data-driven decisions that are both ethical and effective.
The next frontier? We heard interesting thoughts around identity-based targeting. Moving beyond broad and specialty-based segmentation, pharma marketers must connect NPI engagement with real-world behaviors by understanding who HCPs are seeing, when, and why. By integrating real-time media insights, brands can build more personalized, and effective engagement strategies.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
We were excited to see the presenters flipping the script; turning challenges like declining viewability, evolving privacy regulations, and shifting consumer behavior into opportunities to innovate and lead the way forward.
At Butler/Till, we know compliance with industry regulations is particularly crucial in the pharma sector. With FDA and other regulatory bodies changing the rules, the key is agility. Proper planning and expertise within space will allow us to navigate these shifts and continue delivering results, regardless of the rapidly evolving landscape.
And when it comes to media innovation and diversification, we agreed that the game is shifting. Pharma needs to create customized, dynamic consumer journeys, delivering content at the right time, in the right format, and with the relevance that cuts through the noise. It is about meeting people where they are and delivering value that resonates.
At Butler/Till, we stay at the forefront of industry thought leadership—like this webinar with Epocrates—to bring you the most effective strategies in this ever-evolving space. The industry is at a turning point, and the brands that embrace innovation, stay agile, and focus on meaningful measurement will be the ones that drive lasting impact.
We’re excited about what’s ahead and ready to help you navigate the future of pharma marketing. Let’s continue the conversation—contact us today.
Contributors: Samantha Gerlach
