Healthcare is (understandably) one of the most heavily regulated areas of marketing. But it's still possible to be nimble and creative, says Impression's Amy Stamper. Here's how:
Every industry has the potential for good and bad advertising. But when health advertising has such a strong influence on public perception and medical decision-making, ethical considerations are arguably far more important.
Brands in this space grapple with potential dilemmas every day, including efforts to effectively engage users online despite inhibiting factors such as platform rules and external guidelines.
First, let's go to the meta
It all starts with platform selection. No matter which platform you choose, consider regulatory compliance, audience targeting, content moderation, and brand safety considerations. Many advertisers are finding their audience on Meta, which is used by over 3 billion people worldwide.
On Meta, ads containing medical terminology or images are prohibited to ensure compliance with community standards and avoid misleading or harmful content, as set out in the social giant's guidelines on how to talk about health. subject to additional scrutiny (both automated and human) (e.g. close-up images showing a person's health status). Therefore, creatives should avoid clickbait images about medical issues, even if the advertiser is entitled to promote prescription drugs by her Meta. All advertisements (animations, graphics, or photographs) about social issues such as health may also need to include a verified “payer” disclaimer or removal of risk. Both animations and disclaimers can be seen in ads such as Pfizer's, as well as in the broader meta ad library.
Including terms and conditions (T&C) in the ad itself ensures transparency and compliance with regulatory requirements, similar to traditional print ads that include a disclaimer (usually in small font). Alternatively, due to space limitations or the need for concise messaging, it may be more practical and effective to provide a link to the Terms of Use. Ultimately, the complexity of your message will determine whether you include terms and conditions within your ad. If your message is complex and shortening it to a few words of copy would be misleading, adding more text or switching formats (such as video) may be advantageous.
Health-related targeting is over, but what’s next?
Health-related targeting has been phased out (along with other granular audiences), leaving us with a broad targeting paradigm.
Despite this background, we can still rely heavily on creatives to find the right audience, engage with them and make them choose for themselves. The only thing you should avoid is calling out personal attributes. For example, “Asthma clinical trials in London'' is OK, but not “Do you have asthma? Find a clinical trial.''
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Codes of ethics can determine how we speak within our industry. Sticking to the example of clinical trials, it is stipulated that payment cannot be emphasized; can Please also mention compensation if possible.Recent research shows that communication only The altruistic benefits of a clinical trial are less powerful on their own compared to including compensation for volunteers' time and inconvenience.
Ultimately, your ads may need to contain multiple messages and require longer-than-standard ad copy to gain approval, while also maintaining a high click-through rate.
Advertisers should also be aware of the requirement to obtain formal compliance approval for all advertising materials (“Health-Related Research Projects”) […] Must have been reviewed and received a favorable opinion from an approved research ethics committee (REC). ”) This means advertisers may be less responsive to changes to their assets, and even adding emojis or shortening copy requires approval. Rather than an always-on approach where we change ads regularly, we've found that sending out a ton of copy and creative (both existing ads and new concepts) every few months can get approvals in bulk. It is also best to include complete technical details in your submission. Reviewers are typically not marketing experts, so providing details like letter length and complete mockups can lead to faster decision-making.
However, there is still room for creativity. User-generated content (UGC) generates 6.9 times more engagement than branded content on social media platforms, and 80% of consumers say UGC has a greater impact on their purchasing decisions. The health industry has been slow to adopt trends, but big pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer are experimenting with the UGC realm. The value of UGC has been proven in our recent efforts, with our top ads inspired by UGC, which is a big departure from our previous text-heavy formats. It may take time to demonstrate to clients that UGC can adhere to guidelines, but a gradual pivot toward informal and authentic content will reduce costs over time.
Combining a focus on transparency and accuracy with a compelling message is not easy.
For regulators, a strategic way of working with the necessary compromises on best practices is the best way to walk the tightrope between compliance and creativity.
For further analysis of the health and medical situation, please visit: Focus on health and pharmaceuticals hub.
