What does an effective approach to endemic media planning for HCP engagement look like in pharma marketing?
This is a question I’ve heard countless times in project rooms, strategy sessions, and late-night workshops. And to be fair, it’s a good one. In an environment where healthcare professionals (HCPs) are bombarded by content, time-constrained, and increasingly digital-first, the way we plan media has to be more than “tactical.” It has to be intentional, insight-driven, and rooted in the reality of HCP behavior.
Here’s how I approach endemic media planning when the goal is to reach and engage HCPs effectively.
1. Start from the Business Problem, Not the Channels
I don’t believe in media planning as a standalone exercise. For me, it starts with understanding the business objectives, the strategic imperatives, and the reality we’re operating in. Every plan I build is reverse-engineered from outcomes: are we launching? Trying to change prescribing behavior? Supporting retention? Each one calls for a different mix of channels, content, and tactics.
This is why the first block in my method is alignment: aligning with the brand team, medical affairs, compliance, and yes – even the field force. Because endemic media is never just about impressions. It’s about impact.
Before I even start building the plan, I make time for onboarding materials and discovery conversations that help me understand the company’s culture, internal processes, decision-making workflows, and historical friction points. This isn’t about ticking boxes — it’s about showing respect for how people work and making sure I can integrate seamlessly.
Stakeholder Management is Part of the Strategy
Stakeholder management in pharma isn’t just a task — it’s a craft. Throughout the process of planning and executing media strategy, I collaborate with internal teams, external agencies, medical reviewers, legal, procurement, and MLR — often across regions and with varying objectives. It takes experience to navigate conversations with busy medical reviewers, strategic procurement leads, or incumbent agencies, each bringing their own pressures, expectations, and sometimes conflicting priorities.
Behind every role is a person — a professional managing time constraints, cross-functional alignment, and personal career ambitions. We’re all working hard, often asynchronously, trying to move meaningful work forward in a highly regulated environment. Over time, I’ve developed consolidated workflows that help accelerate approvals, create alignment, and reduce friction. I’ve found that investing early in onboarding materials, cultural understanding, and stakeholder rhythm pays dividends in trust, speed, and shared clarity.
2. Build Around the HCP’s Information Journey
I’ve always seen media as a way to meet the HCP where they are – not just physically, but cognitively. That means understanding their information-seeking behavior, their frustrations, and their preferred formats. Are they passively browsing a medical journal? Actively searching for treatment comparisons? Looking to validate clinical decisions?
Mapping these intent-rich moments across the awareness > consideration > decision > reinforcement cycle is how I shape the touchpoint strategy. The job here isn’t to interrupt. It’s to appear useful at exactly the right time.
To do that, I rely on omnichannel strategies and AI-supported planning. I select compliant platforms that enable message orchestration across multiple channels, delivering the right information at the right moment to the right professional. It’s not about more channels — it’s about smarter, more connected engagement.
3. Choose the Channels that Make Sense (Endemic First)
Endemic media isn’t just about being present where HCPs hang out. It’s about credibility. Partnering with publishers like Medscape, BMJ, eCancer or Fendix lets us embed content within environments HCPs trust — and that trust is a huge lever.
Depending on the objective, I use a mix of:
- Hosted infosites to create hubs of value
- In-feed native ads for subtle discovery
- Webinars and on-demand videos to support education
- Direct emails via publisher lists for precision outreach
- Banners and alerts for reach or repetition
But more than formats, it’s about the sequence. We plan for progression — not just a blast of tactics. That’s where touchpoint mapping and message phasing come in.
4. Design the Content to Be Clinical, Credible, and Searchable
The best HCP media plan in the world will underperform if the content doesn’t feel useful, relevant, or compliant. I work closely with medical and copy teams to ensure that what we create isn’t just on-brand, but also:
- Evidence-based and data-backed
- Formatted for fast consumption (slide decks, abstracts, visuals)
- Search-optimized for discoverability
Even unbranded assets must provide real value. If it feels promotional, it won’t get read.
5. Execute with Agility, Measure What Matters
The planning deck may be static, but the execution isn’t. In my model, we build in flexibility: testing formats, rotating creatives, and aligning with congress calendars and brand milestones. I insist on a shared dashboard that integrates publisher data, CRM signals, and engagement metrics across all phases:
- Awareness: reach, views, impressions
- Engagement: clicks, time on page, downloads
- Advocacy: return visits, repeat interactions, MSL requests
Because in the end, success isn’t media delivery. It’s mindshare.
Final Thoughts: It’s Not About the Media, It’s About the Moment
Endemic media planning for HCPs is less about buying space and more about orchestrating moments of relevance. Done right, it creates a bridge — not just between a brand and a doctor, but between information and better clinical decisions.
That’s the space I love working in.
If this resonates with the challenges you’re facing or the opportunities you’re exploring, let’s connect.
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