Promotional materials such as visual aids and product information leaflets are used as means of conveying the product message to the prescribers, by pharmaceutical companies.

After personally interacting with the doctor, more often than not, the PSR "leaves-behind" the product leaflet with him, the objective being to serve as a reminder to the doctor about the product attributes.

Since many pharmaceutical companies consider product leaflet as merely an "aid-to-memory", they just mention the names of the products in their promotional materials. Several others think that pictures of beautiful models would help them attract attention of the doctor. All these companies are sadly mistaken in their approach. What these companies fail to realize is that a well-designed promotional leaflet adds to the efforts of marketing team by helping achieve brand recall.

Each pharmaceutical product has its own set of characteristic salient features, such as indications, actions, dosage schedule, side effects, etc. as also competitors in the market. Therefore, the approach to convey these salient features would differ from product to product.

However, these characteristic salient features need to be conveyed to the prescriber in an interesting and succinct manner, to help achieve brand recall.

Moreover, incorporating facts and figures, graphs, diagrams and references from medical journals too go a long way in helping brand recall.

A few examples of successful products backed by effective promotional material are:
1. Hoechst Marion Rousell's "Cardace H" (ramipril+hydrochlorothiazide) which is a combination of 2 hypertensive drugs is one such example. The salient feature of this product is that the combined effect of the 2 drugs is more effective that each of the individual drugs.

This concept is graphically conveyed through its promotional by means of a bar-diagram representing the reduction of B.P. achieved by each drug individually as also the combination of both.

The caption very aptly sums it up as "superior BP reduction as compared to monotherapy."

2. Franco-Indian's "DIAVIT" (alpha-lipoic acid) seeks to supply nutrients needed by a diabetic for preventing complications. Hence, its promotion emphasizes the actions of the product as -
· Prevents Diabetic complications
· Rejuvenates call metabolism, etc
Highlighting its effectiveness

3. Low price of a drug can be used as a marketing device in a poor country like India. However, this low price advantage has to be communicated in a manner such that it helps achieve recall by the prescriber.

FDC's "Zospar tablet" (sparfloxacin) tries to achieve this by saying - " The first company that made sparfloxacin affordable to your patients.
200 mg just Rs. 9.00 per tablet
100 mg just Rs, 5.00 per tablet"

4. Infar's "Naturolax Instamix" (Isapgol powder) enumerates several advantages derived from the product, in its promotionals, thus helping brand recall.
Some of these advantages are:
"* Absorbs toxins
Heart friendly, etc."

-- The author is a marketing consultant & is based in Pune