• by Les Luchter , April 8, 2025

If only 13% of consumers strongly believe brands provide accurate information, how do pharma companies connect with increasingly discerning patients and healthcare professionals?

That’s a key challenge addressed in VML Health’s new “Health Futures” analysis, which points to some key trends, some of which may be contradictory:

The Brand Paradox: Humility vs. Showmanship. “Consumers crave realness and relatability, yet they also want to be wowed with bold, imaginative storytelling,” says the report, adding that consumers are “increasingly skeptical of marketing that feels overly promotional or disconnected from real patient needs.”

The challenge for marketers? “Being down to earth and dazzling at the same time.”

“Rather thanrelying solely on large-scale advertising, pharma brands can enhance credibility through content that provides actionable insights, fosters community support and prioritizes genuine patient advocacy” the report continues. “Linked to this trend is the rise of sports marketing to build brand recognition, with athletes serving as natural advocates….With the right messaging and alignment of brand values, this also provides an opportunity for pharma brands to capture attention as long as the link is authentic.”

Examples given of pharma brands using this approach include Eli Lilly’s extended partnership with the WNBA and Caitlin Clark to “tackle health equity,” and Sanofi’s use of the Paris Olympics to “promote its mission of making science more inclusive and meaningful.”

The Analog Movement: Throwback Engagement. “Consumers are seeking tactile, real-world experiences in response to online burnout,” creating opportunities for in-person engagement and sensory-rich activities, says VML, with “a renewed demand for face-to-face interactions and sensory engagement.”

Examples given of pharma brands doing this for doctors include touch-and-feel dermatology sample kits from Sanofi and immersive, in-person workshops on disease progression from GSK.

Superforecasters: The Need for Hybrid Expertise. GSK reports that human “superforecasters” – who use “probabilistic thinking” to predict geopolitical shifts, economic trends and market movements – still outperform AI-driven predictive models.  

“Given the longer timelines and inherent unpredictability of drug development, regulatory landscapes and healthcare market trends, pharma brands should consider incorporating superforecasters into their staffing plans.,” the analysis suggest. “Predictive analytics will also optimize engagement strategies.”

 Examples given of pharma brands already using such hybrid expertise include AstraZeneca’s patient journey mapping, which drives campaigns based on prediction of patient drop-off points in their treatment journeys, and Eli Lilly’s integration of AI with health-specific data, refined by human experts in such areas as competitor launches and physician skepticism, to forecast demand for drugs like Mounjaro.

Underconsumption: Selective Spending, Selective Healthcare. “Patients are becoming more considered in their spending habits, prioritizing essential goods and services while cutting back on non-necessities,” says VML. 

“Messaging must recognize that selectivity in healthcare isn’t about spending less – it’s about spending smarter.” Thus, it continues, brands must: “position therapies within the ‘selective marketing’ mindset; clarify value beyond cost; and leverage behavioral insights.”  Health brands, says VML, “must demonstrate why their treatments are worth prioritizing, moving beyond broad access conversations to align with real-world patient decision-making. “

The report gives no examples of this trend in action.

“The industry must move away from a volume-driven mindset toward a more intentional, outcome-based narrative," Jason Gloye, VML Health’s chief client officer, said in a statement.  "Positioning treatments not as more healthcare, but as the right healthcare, at the right moment, for the right reasons, is essential for building trust, empowering patients, and contributing to a healthier world.”