Unifying a Pharma Patient Experience Program Across APAC
PROBLEM AND OBJECTIVES:
A large global pharmaceutical client came to ZS Associates because they needed to expand their patient experience programs (PxP) across the APAC region, specifically the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Australian markets.
Their head of patient experience in Singapore was interested in implementing a consistent and centralized approach. However, the region presented unique challenges, including diverse regulatory environments, patient expectations, languages, and character sets. Additionally, individual markets had previously developed their own patient experience brands, leading to inconsistent experiences and implementation across the region.
The goal was to develop a system that would promote patient access and tie together their corporate and product brands while meeting the regions diverse language, cultural, and regulatory requirements.
AT A GLANCE
Challenges:
• Address stakeholder concerns
• Develop and action and governance plan
Opportunities:
• Expand the current market footprint
• Improve patient outcomes
• Support the regions go-to-market
SOLUTION:
I led the engagement, holding workshops with the regional market leaders, reviewing best practices derived from other regions, and exploring each market’s unique needs.
Following our analysis, we recommended an endorsement architecture for their patient experience brands. The approach advised our client develop a consistent patient experience brand to accompany and lock up with the product brand.
The PxP maintains consistent typography and design across products while leveraging the product brand's equity. It does this by adopting a secondary position (under the primary brand logo) while adopting the brand’s colors. This allows the PxP to support and enhance the primary brand and connects it to a consistent and recognizable program.
OUTCOMES:
The PxP architecture is currently being implemented across the APAC region as they rebrand their entire global corporate identity.
This allows them to maintain consistency across markets and fold it into the larger company rebranding effort. It also provides each market with the flexibility they need to meet patient expectations and cultural nuances, streamline their marketing efforts, and reduce costs.
Ultimately, the strategy strengthens the program’s recognition and increases patient trust.