FYI:
(PR NEWSWIRE) Cyber Dialogue Uncovers Internet-Only Opportunity for Pharma
Cyber Dialogue Uncovers Internet-Only Opportunity for Pharmaceutical Marketers
Findings Indicate Health-Related Information Seekers are More Influenced by
the Internet Than by Other Media; Higher Satisfaction Levels Also Reported
NEW YORK, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- For a growing number of Americans, the
Internet is the primary marketing medium convincing them to ask their doctors
for brand name prescriptions, according to research recently released by Cyber
Dialogue. Since the vast majority of pharmaceutical direct-to-consumer (DTC)
spending is devoted to television and print, the findings are likely to act as
a wake-up call to pharmaceutical marketers because it suggests not only a
unique opportunity to drive prescription sales, but also an opportunity to
increase marketing ROI. In 1998, pharmaceutical companies spent less than one
percent of their marketing dollars on the Internet, missing out on a clear
chance to reach valuable customers.
According to Cyber Dialogue's findings, of the 10 million Americans now
searching for pharmaceutical information online, 3.4 million have asked for a
prescription from their doctor. Of this number, 15 percent said they learned
about a requested drug through the Internet, compared with nine percent
through television ads and only five percent through print ads.
"The low cost and high level of effectiveness of online DTC marketing
signals a powerful, largely untapped opportunity for pharmaceutical
companies," states Liz Melcher, executive vice president of Cyber Dialogue.
"And with the number of e-health consumers increasing at twice the speed of
the Internet population as a whole, that opportunity is growing quickly."
Cyber Dialogue's Cybercitizen Health (CCH) findings also suggest that the
Internet is an ideal, highly satisfactory means of communicating important
health information to consumers - taking some of the risks out of online
initiatives for healthcare providers. For Americans seeking pharmaceutical
information online, CCH reports a much higher level of satisfaction with
health-related information on the Internet than with information from
television, magazines, or newspapers. Almost half (49 percent) of this group
reports being very satisfied with the health information they gather online,
versus 25 percent who are very satisfied with health information in magazines
and newspapers and only 13 percent for television.
"For pharmaceutical companies, the message is clear: if you're not
marketing online, you're missing out on a large number of highly qualified
leads," adds Melcher. "More so than any other advertising medium, the
Internet is convincing consumers to 'ask their doctors' more loudly and
clearly than ever before."
Findings from Cybercitizen Health are based on in-depth interviews with
more than 2,700 U.S. adults. The study was fielded in July 1999 and is
accurate within +/- 1.9% at the 95% confidence interval. In addition to an
overview of the online health market, CCH provides in-depth analysis of the
following medical conditions: allergies, arthritis, asthma, depression,
diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, pattern baldness, smoking, and
weight management. For more information on becoming a Sponsor of Cybercitizen
Health, contact Joe Farris at 212-651-7043 or jfarris@cyberdialogue.com.
About Cyber Dialogue
Cyber Dialogue (http://www.cyberdialogue.com) is a leading Internet
Database Marketing Company. Founded in 1993, Cyber Dialogue provides the
tools, data and services that enable senior marketing professionals to
identify, segment and manage on-line consumers. The company's customer
management platform provides strategic consumer information, advanced database
marketing techniques (including tracking, targeting and measurement software),
and data mining services to send the most relevant message to the right
customers at the right time. More than 100 Fortune 1000 companies and leading
on-line brands and seven out of the top ten pharmaceutical companies rely on
Cyber Dialogue to maximize return on their Internet investment.
SOURCE Cyber Dialogue
-0- 11/23/1999
/CONTACT: Alexis Thomas of Cyber Dialogue, 212-651-7029 or
athomas@cyberdialogue.com/
/Web site: cyberdialogue.com
CO: Cyber Dialogue; Cybercitizen Health
ST: New York
IN: CPR ADV MTC
SU:
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