As emerging marketing technologies rapidly evolve and reach maturity, marketers can now unlock sophisticated new tools to more efficiently and effectively reach consumers. As always, marketers remain challenged to find ways to stand out in a crowded marketing environment, but omnichannel marketing campaigns are proving to be an effective strategy to connect marketers with potential customers. Successful omnichannel marketing campaigns merge both powerful technologies with consumers’ desire for more individualized and authentic communication to create promotional content that resonates on a personal level. While an omnichannel campaign can be an extremely effective marketing strategy, marketers in the pharmaceutical industry must account for unique regulatory considerations. Navigating the process of developing and deploying an omnichannel strategy may appear daunting but marketers can apply simple steps to achieve omnichannel success.
What is Omnichannel Marketing?
In short, omnichannel marketing campaigns are about meeting the customer where they are, at the right time, with the right message. Omnichannel marketing campaigns may vary depending on the target audience or marketing objectives, but all omnichannel strategies are defined by several key features:
- Coordinated multichannel marketing – Omnichannel marketing is a multichannel strategy where all channels work in unison. While multichannel marketing may often be siloed or use disconnected strategies across channels, omnichannel campaigns are harmonized across all campaign channels ensuring a seamless experience for consumers.
- Consistent and personalized messaging – Marketing communications across omnichannel campaigns utilize a consistent brand or marketing message delivered in a personalized context. While the overall promotional message should be consistent, the content and delivery of the messaging should be tailored in a personalized way that will resonate with the target audience.
- Use of data for precision targeting – Omnichannel marketing leverages data from all marketing channels to inform targeting and ad placement decisions across the entire campaign. Data and marketing insights are shared across all channels and marketing teams to ensure promotional content is delivered to the right audience at the right time through the right channel.
Effective omnichannel campaigns successfully employ Next Best Action (NBA) strategies by moving the consumer from one marketing channel to another. In effect, these campaigns create a personalized customer journey where the customer can easily find the information that is relevant to them and delivered through an engaging and resonant experience. An example of a simple omnichannel campaign may begin with an email or social media direct message that links to the pharmaceutical product's website where the consumer can then find a webinar or product endorser on a short-form video platform.
How is Omnichannel Marketing different than Multichannel Marketing?
While omnichannel and multichannel strategies may appear similar on their face, there are several key distinctions. Omnichannel strategy, above all else, is focused on not only personalization but connecting with consumers in an informed and authentic manner. For example, an HCP-directed omnichannel campaign can benefit significantly from the insights of pharma sales reps, medical safety liaisons (MSLs), and other field marketing staff. Field marketers have a deep understanding of:
- Target healthcare providers' (HCPs) preferred method of communication (phone calls, video calls, text, etc.)
- Areas of interest about the product
- The digital media platforms target HCPs may utilize
- Other factors that can help inform the marketing strategy
While multichannel strategies emphasizes channel-specific data and content, omnichannel strategies leverage the human aspect of all pharmaceutical marketing campaign channels to target promotional messaging based on first-person knowledge of the target audience. Insights from field marketers form the foundation for successful HCP-directed omnichannel campaigns.
Omnichannel campaigns also consider the unique style and aesthetic of each marketing channel within the campaign and develop purpose-built promotional content that is organic to its intended channel. In contrast, multichannel campaigns often repurpose content created for one marketing channel by cross-posting to multiple channels within the campaign. Re-posting content developed for one marketing channel to other channels can often feel out of place and create an inauthentic or even distracting consumer experience.
Considerations for Pharmaceutical Omnichannel Marketing
While pharma marketers can draw on the experience and expertise of omnichannel campaigns deployed in other market segments, the pharmaceutical market presents several unique challenges that marketers must account for.
- Targeting – Successful omnichannel campaigns leverage sophisticated targeting to accurately place promotional communications at the right time and place. Pharma marketers should be cautious in their use of narrow targeting and tracking systems, though. Promotional communications that are either too personal or too frequent can deter potential customers – especially in the consumer-directed space. Pharma marketers must be mindful of privacy considerations and understand that overly aggressive omnichannel campaigns may be perceived as intrusive.
- Privacy – Omnichannel campaigns thrive on data. The ability to synthesize disparate sources of information into a cohesive marketing picture is critical to campaign success. With that said, pharma marketers are limited in the types and amounts of information available to them because of privacy requirements across marketing channels. Pharma omnichannel campaigns must make the most of limited data and identify key performance indicators and drivers of marketing effectiveness.
- Formats – One of the key features of omnichannel marketing is its focus on formats that feel organic and align with the marketing channel they are distributed through. For example, a short-form video produced for one social media platform may not look or feel authentic on a different social media platform. In addition to tailoring content to each specific channel, marketers should consider how the platform will display required information such as important safety information or on-screen disclosures. It’s important to ensure all on-screen text can be easily read by the viewer and is not obscured by platform features or controls.
The Future of Omnichannel Marketing for Pharma
Omnichannel strategy is rapidly evolving and it's critical for pharma marketers to stay informed about the newest technologies available to improve marketing effectiveness. Since the beginning of 2025, artificial intelligence has made significant advancements in the areas of large language models (LLM), agents, deep reasoning, and generative technologies. Marketers should evaluate these technologies to understand how they can best be integrated with existing omnichannel campaigns to improve targeting, reach, and effectiveness. Digital platforms are also rapidly integrating advanced AI systems and are offering more options for targeting and content generation.
Regulatory Considerations for Omnichannel Campaigns
While FDA has not yet issued any guidance specific to omnichannel campaigns, marketers should be aware of relevant guidance and policy related to the specific marketing channels within an omnichannel campaign:
- Form FDA 2253 – All promotional materials developed in conjunction with an omnichannel campaign must be submitted to FDA on Form FDA 2253 at time of first use. In addition, marketers employing automated content generation systems must ensure that content is submitted and received by FDA on Form FDA 2253 prior to posting. The 30-day update described in Section V of the FDA draft guidance titled Fulfilling Regulatory Requirements for Postmarketing Submissions of Interactive Promotional Media for Prescription Human and Animal Drugs and Biologics does not eliminate the requirement to submit promotional communications at time of first use.
- When submitting variable or modular content on Form FDA 2253, ensure the submission accurately and fully conveys the final presentation of the promotional material in a way that the FDA reviewer can understand it.
- Consider the layout and location of platform controls of each marketing channel within the omnichannel campaign and ensure that required on-screen text, disclosures, or risk information is not obscured or otherwise blocked by platform elements.
Whether you’re just starting out on your omnichannel journey or you're an established omnichannel marketer seeking policy advice on new and emerging marketing channels or technologies, ProPharma can help at every step in the process.
