Digital marketing innovation: New business models for pharmaceutical and medical device product marketing

Background Within the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape in Japan, digital marketing innovations are transforming pharmaceutical and medical device marketing. This study explores the emergence of new business models in the digital marketing, highlighting a transition from traditional methods to more dynamic, data-driven strategies.Methods InsighTCROSS (R) is a business model that qualitatively and quantitatively examines three steps based on stratified persona images: (1) verifying the effectiveness of product marketing promotions, (2) identifying competitors from the users' perspective, and (3) developing marketing strategies to counter competition. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this model, a case study was conducted focusing on the current anticoagulant drugs, including apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, and warfarin.Results Rivaroxaban, the only drug prescribed for the prevention of thrombus and embolism formation in patients with peripheral artery disease after lower limb revascularization, garnered the most interest from interventional cardiologists performing peripheral vascular interventions, as determined by InsighTCROSS (R) factor analysis, confirming that the manufacturer's marketing activities have effectively penetrated the market. A survey conducted between 20 September 2023 and 3 October 2023, among members of a cardiology website, identified edoxaban as the market leader with a 39.1% share, followed by apixaban (32.7%) and rivaroxaban (16.8%). The main competitor of edoxaban was warfarin, whereas that of rivaroxaban was apixaban. Decision tree analysis was conducted using InsighTCROSS (R), highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each anticoagulant, providing strategic approaches to exploit competitive weaknesses. For edoxaban, increased use was driven by elderly and poorly adherent patients; for apixaban, high-volume percutaneous coronary intervention centers; and for rivaroxaban, the influence of medical representative detailing. It is recommended to avoid markets where these drugs have a strong presence and to focus marketing activities on leveraging their specific strengths.Conclusion The findings suggest that digital marketing enhances product visibility and patient engagement, providing valuable insights into market behavior and consumer preferences.