Thomas J. Willard is Vice President of Marketing for Schwarz Pharma Inc., one of the country's fastest-rising pharmaceutical firms and portfolio client of Kore Image. We caught up with Mr. Willard last month at his Milwaukee, Wisconsin office and asked for some of his thoughts on the vision behind the firm's ongoing commitment to internal brand training.
KI: Why do you think branding has become more strategic to the future of Schwarz Pharma and to the pharmaceutical industry as a whole?
TW: We are focusing on branding because it adds value to the organization. Schwarz Pharma is a company with an emerging pipeline that will drive our future. If each aspect of our organization does their part to help us properly brand and position these products, we will be able to leverage opportunity into market value.
We are hardly alone. More and more pharmaceutical companies are vying for a smaller share of the audience. There are fewer blockbusters and more compounds out there that have been tweaked and modified due to product management. Everyone still needs to create ROI. The ability to prove value and distinguish yourself from your competitors is critical. Branding is now the most important competency in pharmaceutical marketing.
KI: Why do you feel that it is important to focus on internal brand training rather than rely heavily upon outside consultants and ad agencies?
TW: We continue to work very closely with outside agencies and consultants that share our vision for brand development. Yet, it is the responsibility of our marketing team to provide leadership in branding and positioning. Our internal marketing team is the common denominator in managing our brands across a range of programs and communications, often involving multiple consulting groups, agencies and other vendors. They are the key to keeping everyone on the same page, building a unified team, and managing a consistent brand presence.
KI: How important is the scope of any internal brand training initiative? You are clearly doing more than sending a couple product managers to branding conferences…
TW: It's my belief that some people in the industry talk the talk, but don't necessarily know how to walk the walk. They say know what branding is, but they can't put it into practice.
If you were to ask 10 individuals in marketing to define “branding” you would get 10 different answers. Yet the problem isn't with the words, it's with the understanding of branding…an understanding of what it takes to brand and position a product in this marketplace and an understanding of the sheer scope of that process.
At Schwarz Pharma, we look at branding as an organizational competency, not just a marketing competency, because the strongest brands are supported by the entire organization. Clearly, the sales team is the first group you look to outside marketing that must fully understand branding and be true experts in the brands they represent. Yet, we want everyone who affects the success of our brands to understand key branding principles and what makes our individual brands relevant and distinct.
Look at how groups like customer service, trade and managed care can, and should, be a part of the branding process. Through activities like pre-stocking and taking orders, they have first contacts with groups that marketing doesn't hit right away.
You also need the medical and regulatory departments to fully understand the brand and where you need to be, so they can help you navigate many complex issues in order to achieve your position. You need to reach out to medical communications so you can help them help you in building and strengthening the brand within the medical community. It just keeps going even through investor relations.
KI: How important is backing up training and communication with the right tools and processes?
TW: Brand-centric tools and processes are important from two perspectives. First, many pharmaceutical marketing teams are comprised of product managers with different levels of experience and strength. Tools and processes can help guide younger product managers and provide good discipline for more senior managers.
The second point goes back to the scope of branding as an organizational competency. Great branding has to happen early in the product cycle…as soon as you start getting clinical data and can begin mapping out how your product aligns with the competition. You must have the processes in place to ensure that marketing and R&D are working together around the same goal – building a strong and powerful brand.
KI: What advice can you provide other executives who are considering launching a similar initiative in their organization?
TW: My best advice is to take branding seriously because it adds great value – not only to your products, but also to your company. We are not just talking about improving the bottom line, we are talking about a direct impact on shareholder value. I have seen the difference in company valuation between pharmaceutical firms that have built solid brands and those who have not. This is too important not to treat as a strategic issue.
For smaller and mid-sized firms…those who are possibly shopping for products, those looking to establish themselves as a fully integrated pharmaceutical firm…branding will be critical to your success. If you build branding as an organizational competency, you will be able to add so much more value to both your products and your company.
About Thomas J. Willard
Thomas J. Willard is Vice President of Marketing for Schwarz Pharma, Inc., the North American affiliate of Schwarz Pharma AG. He is responsible for all marketing operations for the U.S. affiliate and is a member of the Senior Management Team. Mr. Willard joined Schwarz Pharma, Inc. in 2002 as an integral part of the Marketing Department. Most recently Mr. Willard served as Director of Marketing and prior to that he was the Director of New Products. Prior to joining the Schwarz Pharma, Inc. team, Mr. Willard was with Celltech, the U.S. affiliate based out of Rochester, NY, where he held various positions in Sales and Marketing.
About Schwarz Pharma
Schwarz Pharma, Inc. is the North American affiliate of Schwarz Pharma AG, an innovative pharmaceutical company with a worldwide presence. By merging the development of important pharmaceuticals with an international reach, Schwarz Pharma is making a real difference in the lives of patients and medical professionals. In addition to SPM 962 and other neurological products currently in development, Schwarz Pharma offers products for the treatment of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, bringing excellence and innovation to the health care community. www.shwarzpharmausa.com
About Kore Image
Kore Image is a brand consultancy and communications design firm with offices in Pittsburgh, PA and New York, NY. The firm provides brand development, product launch support, web development, print / interactive communications, and event design services to a select portfolio of national accounts within Fortune 500, information technology, pharmaceutical and other industries. The firm's reputation has been built on a stream of successful campaigns for well-known clients such as GE Lighting, Encompass Insurance, Major League Baseball, Rite Aide, Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Avis Rent-A-Car, SARCOM, and Schwarz Pharma.For More information, please contact Kore Image at 412.967.1178 or at info@koreimage.com.