Newly-released findings from a Veeva Crossix study of marketing campaigns across more than 200 pharma and healthcare brands during 2021 show a more diversified media mix with greater inclusion of audio, resulting in a 61% increase in audio impressions compared to 2020.
The study, which aggregates media measurement and health data across $6 billion in 2021 advertising investments, shows that 50% more ad campaigns included podcasts and other emerging digital audio channels, in categories such as women's health and preventative medicine, where audio impressions were as a result up 77% and 103%, respectively, from 2020. The increased audio strategy resulted in an 11% increase in the rate of new patient starts, with a 120% greater effectiveness than digital display ads.
“Across the board, Crossix has seen an uptick in the adoption of audio as a means of delivering rich messaging to patients, with more investments in streaming audio channels and an increase in audio inventory purchased programmatically,” the report says. “New digital tactics provide opportunities to be more precise in ensuring media is reaching the right patients.”
While Veeva Crossix's study shows that digital display continues to account for the majority of digital impressions, audio, streaming and online video all show year-over-year growth. The resulting diversification has led to increased audience quality, with targeting improving 4% for audio and more than 20% for digital display and online video campaigns vs. 2020.
“In a world of digital choice, healthcare marketers are leaning on data to uncover new strategies for optimizing their media spend," Veeva Crossix Analytics General Manager Sarah Caldwell says. "The most data-driven brands are successfully boosting their reach and conversions with a more diverse, targeted mix of patient and HCP touchpoints."