With endless new drugs coming to market each year, the pressure is on for pharmaceutical companies to launch a drug that will not only drive sales, but also be the first in its class. 

Pharma companies rely heavily on their traditional consumer base for revenue, but it’s become evident that the most successful drugs on the market are adapted to appeal to a much wider audience.

There’s no question that brand message, style, and tone should be consistent across all markets, but how do you achieve this on a global scale? Brand perception varies from market to market and can evoke certain emotions about your product that will lead to engagement, sales, and ultimately, loyalty.

Let’s use a new product name as an example. A branding team will spend weeks, even months, coming up with a memorable drug name , and the end result is often based on what sounds and works best for an English-speaking audience. What often gets overlooked, however, is considering how the name will be perceived by global consumers.

Is the name pronounceable in all markets, and if so, how will it sound? Does the name already exist in that target language? Does the name have any negative associations tied to it that would deter consumers from investing?

Many times, the branding teams will task the in-country launch regions with finding out the answers to these questions and adapting the copy as they wish. By doing so, they run the risk of delivering an inconsistent vision and understanding of the brand message by not staying true to the English source.  

Instead of fully replicating the creative process in each market, significant value can be added by enlisting a team of cultural consultants at the onset of a campaign for concept-level review.

Cultural consultants can identify conceptual and creative elements in the content, imagery and layout that may need to be revised in order to be culturally appropriate for all target markets.

Involving a cultural consultant team early on allows your branding team to take a holistic approach to the process that ensures the English campaign collateral you move forward with will be equally well-crafted and impactful for all markets involved in the launch. To find out more, please email info@transperfect.com.