writing/media placement/other

Interactive Marketing Alternatives to the Web

Each interactive medium has strengths and weaknesses that may make it more suitable for a specific situation. Interactive marketing alternatives include:

CD-ROMs: These silver platters offer an excellent way to deliver large quantities of information--quickly. Over the past several years, pharmaceutical marketers have utilized CD-ROMs to provide slide presentations, continuing medical education, and brand detail messages (vs. the personal delivery by a sales representative). The storage capability and technology has allowed marketers to bring innovation to these somewhat “known” approaches to marketing.

Standard CD-ROMs are capable of holding 650 megabytes of data, pictures, video and sound (files which would take a day to download on a dial up connection.) The CD-ROM’s large storage capacity is the greatest strength of the medium, enabling marketers to include audio and video rich presentations.

CD-ROMs aren’t a brand new thing. The major challenge facing a marketer is to get the user to actually play the CD-ROM on their computer. Packaging plays a major role in generating the necessary interest for the user to actually start the CD-ROM. The packaging should clearly state the benefits of using the CD-ROM, and the design should generate excitement about the CD-ROM. Adding to the packaging excitement, CD-ROMs can also be cut into unique shapes (vs. the standard circular disk), further distinguishing the product and brand. For example, a CD-ROM supporting the launch of a new pill formulation of a product could be cut into the shape of the actual pill—therefore serving as a unique brand reminder as well as delivering relevant content for the recipient.

CD-ROMs make great giveaways: for sales reps to give to professionals, and for professionals to give to patients. An educational CD-ROM, which provides information and tools that encourage compliance, as well as general information about the health condition, is a great vehicle for time-challenged professionals to communicate complex issues with patients.

CD-ROMs have limitations also, however. Because their performance is subject to the speed and power of the computer running them, designing for the correct target platform is critical. A CD-ROM presentation designed for a high speed machine (a Pentium® II or above) can turn a smooth product animation into a jerky slide show if played on a slower machine.

Strengths: Rich media experience, ability for others to deliver your message, ability for others to keep your message

Weaknesses: Per-piece cost, non-standard playback performance

Bottom Line: CD-ROMs offer a great way to provide a target audience with a powerful interactive marketing message not subject to the bandwidth constraints of the Web.

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