Traditional pharma marketing, heavily reliant on science and data, can be improved by adopting consumer goods principles. This involves focusing on simplicity, message consistency, and tapping into emotional insights to cut through a cluttered and competitive marketplace.

Breakthrough drugs aren't always driven by novel biological targets. Major successes like Humira or GLP-1s often succeeded through a superior modality (a humanized antibody) or a contrarian bet on a market (obesity). This shows that business and technical execution can be more critical than being the first to discover a biological mechanism.

The number of Americans recommended for statins ballooned from 13 million to 56 million due to progressively lowered cholesterol thresholds. The expert committees setting these guidelines often had members with financial ties to drug makers, creating a conflict of interest.

Despite its first-mover advantage, Novo Nordisk lost its lead in the weight-loss drug market by failing to recognize its consumer-driven nature. While it planned a traditional pharma launch, competitor Eli Lilly adopted a direct-to-consumer model, treating the drug like an e-commerce product and capturing the market.

The direct-to-consumer channel exploded for Eli Lilly with Zepbound. The drug was a perfect fit because the diagnosis is simple, efficacy is easily measured by the patient, and it allows motivated self-pay customers to bypass insurance friction.

The pharmaceutical industry is often misunderstood because it communicates through faceless corporate entities. It could learn from tech's "go direct" strategy, where leaders tell compelling stories. Highlighting the scientists and patient journeys behind breakthroughs could dramatically improve public perception and appreciation.

Pharmaceutical marketing can be transformed by adopting principles from consumer goods giants like Unilever. This involves focusing on simplicity, messaging consistency, and leveraging emotional customer insights, moving beyond a purely science-driven approach to cut through market clutter and build a stronger brand.

Procter & Gamble's success comes from being intensely data-driven and consumer-focused. This FMCG mindset, which treats every decision as a science and starts with the consumer, provides a powerful framework for pharmaceutical companies navigating digital transformation and patient centricity.

The launch of Novo Nordisk's oral GLP-1 pill via platforms like Ro marks a pivotal shift in pharma distribution. It's the first time a drug of this scale has launched nationwide with a direct-to-consumer model, enabling patients to go from seeing an ad to receiving a prescription in under 48 hours.