CANNES – The evolving landscape of media buying is reshaping strategies in the healthcare space, particularly in pharmaceuticals, discussed in a Beet.TV panel titled “Breaking the Mold: Redefining Client, Agency, and DSP Partnerships” at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Moderated by Mike Shields, founder of Next in Media, the discussion featured insights from industry leaders, including Marc Minassian of Genentech, Kristen Tappan of CMI Media Group and Eric Lloyd from The Trade Desk.
Marc Minassian, head of media and innovation at biotech giant Genentech, discussed the challenges and opportunities in shifting media strategies within the healthcare sector.
“When we think about changing up media strategies and allocations, the first thing we have to do is keep everyone who’s responsible for those decisions up to date with how inventory is purchased, how it’s sold, and how it’s consumed,” Minassian said.
He cited the importance of convincing stakeholders in pharma to embrace new media approaches, moving away from traditional methods like linear TV, which many still rely on.
“It starts by just explaining how people are consuming and how inventory is bought and sold,” he said.
Kristen Tappan, senior vice president at ad agency CMI Media Group, provided perspective on how to help clients navigate this transition.
“It’s always easier to get people comfortable based on what they’re already doing and knowing,” Tappan said.
For brands heavily invested in linear TV, the strategy is to show how digital TV, especially connected television (CTV), mirrors traditional methods while offering enhanced targeting opportunities. For other brands that have never done TV, the ability to treat it like a digital channel opens up new possibilities.
“For a lot of brands, it’s going to create a lot of efficiency,” she said, highlighting the importance of testing AI-driven media buying strategies at scale.
Eric Lloyd, general manager of healthcare at adtech firm The Trade Desk, echoed Tappan’s thoughts on the role of programmatic advertising.
“We sit in the middle where it’s our job to not only talk about the tech, but also update teams on the different things happening from a macro perspective,” Lloyd said.
He noted that the adoption of programmatic buying among publishers, especially in the CTV space, has expanded targeting options and facilitated better connections between brands and consumers.
Balancing privacy concerns
A key theme of the discussion was the balance between advanced targeting capabilities and consumer privacy. Minassian emphasized that healthcare advertising must be human-centric.
“We don’t want to target conditions; we want to target people,” he said.
This approach requires understanding consumer behaviors, interests, and media consumption habits beyond just their medical conditions.
“People aren’t thinking about their disease all the time. They’re watching their favorite shows or listening to podcasts,” Minassian added. By broadening the scope of targeting to include interests and lifestyle, brands can reach consumers more holistically.
Artificial intelligence’s growing importance
Lloyd further clarified the role of AI in enhancing targeting.
“AI is saying, well, you may be missing some people, and that’s how we’re leveraging it,” he said, noting that AI should serve as a supplement rather than the sole driver of media buying decisions. This thoughtful application of AI allows brands to improve targeting without overstepping privacy boundaries.
The conversation also touched on the growing demand for transparency in media buying, particularly regarding AI-driven campaigns. Lloyd said transparency in programmatic buying is crucial, especially when dealing with health data.
“It’s our job to really evangelize some of the latest technologies we’re using to lift up the entire market,” he said. While AI has transformed the industry, it requires careful oversight to ensure it is used ethically and responsibly.
In closing, Tappan underscored the importance of blending human insight with AI-driven strategies. “We’re still creating messages that have empathy, and we’re still leveraging people from that component,” she said.
As the industry embraces more sophisticated tools, the challenge remains: finding the right balance between innovation, privacy, and the human touch that defines successful advertising.
The panel at Cannes Lions showcased how breaking the mold in media strategies is not just about adopting new technologies but also about reshaping the way brands, agencies and DSPs work together to engage consumers more effectively and responsibly.
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