Healthcare marketers must go beyond traditional awareness metrics to drive true patient action, said Sarah Bast, executive vice president of investment marketplace at Publicis Health Media (PHM). In this interview with Beet.TV Editorial Director Lisa Granatstein, Bast explained how PHM collaborates with PMX Lift, a unit within Publicis Media focused on the changing TV advertising landscape, to lead the charge in addressable video.
“Video has always been a strong performer,” Bast said. “Fifty-seven percent of users are viewing video digitally, so we focus on addressable tools that deduplicate partners, reduce waste, and improve frequency efficiency.”
By layering in strategic audience data, such as the likelihood of a household having a specific condition, PHM moves closer to targeting that inspires real-world health decisions.
Educating physicians to accelerate patient therapy
Educating healthcare professionals (HCPs) plays a vital role in helping patients begin therapy sooner, Bast said. Through PHM’s Lift practice, the agency can match National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) to households, extending campaigns to reach both physicians and patients simultaneously.
“We often run these as extensions of consumer campaigns,” Bast said. “There’s co-viewing happening, and that lets us reach HCPs and consumers at the same time.”
Retargeting and surround campaigns strengthen video strategy
Digital follow-up is an essential complement to video campaigns, Bast noted. PHM employs retargeting, competitive conquesting, and digital surround tactics to reinforce brand messages. For example, a linear TV spot on the Grammys might be followed by pre-rolls on Vogue.com, YouTube music videos, and coordinated social content to ensure multi-screen engagement.
Bast also described how major events like the Super Bowl create opportunities for omnichannel storytelling. “For a prevention campaign, we extended beyond digital — we even added point-of-care as a channel to remind women during checkups to get screened,” she said.
Measuring success through trusted partnerships
Measurement at PHM centers on collaboration with third-party partners such as CrossX and IQVIA. These partnerships help the agency evaluate audience quality, reach, and cost efficiency across platforms.
“It’s critical to have independent validation,” Bast said. “We look at how each partner performs, the audience quality, and the cost efficiencies, always keeping an eye on optimization.”
Building the omnichannel healthcare journey
Planning is the foundation of any successful campaign, Bast said. PHM’s proprietary planning tools allow teams to map and optimize the full patient journey across TV, video, social and point-of-care environments, all anchored in real-time behavioral data and claims information.
“We start with planning our own journey first,” Bast explained. “Our tools let us monitor live campaigns, optimize in real time, and continually look ahead as the campaign evolves.”
Innovation meets interactivity in connected TV
The rapid expansion of connected TV (CTV) has created both challenges and opportunities. Bast said fragmentation has increased content choice for viewers — and supply for marketers — making it essential to stay focused on quality, performance, and price efficiency.
From an innovation standpoint, PHM is using CTV to turn passive viewing into active engagement. “Pause ads,” for example, display static messages or QR codes when users pause their shows, while interactive trivia spots encourage participation during breaks.
“These innovations let us bring viewers into the experience,” Bast said. “They continue their health journey online, discovering information that’s relevant to them and their well-being.”
You’re watching “Omnichannel Starts with TV: The Evolving Role of TV in Healthcare Marketing”, a Beet.TV Leadership Series, presented by Swoop. For more videos from this series, please visit this page.
