Do you ever get sucked into those energy black holes? The ‘work things’ that take up huge amounts of time and energy, but are not satisfying and don’t seem to produce very much. Well, imagine this; they are even worse for healthcare professionals. So how does that affect what WE do? BLAME ‘THE SYSTEM…(Read More)

We would still be on iPhone 1, with some licence extensions! In a fast, digital world where most things are instant, transient and DONE, why is our industry so slow? I’ve been having a few ideas… AS THE WORLD HAS SPED UP PHARMA HAS GOT SLOWER When I first started in a pharma agency…(Read More)

The PM Society has invited consultation on their new report; Procurement Strategies: Ensuring optimal outcomes and the best value possible for all stakeholders. I think it’s a balanced and genuinely useful look under the bonnet of how things work – and what could be better. I especially love the focus on client:agency chemistry. So…(Read More)

Following the launch of the latest UK Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry, here’s much to be excited about. As a self-confessed Code Fanatic I’m all about code positivity. And I’m encouraging you to surround yourself with people who feel the same way. IS THE CODE FRIEND OR FOE? Sure…(Read More)

The last two years have seen a shift in how we get customers (humans) from ‘aware’ to ‘ready to buy’. Given that HCPs are humans, we have been wondering how we use this information in the promotion of life sciences brands… The 7-11-4 formula We all need new customers. How people get new…(Read More)

Do you consider yourself to be in the persuasion business? Aristotle cracked the code on what makes communication truly persuasive. If we want healthcare professionals and patients to get the most from medicines, then I think our job IS to to influence behaviour; to persuade. The persuasion triad 2,300 years ago, Aristotle laid out…(Read More)

Do you ever read something again and again, but still not feel you have taken it in? The paragraph in that report you have read five times and still have no clue what it’s about? Let me reassure you; it’s not you. The problem lies with the writing – or more importantly the readability…(Read More)

Recently I went to the ‘Weird sensation feels good’ exhibition at the Design Museum. The exhibition invites visitors to step out from behind their individual screens and experience the world of ASMR in a shared space. The five things I learnt are: 1. I’ve heard this term but what is ASMR exactly? In the…(Read More)

Being an Assistant Copywriter at Wordbird is a fascinating and unique experience. From week-to-week, I’m intrigued to learn more. A month in and already I’m immersed into the world of marketing, learning about ‘Biology of Brands’ and developing ‘Write from Wrong’. Last week my mission was to explore the rules and…(Read More)

Sales representatives are one of our key audiences. It is important we get inside their heads to understand exactly what works for them and what doesn’t. With many pharma companies cutting down on their field sales force, face-to-face interactions present an invaluable opportunity for us to create compelling communications. But what makes…(Read More)

At the Museum of Brands in Notting Hill, there’s a great little exhibition looking into the history of public health advertising. You’ll learn a lot for a small-sized exhibit. The exhibit What made the biggest impact on me was seeing just how much public health advertising has evolved over the years. Different…(Read More)

At Wordbird we believe that effective communication is more than just getting a message across. It can be life changing. We are proud to support HRA Pharma in communicating the centralised switch of the emergency contraceptive pill, ellaOne®, from prescription to non-prescription status. Not only is this major reclassification only the fourth ever centralised…(Read More)

Following a PM Society meeting on patient engagement, here are the most important things for us to know: Patient views always differ from those of clinicians, regulators and payers. It is essential to consult them. Patient-centricity is heavily used by pharma, but what does it mean? There is now a published definition, which we…(Read More)

Artem have been around for 30 years now. Their capacity for cool, practical and pyrotechnic special effects, props and sets, falls nothing short of amazing. It’s highly likely that you’ve seen something that Artem have helped bring to life. Do Robot Wars, Paddington 2 or even the Zoopla crabs ring a bell? 5…(Read More)

Visualising data is nothing new in healthcare communications. But there are always ways to do it better Ain 2017, Data Journalist & Information Designer David McCandless hosted a workshop based on his books, Information is Beautiful and Knowledge is Beautiful. I was lucky enough to secure a place. His books unveil the intricate and often…(Read More)

As a child it was easy to recognise who presents were from before even reading the gift tag. My brother’s had an almost magical quality and would unwrap themselves in the short distance between passing from under the tree to landing on my lap. My mum’s were so tightly secured with thin shiny…(Read More)

On the 31st of January, Sarah and I attended the Hall & Partners event CREATING CERTAINTY. Author Richard Watson and an expert panel led the discussion on ‘Opportunities for brands to provide certainty in an uncertain world’. The event Meeting premise: Societal upheaval has heightened people’s feelings of uncertainty. What strategies should brands employ…(Read More)

Strategy Bootcamp Recently I had the pleasure of attending the IPA Strategic Bootcamp. The IPA Strategic Bootcamp is a one day workshop about understanding what strategy really is and demystifying it. The course provided real practical advice that can be applied to every single project. Here are the 5 things I took away from the…(Read More)

On 8th May 2019, two eager Wordbirds entered the IPA for an intense day of Advanced Leadership training. Feeling slightly daunted by the immense agenda for the day, Gwyn quickly put us at ease with her passion for training and way of breaking down the cascades of information into manageable chunks. We took away so…(Read More)

Have they had direct PMCPA/PAGB training? Do they have a life science degree (or equivalent)? Do they write from references, marking up from draft one? Do they take full responsibility for the approval process to ensure efficiency and rigour (rather than palm it off on a junior account, executive who knows nothing about the…(Read More)

Great ideas come from an inspiring strategy. Strategy is an old military term. In that context strategy is a matter of life and death. It can be the same in our communications. Defining and implementing a successful, multichannel brand communications strategy can make a real difference to people’s lives. For us, there’s nothing…(Read More)