Aventis’ Successful Sales Promotion Campaign Using ‘Connection Cards’

Details

Case Code : CLMC-026
Publication date : 2005
Subject : Marketing Communications
Industry : -
Length : 04 Pages
Price : Rs. 100

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Key words:

Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Taxotere, Bristol Myers Squibb, Paclitaxel, FDA, Oncologists, Sales Promotion Campaign, ‘Connection Cards’, E-mail Survey, Open-Ended Questions and Communication Mix.

Note

1: This caselet is intended for use only in class discussions.
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Abstract:

The caselet describes the steps taken by Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Aventis Inc.), a leading pharma company in the US, to overcome the new FDA regulations and gain higher recall among oncologists and breast cancer patients. The caselet provides details on the company’s breast cancer drug Taxotere, the market leader in its segment. The caselet presents the design and implementation of the ‘Connection Cards’ campaign for Taxotere. The caselet also throws light on the oncology market and difficulties faced by companies in promoting their brands. The caselet provides details about the oncologists and the needs of breast cancer patients.

Issues:   » Sales promotions in pharmaceutical marketing   » Role of sales representatives in successful implementation of a sales promotion campaign   » Influence of end-consumers on trade promotion design and implementation. Introduction Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Aventis Inc.) is the wholly-owned US subsidiary of Aventis AG, the pharma division of France-based Aventis S.A, a leading global player in pharmaceutical and agriculture products. Aventis Inc. has a presence in major therapeutic segments like cardiology, oncology, anti-infectives, arthritis, allergy, and respiratory illnesses. The oncology division of Aventis Inc.

markets Taxotere, a drug that is used in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Taxotere was launched in 1997 and due to the drug’s complexity and the sensitivity associated with the disease, sales representatives of the oncology division needed to give a detailed description about the drug to the oncologists and nurses.

Questions for Discussion:

1. In order to make a sales promotion campaign effective, a company has to identify and set the right sales promotion objectives to effectively guide the design and implementation of the campaign. Discuss the objectives behind the ‘Connection Cards’ campaign of Aventis Inc.

2. As part of the post-sales promotion research, Aventis took the help of an e-mail survey among its sales representatives. How far is this approach justified when a post-sales promotion research targeted at oncologists and nurses would help effectively measure the performance of the sales promotion campaign?