Redefining the vision

Pfizer's ophthalmology portfolio comprises Xalatan and Xalacom – market leaders for the treatment of glaucoma, and Macugen for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In 2007/08 the team faced a number of challenges:
• Ongoing company re-organisation to enable a more customer-focused approach leading to shift in brand strategy
• Specific challenges with marketed products, eg, Xalatan patent expiration, Xalacom growth below target, competition and reimbursement issues in AMD market
• Wide geographical spread of teams across Europe
• Budget, time and environmental restrictions meant that teams were not able to regularly meet face-to-face

The Pfizer European Business Team challenged Resolute to develop an internal communications campaign to re-motivate the internal team across Europe. 

Objectives
To re-energise a mature product portfolio by re-motivating the internal team by encouraging innovation; sharing best practice; rewarding success and driving dialogue.
To make all individuals within Pfizer Ophthalmics feel part of one team by putting faces to names while leveraging the advantages of virtual working.

Quantitative measures
• Visionary newsletter read regularly by 80 per cent of target audience
• Two articles+ received from outside the European central team per issue
• Articles from 12 markets+ published in the first year of the programme
• Visionary award entries to be submitted by at least 15 markets
Resolute worked together with senior members of the Pfizer team to create The Visionary Programme to brand and unify communications within the Pfizer Ophthalmics team. The programme sought to promote: a sense of belonging, leadership, unity, shared success, future focus, inspiration, drive, revitalisation, clear sightedness and action.

The campaign remotivated the team and re-energised the brand

Tactical implementation
The programme can be tailored to meet any specific objective. Elements included:
• An inaugural Visionary newsletter produced overnight on-site at the Pfizer Plan of Action Meeting in 2007
• The distribution of articles featuring interviews with top international KOLs. This demonstrated evidence of Pfizer's strong advocacy among key influencers
• Regular Country in Focus and Day in the Life of… columns, which encouraged a two-way flow of information

All tactical programmes were linked back to the brand strategy to ensure continued and consistent focus on commercial goals.

Visionary awards were also launched under the banner of "Engagement, Innovation, Growth" – key themes that mirrored Pfizer's critical success factors for 2008. All team members were invited to showcase examples of outstanding work from the previous year and be crowned Visionary of the Year. Twenty-two entries were received from a total of 18 markets. The quality surpassed expectations and all 22 were presented in poster format to the wider group. True to the Visionary values, the winning entry was chosen by a democratic vote from all members of the team.

Results and evaluation
Feedback from internal stakeholders suggested that the Visionary is synonymous with inspiration, leadership and innovation. The elements provide a forum for sharing information and success and encourage contribution from internal stakeholders.

• An average of four articles per newsletter have been authored by team members outside of the European team
• From Oct 2007 to Oct 2008, contributions were received from over 19 countries
• Eighteen markets submitted a total of 22 entries to the Visionary Awards.

In addition, two other European Brand Teams within Pfizer have expressed an interest in running similar programmes for their teams – evidence that The Visionary really is seen as a great example of best practice in internal communications.

"To me the Visionary means being forward thinking, working together and driving the brands we support, while ensuring a completely customer-focused approach. The programme has energised the team across Europe at a critical time. We now have the motivation and focus to really strengthen our market leadership." – Anne-Marie Swift, Brand Director, Pfizer Ophthalmics European Brand Team.

In a survey conducted in March 2009, 83 per cent of the Pfizer team members reported reading the Visionary newsletter regularly.

"The Visionary programme is an excellent opportunity to share ideas with European colleagues, and it also establishes great relationships between countries. I'm feeling really motivated following the recognition of our project at the awards and very happy to be interacting more with my colleagues from other countries as a result. Congratulations on the excellent idea for the Visionary Awards - It was truly a win-win situation." – Pfizer Brand Manager.

"Nice overview and inspiring/challenging for the countries to do identical (or better) glaucoma campaigns!" – Pfizer Brand Manager.

Case Study details

Client: Pfizer
Agency: Resolute Communications Ltd
Campaign: The Visionary Programme
Timescale: October 2007 to present

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