Unfortunately, as Henninger notes, marketing departments often find themselves at the sharp end of these initiatives. "Marketing spend has always been first in line for cuts because many companies don't see it as a 'must have', and historically, it has been very difficult to prove its impact," she explains.

While a company may see immediate benefits from these sweeping cost-saving measures, this short-term thinking can undermine strategic objectives, causing companies to lose sight of what Henninger dubs "the longer-term trajectory". Instead, she notes, the most effective approach isn't necessarily reducing marketing investments, but optimising them through strategic and data-driven decision-making. In other words – spending smarter. 

Through advanced analytics, marketing teams can precisely identify which investments generate insufficient returns and which drive sustainable growth. 

"Measurement should be a mandatory inclusion in every single piece of communication," says Henninger. "There is a famous quote by one of the forefathers of marketing, John Wanamaker, 'Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.' Well, there's no excuse for that now. Everything is measurable. When we all start to do that regularly, the mystery disappears."

This approach transforms marketing from a perceived cost centre into a strategic asset, guiding pharmaceutical brands through competitive markets with data-driven precision, rather than reactive budget reductions that ultimately compromise long-term market position and product performance.

"We've seen this real shift from outputs to outcomes," Henninger explains. "It's not enough anymore to produce a lot of content and put it out in the market. If that content can't produce outcomes, it has very little value."

This strategic pivot requires marketers to ensure every piece of communication, whether it's a digital ad, email campaign, or promotional video, drives tangible results. "What's crucial is engaging with the right audience in the right way," she explains.

"Companies have traditionally turned to consulting firms in the first instance to identify the 'white space' they can own when entering a market or launching a new drug," she explains. "While this sort of analysis certainly uncovers a territory they can lay claim to, the missing piece may just be: Is this territory actually meaningful to the people I want to attract?"

To illustrate how this works in practice, Henninger cites the case of one pharma company that, after six years on the market, faced persistently flat sales, despite various strategy adjustments. Initially, they planned to invest in a new mechanism-of-action video, assuming their product's benefits weren't clearly understood. However, when Henninger's team analysed the situation with Page & Page's AI tool, PIRL, they discovered a different issue altogether. By examining various "factors of influence" – including audience targeting, competitive landscape changes, and shifting healthcare provider interests – Henninger's team found that the company was targeting the wrong healthcare facilities and missing key audience interests.

"It sounds like a massive overclaim, but for those who are willing to embrace technology, there is a window for them to really make a tangible and measurable return on investment while everyone else is sleeping," Henninger explains. "We're at a brand-, business- and career-defining juncture. Those who embrace it have a much higher chance of success."

However, she is quick to point out that data is only useful when it is translated into actionable insights: "Data without insight will not move business. This is where humans layer onto what AI and ML give us." AI provides the raw material – data – but it is the human element, the strategic thinking and interpretation, that turns this data into meaningful action. By combining the capabilities of AI with expert strategic guidance, agencies can create more impactful marketing campaigns that deliver measurable results.

For Henninger, this synergy between technology and expertise underscores the importance of selecting the right marketing partners. "I remember saying to a client once, 'if you will just let us "under the hood" of your business, we can be better partners to you'," she says. "What I meant was tell us about your commercial strategy, invite us to your monthly performance meetings, take us on some sales calls, show us how the IVA [Interactive Visual Aid] is being used, let us in on competitive war gaming – it's only then that we can be true ‘growth partners’.”  

Sharing commercial strategies, including agencies in performance meetings, and providing visibility into sales processes and competitive dynamics requires a lot of trust from the pharma company. As such, Henninger explains, it is critical to find a partner that not only understands their business but also possesses the technological capabilities to unearth meaningful insights that translate directly to business growth.

"Omnichannel" methods, once heralded as game-changing in the marketing space, have become go-to strategies for boosting engagement; however, as Henninger notes, this is not a foolproof path to success. "Pharma has kind of fallen out of love with omnichannel because it hasn't produced the efficiencies or the benefits or the impact that they thought it was going to produce."

The fundamental issue lies in the approach: distributing content across multiple channels without truly understanding audience motivations. "The biggest mistake is probably just thinking more is better," she explains, "and not stopping to really go 'OK fundamentally, what's the problem we need to solve and who are the people we want to target?’. Let's get under the skin of who we're really talking to and what it's going to take to move them.'" A lack of insight can result in ineffective campaigns that do not resonate with the target audience. 

For companies facing stalled campaign progress, reevaluation should begin with the data and insights underpinning their strategies. "We believe the first thing marketing leaders should be reevaluating are the insights upon which they are developing their strategies and content," Henninger advises.

Equally important, she stresses, is assessing current partnerships. Companies should question whether their partners truly understand their commercial strategy and business needs. The most valuable partners combine AI and data analytics with strategic insight to transform marketing investments from routine expenditures into powerful growth drivers that break free from comfortable but ineffective approaches.