How DTx marketing is not like your traditional Consumer Health marketing

In my previous post, I talked about DTx products as a truly innovative approach to managing one’s own health. But one thing I have noticed over the years, is that marketing a direct-to-consumer (DTC) DTx product is different in many ways from marketing a typical OTC or Consumer Health product.

For one thing, the Regulatory landscape is less clearly defined. While OTC products have clearly defined rules that vary whether your product is an NDA or a monograph, non-prescription DTx products are much newer. The teams working on them are still often figuring out what rules apply, what claims can be made, what conditions can be addressed, etc. Having worked at 2 different DTx companies, I can tell you the experience of the Regulatory team members are also variable and they are often stretching into new areas. Sometimes they are medical device regulatory experts taking on new challenges at tech startups; at other times they may be Regulatory team members at a more traditional pharma company now learning about these new tech products. Either way it makes for dynamic and exciting MLR (Medical/Legal/Regulatory) discussions.

Distribution and “shelf presence” is another key difference. If you put an OTC product on a shelf at any major retailer, people will see it. The packaging itself is a key point of communication. Sure, gaining distribution is a major hurdle, but once achieved you are often off to a baseline level of sales. Marketing is needed to drive sales momentum and maintain your shelf space, but you can expect some initial uptake. In contrast, digital programs are not physical entities. You will not just happen upon them while shopping your local drug store seeking a new solution for an issue. As a Marketer, you will be wholly reliant on consumers making their way to your eCommerce store front, or wherever you are digitally distributing your program. This puts a heavier onus on the Marketer (versus the sales team who would secure your in-store distribution).

But at the end of the day, the key marketing fundamentals are the same. Whether the product is digital or physical, understanding your core target user and communicating the product’s key benefits are essential. And while DTx programs don’t have physical packages, the overall user experience is equally important.