A pharmaceutical brand is a perception or set of associations physicians have of an asset. Those perceptions originate from the story companies tell about their asset, the vision, the values, and the services they offer, and how physicians are transformed as a result of using those products or services.
As part of the ‘Toolbox for Success’ series designed by the Department of Pharmacy, Brac University, a webinar on ‘Brand Development in Pharma’ was organized on April 12, 2021. The speaker of the webinar was Dr. Maqbul Jamil, Associate Vice-President of Global Oncology Marketing, Merck and Adjunct Professor, Marketing, Columbia Business School. The webinar was moderated by Ms. Namara Mariam Chowdhury, Lecturer, Department of Pharmacy, Brac University. The overall technical part of the webinar was taken care of by Mr. Easin Uddin Syed, Lecturer, Department of Pharmacy and Mr. Shihab Ud Dowla, Final year student of the department. The webinar was open to students, alumni and professionals from all disciplines.
Dr. M. Jamil is a commercial leader in the Pharmaceutical industry with two decades of strategic and operational experience in matrix organizations across geographies. Dr. Jamil has extensively worked with clinical development teams to commercialize breakthrough therapeutics including the first small molecule targeted therapy and the first aPD-1 immunotherapy. Currently, he is working for the commercialization strategy of oncology products at Merck & Co, as well as teaching marketing at Columbia University. Previously he worked in marketing and commercial roles of increasing responsibility at Bayer, Eli Lilly and Novartis in the US, Europe, Middle East and Emerging Markets to launch multiple products in numerous therapeutic areas. Dr. Jamil got his Ph.D. in Marketing from Kelley School of Business, Indiana University.
The speaker shared his two decades of experience in building multiple brands on a global stage. He emphasized that developing a brand requires defining, articulating, and asserting messaging and then translating that message into channels where physicians can interact with the brand. According to him creating a brand requires research, brainstorming, data, insights, and a clear vision. The webinar was very interactive and the participants also asked questions and shared their opinion. The questions asked by the attendees were insightful and reflected their enthusiasm towards understanding brand development and growing as competent professionals.