International agency Ogilvy has created a new health influencer division to fight medical misinformation and help pharmaceutical businesses connect with emerging social media health trends.
Through this new unit, the WPP-owned firm will look to tap into the increasing numbers of people turning to social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram for medical advice and information, driven in part by the increasing scarcity of GP appointments.
Given the vast amounts of medical misinformation widely prevalent on social media, this trend can prove highly problematic – inspiring the anti-vax movement during the Covid pandemic, for example.
“Society is at a point of peak illness and peak wellness,” said Ogilvy Health CEO, Caroline Howe.
“An ageing population means more people are living with chronic illness, while more people than ever are seeking wellness and lifestyle solutions to better their health.”
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She added that the “family doctor is no longer the sole gatekeeper” of medical advice and that “many people are turning to influencers to help them in different ways: from checking and identifying their symptoms [or] a diagnosis, or lifestyle tips on how to manage that condition”.
Ogilvy has previously worked with major pharma groups such as Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
Ogilvy PR’s head of influence, Rahul Titus has called health the ‘new frontier’ in marketing, with the agency’s new unit set to include a range of influencers who are health specialists, expert patients and celebrity medics.
These influencers will then look to help users check diagnoses or spot symptoms. They will at all times need to clearly state within their content whether they are being paid by a pharmaceutical company.
Such content is strictly governed, with the UK restricting any advertising for prescription medication to the public, although this ban does not extend to healthcare professionals.
Haleon head of external partnerships, Carolyn Solan added: “While partnering with expert patients and healthcare professionals is not a new concept for Haleon, it is becoming only more critical as we look to help make everyday health more accessible and achievable for everyone.”
