In this episode, we are joined by Rich Quelch, Global Head of Marketing for Origin Pharma. Rich has vast experience in creating global marketing strategies, campaigns, and brand development. He discusses his views on selecting the right agency and how the pandemic is affecting the pharmacy market.
The importance of brand development
“I see myself as a commercial marketeer”
Rich highlights his own passion for brand development. “What I will say is I suppose my skillset is brand development on a commercial slant, and I kind of see myself as a commercial marketeer. So, I get enthusiastic about developing a brand.”
Through working with agencies, Rich is able to strategically drive and grow the Origin Pharma brand. “I need the expertise from agencies to support me on that journey.” In Rich’s opinion, the ongoing pandemic has made collaboration with agencies even more essential for brand growth.
Choosing an agency
“Fundamentally it comes down to people”
Selecting and working with the right agency is essential for success in the world of pharmaceutical marketing. For Rich, what’s most important is establishing a relationship with the people he will be working with from the onset. “Fundamentally it comes down to people, I think, if there’s a good chemistry there, that’s only going to support the by-product. If I get on with them, that’s going to make and create magic when it comes to marketing, when it comes to ideas.”
Rich acknowledges that many agencies work on a similar basic model, so what’s really most important is the client-agency relationship. “I understand when you go and meet an agency, you probably meet a director. And I’m not saying this is always the case, but it tends to then be passed to the project team, the account managers, and the account director to deliver it. I want to meet those people.”
Transparency is key
“There’s got to be transparency”
According to Rich, agencies must gain a good understanding of the team and the vision of the business to deliver the best outcomes. On the other side of things, the business must be transparent with the agency so that they can gain valuable insights from each other.
“There’s got to be transparency, otherwise, it’s just not going to work. You’re going to be running along in two different, non-parallel lines.” Without transparency, Rich believes that the client-agency relationship will fail.
Rich’s brand development expertise has allowed him to deliver campaigns and integrate marketing and sales teams, maximising budget return. Listen to Rich’s episode on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or on the ClientSide website.