APCO Worldwide: State of the U.S. Biopharmaceutical Industry

Released earlier this month, APCO Worldwide’s third annual State of the U.S. Biopharmaceutical Industry research showed some key shifts in how that industry’s reputation can be improved. The PR firm’s so-called Return on Reputation (ROR) Indicator comes from studies conducted by APCO Insight which validate a more holistic approach to re-positioning pharmaceutical companies’ brands.

This “ROR Indicator” work is based on surveys of some 4,600 plus industry shareholders which factored 28 critical reputation drivers. Ultimately, those drivers amid the data gleaned, frame a much more robust path  to positive perception for industry players.

APCO Worldwide PR has always been a leader at managing corporate reputation, so it only makes sense for the firm to be spearheading the drive into these complex branding issues. In the real time and live world of constant conversation, company image is without a doubt the most critical business stake to be considered for any communicator.

As for APCO’s findings, they show biopharmaceutical companies having made big gains in improving their reputations since APCO first began tracking the data. However, the study also reveals big opportunities for further improvement related to the public’s expectations ongoing. The gist of the findings point to the industry being able now to finely target their messages for bigger gains in public acceptance and overall enhanced reputation. Here is a synopsis of some of the findings:

• Nearly a million more patients will ask their doctor about a company’s medicine
• Average increase in sales by 0.2 percent
• An additional 201,140 community activists will actively advocate on behalf of the industry:
• More than 1.6 million additional Americans are likely to give the industry the benefit of the doubt when crises arise
• The proportion of policy-makers who support the industry on most policy proposals increases by more than one percent
• Market capitalization increases by more than US$20 million for the average biopharmaceutical company

For readers who wish to find out more about these recent APCO Worldwide findings we suggest following the prescribed links or that you request a custom report by contacting:  Chrystine Zacherau, director, APCO Insight, at czacherau@apcoworldwide.com.