Align. Target. Measure: A New Model for Pharma Media Series—Part 1

The Measurement Gap Is Holding Pharma Media Back

After two decades in pharma media, I can tell you this: our ability to target has evolved. Our strategy has evolved. But our measurement? Still stuck in the past.

We now have the ability to target patients based on the behavior of their HCPs. We can target HCPs based on how often they prescribe, to which patients, and in which contexts. Strategy and targeting have made major strides.

But our measurement frameworks haven’t caught up.

We’re still measuring media like we did when channels were siloed, data was delayed, and behaviors were impossible to track. If we want to unlock the full power of what today’s targeting makes possible, we need to rethink how we measure impact—starting with the basics.

We’re Still Measuring the Wrong End of the Funnel

Too often, marketers build campaigns based on aspirational strategy: ideal patients, gold-standard algorithms, positioning decks. That’s fine on paper. But what happens when the doctors those patients see don’t prescribe the brand? Your strategy falls flat. And your measurement won’t catch it until it’s too late.

What I’ve seen—over and over again—is that the biggest lever in campaign performance isn’t creative or frequency. It’s whether the targeting actually reflects real-world behavior.

Behavior-Based Targeting Is the Strategy

If a doctor has prescribed a brand before, they’re far more likely to prescribe it again. If a patient sees a message tied to a doctor who frequently prescribes that brand, they’re far more likely to bring it up and get it filled.

This isn’t theoretical. It’s repeatable. And it’s measurable—but only if we stop trying to force modern targeting into outdated measurement boxes.

Measurement Needs to Catch Up

When measurement evolves to reflect behavioral signals—not just demographics or exposure—everything else starts to click. Strategy becomes grounded. Targeting becomes smarter. And media begins to work harder, because it's aligned to how decisions actually get made.

That’s where we go in Part 2: a new way to measure all media—patient and HCP alike—based on real-world behaviors: acquisition and adherence.

Because once measurement reflects behavior, targeting and strategy fall into place.