Madhavi oversees review of global websites, digital content sharing, media content, and promotion through Twitter. She offers us her perspective on how to stay compliant when marketing online.
What are the differences between digital and print marketing?
With the explosion of digital media, the US FDA has played an impressive role in evolving their oversight over industry. In general, the regulations and requirements for advertising and promotion are similar for print and digital marketing. Both require truthful claims that are substantiated and balanced with risks. Digital marketing offers more options for content layouts and formats. This, in turn, creates opportunity for creativity both from a marketing standpoint and how fair and balanced information are represented.
Print materials are restricted on layouts and where source and safety information are located. Digital platforms have a lot more flexibility for content layouts and where you can link to safety information relative to claims.
Your business is worldwide, how do you manage compliance on a global scale?
It is critical to understand the audience you are reaching through the platform you use in addition to staying on top of evolving regulations. If the platform supports geo-targeting, then you can follow the regulations of specific geographies. When content is seen by a global audience, the geography with the strictest requirements sets the standard for the rest of the geographies you reach.
Have you been successful with social media?
We have engaged in promotional activities through Twitter. Since Twitter is character-space limited, we have multiple approaches that allow for creativity while staying compliant. One way to stay compliant is to send Tweets that are informational but don’t include claims. If you do want to include a claim, then you have to figure out ways to acknowledge risks.
What’s your #1 piece of advice for digital marketers?
Know your platform. Understand the benefits and risks such as the audience and opportunity for interaction. When interaction is possible, map out the entire process including how to manage complaints and respond to questions or comments. It may not be optimal to retract comments so you will need to find a way to manage and respond to them. While each platform is unique and has a distinct way of impacting your audience; one way to achieve success, especially within large organizations, is to establish simple guidelines that allow for consistency in your online engagements including the platforms you use, what you post, which comments you respond to, and how you respond. Last but not least my mantra for success is, be social to enable social.
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