Windham Pharmaceuticals

Questions to Consider in Case Write-up: 1. What is the best argument Heather Yates can make to justify charging Windham Pharmaceuticals for impressions instead of click-throughs? Does she have acceptable alternatives? Click-throughs: People showing an active interest, but not necessarily sales. Impressions: Viewers. High quality “views” (people who will by eventually) are more valuable than low quality “look-in” click-through. “wanted to learn more”. Is this more accurate? Brand and trust is unrelated to click-through. Hybrid: Impressions are important, but can’t discount trackable metrics (click-through)

“You’re getting a lot more from MedNet’s audience than Marvel gives you,” said Yates. “Your ads appear on a page with trusted medical information, our audience is attracted to your products, and we have reason to believe that our advertising partnership adds to your bottom line.”
2.
What value to the consumer does a general interest site contribute that a niche site can’t? Which is the more defensible model?

Search page is top 2 pages. Help general public. Most of MedNet’s top pages are not niche sub-pages. People looking for answers, maybe be looking in wrong place. Niche sites are better if you’re looking for depth on known topic (assuming general site can’t go into this much depth. This might mostly be a marketing angle if general site has very good subsections.) Dependent on reputation, quality and type of content.

3. What steps can MedNet take to address emerging competitive threats? threats: niche, search engines. New brand? for alternative medicine click-through, direct traffic to mednet. New/co-brand niche, click-through and funnel to
mednet.

MedNet -provide scientifically based medical information to non-professional
- provide info for free
- generate profit from advertising

- trusted, evidence-based, consumer health information site
- had 4.3 million monthly visitor in 2006

Heather Yates - VP for business development
Bill Bishop - VP of consumer marketing

Original value proposition - ? - web analytics - tracking behavior of users and give ROI info
- CPM - cost per thousand impressions

Clients - Windham Pharmaceutical
Mahria Baker - CMO of Windham

Competitor -
Marvel - direct competitor - search engine - pay-per-click - coupon for Vesselia
- condition-specific sites - Cholestrol.com - category killer
- indirect competitor - ClinicalTrial.com - experimental procedures
- Alternativehealth.com - information on "unproven" therapies and procedures - didn't compete directly as caters to alternate medicine and distrust pharma

Issues - stay CPM or pay-per-click

- stagnant audience - increase and extend to alternative health market? Will they click on Ad?
- Corporate health site? - Can MedNet stay independent?

Options
- more prescriptive and diagnostic approach - charge for contents?
- alternative health info? will it solve problem?
- corporate web site?