The Future of Pharmaceutical Marketing in the Era of Data and AI
Artificial Intelligence is the buzzword of the decade but for many industries, it’s still unclear how to translate AI theory into practice. At Doceree’s landmark event on June 23, 2025, held at the iconic Sea Containers Building in London, that gap was in front and center.
The exclusive event, The Future of Pharmaceutical Marketing in the Era of Data & AI, brought together strategic thinkers and pharma insiders to bridge the divide between bold AI frameworks and the complex, regulated reality of healthcare marketing. The day was a masterclass in connecting “what” and “why” of AI with the all-important “how” and “what now.”
Daniel Hulme’s Keynote: From AI-Hype to Human-Centric Intelligence
The session opened with a thought-provoking keynote by Daniel Hulme, Chief AI Officer at WPP, who challenged the audience to rethink their understanding of AI - not as a replacement for human insight, but as a powerful augmentation tool. He introduced a structured approach to applying AI, mapping all business challenges to six functions: automation, prediction, audience understanding, and beyond. One core theme was the “Content Paradox”—while AI enables generic content creation at scale, the real challenge is producing high-quality, brand-specific content that truly resonates in a regulated space like pharma.
Hulme introduced WPP’s “Brand Brains” concept, where AI agents collaborate to drive personalization without compromising quality. And perhaps his most powerful message? “Start with decisions, not data.” Instead of hoarding information, organizations should first define the decision they need to influence, then work backwards to determine what data matters.
“The current state of some AI is like an intoxicated graduate—confident but often wrong,” Hulme quipped, emphasizing the continued importance of human oversight.
A power-packed panel delves into 'The Impact of AI on Pharmaceutical Marketing'
Panel Power: Pharma Leaders on the Front Lines
Moderated by Ritesh Patel, Chief Growth Officer at Doceree, the panel discussion brought theory into reality, with insights from:
- Simon Stebbing, Chief Growth & Innovation Officer, Ogilvy Health
- Susana Bento, Global Omnichannel Operations Lead, Grünenthal
- Jiten Jain, VP & GM (UK & Europe), Doceree
- Corina Savin, Global Media Strategy Leader, AstraZeneca
Name badges lined up and ready, setting the stage for a seamless guest experience
The conversation was candid, insightful, and future-focused—here’s what stood out:
From Data Piles to Audience Brains
While pharma sits on mountains of data, the challenge is making it useful. Echoing Hulme’s point on “Audience Brains,” panelists stressed the need to unify data for real individual understanding, moving beyond demographics to motivations, values, and behaviors .
Simon Stebbing noted, “Your competitors are the BBC, Google, and Netflix. You’re competing solely for people’s time.” The takeaway? Pharma isn’t just up against other pharma - it’s up against the best content creators in the world. Winning that battle means earning attention with true value.
Solving the Content Paradox
The pharma panel lived the “Content Paradox” firsthand. One company stopped guessing what HCPs wanted—and simply asked. The result? They wanted “boring” content: dosage guidelines, medical education, and soft-skills training. Not more brand promotion. “We had to stop focusing solely on our brands and actually start offering what our customers wanted,” one panelist admitted. This insight drove a powerful shift: from brand-first to human-first content, a bold but necessary evolution.
Zero-Click Future: Death of Vanity Metrics
Both Hulme and the panel agreed: click-through rates are no longer the gold standard. Jiten Jain explained, “Time spent and number of clicks by physicians have dropped globally. AI agents now surface citations and answers without the need for users to click.” This "Zero-Click Future" requires new metrics like “intent-to-prescribe” scores and real-world outcomes. It’s no longer about digital engagement—it’s about measurable impact.
Ideas that Transform Pharmaceutical Marketing-unfolding live in London.
AI-Augmented Sales Reps
Hulme predicted that sales reps will transform into relationship orchestrators, armed with AI tools that enable personalized, omni-channel engagement. The panel echoed this. Reps are no longer just delivering messages, they’re delivering value, powered by insights and trust.
Susana Bento emphasized, “You need to bring compliance along with you on the journey.” Engaging compliance early and using data to support innovation was cited as essential to navigating this change.
Networking in full swing—industry leaders connect over conversations and cocktails post-panel.
Human Insights Behind the Data
Corina Savin added a reminder: “They are still human beings. If something resonates with them, they’ll react—regardless of the platform.” Her point? Behind every data point is a person. Successful AI marketing strategies start with understanding real people, not just professionals.
Actionable Blueprint for AI-Driven Pharma Marketing
Here’s what every marketer can take away from the event:
- Start with Decisions, Not Data - Focus on the key outcome you want. Then find the data that supports it.
- Make Compliance Your Co-Pilot - Don’t sideline legal and compliance, bring them into the strategy early.
- Solve for Time and Trust - Respect your audience’s time. Deliver clear, valuable content they actually need.
- Measure What Matters - Ditch vanity metrics. Track real-world behaviors and outcomes.
- Creativity is Your Superpower - In a world of AI optimization, human creativity becomes your biggest differentiator.
As pharma marketing moves from mass messaging to intelligent, adaptive strategies, the need for clean, accessible, and actionable data becomes critical. Dive deeper into how quality data and AI are powering the future of HCP engagement in healthcare marketing.
Celebrating a day of creative ideas and meaningful connections.
The Future is Already Here
The message from London was clear: the future of pharmaceutical marketing is not just digital, it’s intelligent, adaptive, and deeply human.