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Interview
"In Brazil, Women´s Healthcare is even more strategic."
With an eye on the users of iPhone and iPad, the pharmaceutical industry has started to develop apps and actions for those devices. Bayer, for instance, introduced the "Pill time", which reminds women to take their contraceptive pill on time.
During an exclusive interview to Top Team, Fernando Caron, director of the Women´s Healthcare Business Unit at Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, analyzes this new scenario and shows his concerns about the SEO (Search Engine Optimization): "If you look up the word pill on Google, you will see our website top ranked".
Top Team accepted the challenge and tested it. We easily found Gineco, top ranked, a portal managed by the company. Follow the main parts of the interview below:
Top Team: Is the Women´s Healthcare Business Unit strategic for Bayer all over the world?
Fernando Caron: It is extremely strategic. Two out of 10 drugs sold by the company worldwide are contraceptives (from the Yaz - Yaz, Yasmin and Yasminelle family - and Mirena - the intra-uterine system). Throughout the first semester of 2010, the company launched in Brazil the first contraceptive with estradiol valerate, the most potent naturally-occurring estrogen. In Brazil, Women´s Healthcare is even more strategic, as it holds four out of the 10 most sold products.
Top Team: What is the importance of launching free apps for iPhone and iPad for the pharmaceutical industry?
Fernando Caron: With the "Pill Time", Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals intends to facilitate women´s daily life by helping them use this drug appropriately. Bayer innovates by using simple but crucial apps for this segment.
Top Team: Does this kind of technology help keep loyal customers?
Fernando Caron: This kind of initiative just reinforces the company´s concern with women´s wellness; that´s a fun and relaxed way of helping women no to forget this kind of commitment. As women have been connected in social networks and the Internet, Bayer can use this vehicle they access to remind them to do something very important, like taking the pill. They will certainly have Bayer as their daily partner.
Top Team: Which other technologies can the pharmaceutical industry make use of in order to help the population? Can the podcast, for instance, be used?
Fernando Caron: The technologies are still hardly explored by the pharmaceutical industry, not only because it is a kind of company with the highest number of regulations but also several limitations when it comes to dealing with users. However, I believe we will see a more intense use of technologies for communication or chronic users´ help soon. Bayer, for instance, has the biggest information portal about the women´s healthcare in Brazil. If you simply click on "pill" on Google you´ll find our website top ranked.
Top Team: To wrap up, Bayer has also sponsored sports events, like marathons. Is this kind of investment worth to the brand?
Fernando Caron: Absolutely. Bayer has sponsored sports events and has even annually participated in a special space called Venus Circuit, just for women. Practicing sports is directly associated with quality of life and wellbeing, two main factors of the company´s mission.
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