M’s the word: Pharma marketing, the director’s cut

Why pharma marketing is like directing a feature film



Hands up if you’ve read the Millennium Trilogy? I guess many of you got stuck about 100 pages in, unable to keep track of all those Elvis names. The wisdom of crowds operates in this case. It really is good reading once you have mastered the family names.

The film doing the rounds is the English/American version. I saw it and having read the book (I ignored the confusing names and worked out that I would get carried along with the plot and make up what I did not understand) I knew it would be violent, so I was not too surprised. My wife, on the other hand, was horrified. And in the cinema, it is difficult to get up and walk out when you are disturbed by graphic content.

I wondered if it was all necessary or whether the film would have hung together just as well with only flashes of violence. Rape never appealed to me. My imagination is good enough to fill in a lot of gaps without having to see it on the big screen. I also found the music a little over the top. I enjoy suspense and if the acting and directing is good enough, I should not need a heavy handed score to direct me towards an appropriate emotional response. So I left the cinema feeling disturbed and a little disappointed.

Here is my reasoning. The book is written in Sweden. It builds slowly, layering emotion imperceptibly, emphasizing each gesture, allowing the reader time to adjust to the profundity, making sure you store every piece of data as the tension builds. It is strange how the effect of such open space can be claustrophobic, creating a crucible of intensity that was not present in this version. It felt like the producer had to accommodate to make the film accessible for the ‘Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am’ English-speaking audience raised on Transformers and Happy Feet, who expect a scene shift every 15 seconds to keep from falling asleep.

It is hard to follow a Swedish version released only a couple of years ago. Sweden is not California. But I am biased, I guess. I much preferred the original ‘Let the Right One In’ and the original ‘Nikita’ and probably all for the same reason. It is difficult to serve two masters. There comes a point where it is hard to follow a story faithfully at the same time following your instincts for what your audience requires.

As a marketing person with a global role who is trying to bring an asset to market around the world, I sometimes feel like a producer. I have little ego, so trust me for a minute. I have to work with a script; in my case, a series of clinical trials that drive the messages I can build. And I have to try to create an original film, faithful to the book. It has to be commercially successful, but it also has to be true to the book.

I am so lucky to be producing the original film. So I shall try to stay faithful to the script. Of course, I will try my hardest to commercialize the one version but I shall try not to judge the local interpretations for those markets that will not be satisfied with subtitles—even though I know they will not be better.

For exclusive business insights, download eyeforpharma’s Pharma Emerging Markets Report 2011-12, Pharma e-Marketing Strategy and Pharma Key Account Management Report 2011-12.

For all the latest business analysis and insight for the pharma industry, sign up to eyeforpharma’s newsletters and follow us on Twitter.



Jan 1, 1970 - Jan 1, 1970,