Friday, October 20, 2006
About.com adds doc-generated video with pharma sponsorship opps
| About.com adds doc-generated video with pharma sponsorship opps | |||
| More than 1,000 physician-generated health videos will be available on About.com Health due to a deal between About.com and Healthology, a distributor of physician-generated health and medical information online. According to Marjorie Martin, general manager of About.com Health, the deal is part of a huge expansion of health content on the site, which will not only add depth to the content available to consumers, but also increase sponsorship opportunities for pharma. See below to read more about About.com's new content and ePharm5's conversation with Marjorie Martin. ----------
As online video becomes more popular, everyone in the industry, including pharma, is trying to determine the best format to present branded messages within it, Martin tells ePharm5. With the Healthology relationship, About.com will experiment with different formats, including short pre-roll ads and follow-up post-roll ads. It will also experiment with mid-roll ads to get users engaged in the video content and entice them to watch until the end. Martin says research indicates that shorter is better received when it comes to branded ads in video. "Online users tend to be fairly impatient," she says, adding that with the Internet, consumers are in control, so they can quickly leave one place and go to another if they don’t find the information they need. Consumer control plays a part in About.com’s expansion. Unlike traditional TV, which presents content in a static schedule and format, the Internet offers the opportunity to deliver more customized solutions for people. Martin says About.com Health is aiming to provide content in every area that consumers need it, including answering their questions about specific topics. For example, a video could allay anxiety about getting a colonoscopy by answering patient questions about the procedure and providing a step-by-step guide with tips for coping with the procedure. The proliferation of online health video also brings with it increased consumer choice, highlighting the need for differentiation in content. For example the physician-generated Healthology content library brings with it depth, credibility, and accuracy. Martin says trust is one of the most important issues when it comes to delivering health information, often because health can be a very emotional topic. "If [consumers] can’t trust the information they’re reading, they’ll never come back," she says. In addition to adding video from Healthology, Martin says that About.com Health will be expanding from its current 70 "guide sites" to roughly 120 in the next six months. She says the company is assessing the areas in which it needs to add content. Women’s Health is one section that will be expanding at great depth, with plans to add information for women at every stage of life. The Mental Health section will also expand to include more content about conditions such as anxiety, obsessive compulsive, post traumatic stress, and borderline personality disorders. Pharmas will continue to have opportunities to sponsor content, including creating custom content, such as podcasts, or customized landing pages about a particular health topic. For example, AstraZeneca (AZ) is sponsoring a six-part podcast series on About.com to educate consumers on coping with heartburn and acid reflux disease. AZ makes the acid reflux drug Nexium. According to About.com, the podcast series was the first of its kind on the site (ePharm5, 8/17/06). |
New health Web site has pharma advertisers, 3M registered users
| New health Web site has pharma advertisers, 3M registered users |
| EverydayHealth.com is a new health Web site with a lofty goal: It aims to be the ranked in the number-two spot behind WebMD by next year. According to MediaPost, the site, which formally launched this week, already pre-registered 3 million users after launching a beta version over the summer, and has six of the top 10 pharmas as advertisers. The site features 40 condition centers, news, a video library, blogs, chats, and Q&A with 14 board-certified health specialists. Banner ads, such as one for Ortho-McNeil Neurologics' Topamax, are featured on the site, and opportunities will expand into pre-roll advertising as well, according to the report. EverydayHealth.com is produced by Waterfront Media, an online publisher of self-help programs, including the South Beach Diet.
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HOTSOUP.com Social Net Goes Live
HOTSOUP.com Social Net Goes Live
October 19, 2006
By Roger Park | Back to News
HOTSOUP.com, a new issues-based online community, has launched its free social network site.
Members take surveys and post opinions on topics ranging from health care, the war in Iraq, education and the upcoming elections.
"One hundred years ago, communities held town hall meetings to propose ideas, debate issues and resolve problems. HOTSOUP.com is the 21st century version of the town hall meeting," says Ron Fournier, editor-in-chief.
HOTSOUP.com was co-founded by well-known thought leaders in media and politics including interactive industry veteran Allie Savarino, president of Sisterwoman.com.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
American Heart Association Web Site Helps Caregivers Help Themselves; As Numbers Grow, Need for Practical Coping Strategies Increases
American Heart Association Web Site Helps Caregivers Help Themselves; As Numbers Grow, Need for Practical Coping Strategies Increases
PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation :
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061017/DATU047 )
Many of these people are helping survivors of heart disease or stroke, the nation's No. 1 and No. 3 killers and the cause of many disabilities survivors can't manage alone. The need for more caregivers is expected to grow rapidly as the population ages.
"This new Web site provides practical resources for caregivers who don't have any training and suddenly find themselves in this situation," said Barry Jacobs, Psy.D. a clinical psychologist, family therapist and author of the book The Emotional Survival Guide for Caregivers. "The demands put on family members in a caregiving role are increasing, and we need to offer the resources to help them cope."
A recent online survey of caregivers who use the primary American Heart Association Web site and other resources confirmed that family caregivers who give so much to their loved ones need more and better help to care for themselves.
Most caregivers surveyed reported having personal risk factors for heart disease, stroke and many other diseases. Risks mentioned frequently included high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. Caregivers also reported that feelings of stress, depression and anxiety were common, and said they need help to manage their feelings.
The American Heart Association has responded with a suite of materials to support caregivers, including the new Web site. With sections titled "Rejuvenate," "Refresh," Reach Out" and "Replenish," the site gives caregivers practical, proven ways to take charge of their own health and emotional well- being. Modules include tips for communicating with family and friends about their situation, a guide to healthy eating and food preparation, as well as a Heart of Caregiving downloadable journal to help them prioritize their personal needs. A pre-printed journal and an Italian charm bracelet featuring the "Nine Caregiver's Rights," can be purchased via the Web site. In addition, a copy of the caregiver bookmark, brochure, resource guide and medical information magnet can be requested free of charge by calling 800-AHA-USA1.
"I frequently see patients who are not only burdened by the emotional strain of caregiving, but are also letting their physical health decline as a result of the entire focus being on the family member," said Jacobs. "The resources on this Web site are a great reminder that the emotional and physical health of the caregiver are just as important as the health of the person for whom they are caring."
Editor's Note: November is National Family Caregiver's Month
Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. These diseases, America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim more than 910,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2004-05 the association invested over
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Siemens Medical Solutions and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Join Forces to Change Breast Cancer Statistics
| Siemens Medical Solutions and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Join Forces to Change Breast Cancer Statistics |
| Siemens AG |
Malvern, Pa., Oct 2, 2006 - In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, Siemens Medical Solutions (www.usa.siemens.com/medical) and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation are harnessing the power of the Internet to encourage early detection and treatment, and positively change breast cancer statistics.
The key component of the Siemens/Komen Foundation partnership is the "Change the Statistic" Web site (www.changethestatistic.com ) where women can virtually promise to have their annual mammogram, and where all visitors can send e-mail reminders to their loved ones to promise to have regular breast cancer screenings. For each of the first 50,000 promises, Siemens Medical Solutions will donate $1 to the Komen Foundation. Visitors to the Web site may also link to the Komen Foundation’s Web site to make individual donations. Each virtual promise is assigned a number and recorded on the Web site as another individual committed to the fight against breast cancer - with the goal being to secure at least 50,000 promises. Every visitor who makes a promise on the Web site will have the chance to have their first name, photograph, and promise number featured on Siemens Times Square SuperSign in New York City during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
"According to the American Cancer Society, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes, and one woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes in the United States. Siemens sophisticated technology solutions, including mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are crucial to early detection of the disease, and can help save lives," explained Donald Rucker, M.D., chief medical officer, Siemens Medical Solutions USA. "We are proud to be working with the Komen Foundation, utilizing the Internet as a powerful tool to promote early detection and regular breast cancer screenings to help change these statistics."
"A key to our success at the Komen Foundation is that we collaborate with a variety of organizations to provide creative ways for people to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer," said Cindy Schneible, vice president of cause-related marketing and sponsorship at the Komen Foundation. "We are proud to have the opportunity to partner with Siemens Medical Solutions to make a bold statement about breast cancer awareness."
Content on www.changethestatistic.com includes links to comprehensive online resources for information and news on breast cancer and related women’s health topics. Visitors can also access a page of downloads such as certificates, desktop patterns, and IM Avatars (graphical images that can be used in graphical real-time Instant Message/chat applications) with their actual promise number.
Visitors to www.changethestatistic.com are encouraged to forward the link to as many people as possible, particularly in October, to help promote early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
People researching cancer online look for specific treatment info
| [BRIEF] People researching cancer online look for specific treatment info |
| New research from comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions shows that 70% of people who research cancer online look for details about treatment options. The same percentage also looks for information about symptoms to diagnose the condition. More than two-thirds--67%--of respondents said they visited a Web site that provides information about a specific cancer-related drug. These researchers were also extremely or very likely to take a specific action, such as talking to a doctor, as a result of their research. For example, 59% said they are likely to talk to a doctor about cancer, 54% said they would ask for a cancer-related drug, 51% were likely to use a free coupon they got online for a prescription cancer drug, and 39% said they'd likely ask their doctor to switch to another medicine. Score surveyed consumers from its panel of more than 2 million online consumers. [FULL STORY] Cancer Sufferers and Caregivers Take Their Fight Against Cancer Online PR Newswire via NewsEdge Corporation : RESTON, Va., Breast Cancer Information Most Frequently Researched Among people who researched cancer information online in the past year, breast cancer was the most frequently researched form of the disease. One-third of all online researchers sought information on breast cancer, while nearly one in five looked for information on skin cancer, and 18 percent researched colon/rectal cancer. While the majority of online cancer researchers sought information on only one type of cancer, 20 percent reported researching more than one form of the disease. Specific Types of Cancer Researched Online Among Those Researching Online, Past 12 Months n=500 Source: comScore Networks Oncology Study Breast 34% Skin 19% Colon/Rectal 18% Prostate 17% Lung/Bronchus 17% Ovarian 14% Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 11% Pancreatic 6% Urinary/Bladder 6% Kidney/Renal Pelvis 4% Internet Used to Research Treatment Options and Cancer Symptoms Not surprisingly, people researching cancer online seek many different types of information related to the disease. According to the study, 70 percent of researchers seek details on treatment options, while an equal percentage look for information on symptoms for diagnosing the condition. More than half (52 percent) seek information on causes of cancer, 40 percent research information on cancer drugs and 38 percent seek help in coping with cancer. Types of Information Researched on Cancer-Related Web Sites Among Those Researching Online, Past 12 Months n=500 Source: comScore Networks Oncology Study Treatment Options 70% Diagnosis/Symptoms of cancer 70% Causes of cancer 52% Cancer drug-related information 40% Information on coping with cancer 38% Experiences of people with cancer 33% Information on accompanying disorders 31% Guidelines for prevention 29% Information on support organizations 26% Clinical trial information 22% "The Internet provides a reliable, private and immediate resource for cancer sufferers and caregivers whether they are researching treatment options or seeking information about a specific cancer related drug," said Carolina Petrini, vice president of comScore's Pharmaceutical Solutions Group. "Not surprisingly, online cancer researchers are a highly involved group, focused mostly on finding information on available treatments and seeking to understand the symptoms, but also looking to understand the causes of their condition." Online Information Influences Future Intentions As a result of information read online, cancer researchers report a high likelihood of taking specific actions for themselves or another person suffering from the condition. Nearly 60 percent report they are extremely/ very likely to speak to a doctor about the condition and 54 percent intend to ask the doctor to prescribe a cancer medication. Fifty-one percent intend to use a coupon obtained online toward a prescription medication used to treat cancer and 39 percent plan to ask the doctor to switch to a different cancer drug. Intended Actions as a Result of Cancer-Related Information Read Online Percent Rating Top 2 Box (Extremely/ Very Likely) n=500 Speak to a doctor about cancer for themselves or another person 59% Ask a doctor for a cancer-related drug for themselves or another person 54% Use a free coupon obtained online for a prescription cancer drug 51% Ask a doctor to switch to another cancer medication 39% About This Survey This analysis is based on a survey conducted among members of comScore's panel of more than two million online consumers. Methodology Details Population: U.S. Internet users who reported researching cancer-related information online in the past 12 months, and visited one or more oncology sites in the past 6 months Time Period: Survey responses were collected from April 4, 2006 - April 22, 2006 Respondents: 500 completes About comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions deliver the in-depth information needed to understand the impact that brand, condition-specific, and health portal Web sites have on consumers' brand awareness, conversion, and patient compliance. comScore delivers actionable insight to help refine consumer profiles, identify key alliances, optimize interactive marketing initiatives, benchmark against the competition and truly measure the ROI of Web site and online marketing programs. |
Biotech firm hopes to start industry trend with opt-in Web video
| Biotech firm hopes to start industry trend with opt-in Web video |
| Emerging biotech company CytoDyn is taking a stand against intrusive online video by incorporating opt-in only video onto its Web site. CytoDyn's CEO Allen D. Allen tells ePharm5 that corporate Web sites often play a Flash video immediately upon entering the site and require users to hit a "skip intro" link if they don't want to watch it. Because patients come to the CytoDyn looking for information about serious conditions, Allen says playing a video immediately is "not respectful of their feelings." Instead, multimedia should be optional. "It's not always appropriate," Allen says. "I hope we can start a trend for the better." The new video on www.CytoDyn.com highlights the company's leadership and pipeline, which includes first-in-class drugs in development for infectious diseases and oncology dermatology. |
McNeil online sleep community creates personalized Web pages
| McNeil online sleep community creates personalized Web pages |
| McNeil is sponsoring www.iSlumber.com, a new interactive, personalized online community for people who have trouble sleeping. The site provides a personalized sleep profile and plan that's based on a series of questions about users' sleep habits. A Web page is created for them based on their answers, including articles and tips that match their profile. An interactive Sleep Log allows people to track their nightly sleep progress, using a measurement tool that helps them understand how different variables such as stress or pain impact their sleep. The site also lets users track their progress against the rest of the community to see how they stack up in terms of how many hours that they sleep, the number of sleep interruptions, and other criteria. McNeil makes the sleep aids Tylenol PM and Simply Sleep. Sanofi Aventis, which makes Ambien, sponsors a similar site called www.ShutEye.com. |
PSA educates people about lung cancer with TV, Web presence
| PSA educates people about lung cancer with TV, Web presence |
| A new PSA, which will have components online as well as on TV and radio, aims to educate people about lung cancer for Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Although the PSA is slated to launch in November, portions of the campaign, Code Blue for Lung Cancer, is available online. The site already features a preview of the 30-minute lung cancer documentary that will accompany the campaign, as well as information and links about the disease and resources to help people quit smoking. Yet-to-be added components include a Spanish-language version, videos about detecting lung cancer, and a message from former President George H.W. Bush, who lost a child to cancer. The campaign is sponsored by the American Legacy Foundation and the National Association of Broadcasters. www.americanlegacy.org/codeblue
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Yahoo Launches New Search Ad Platform
| Yahoo Launches New Search Ad Platform |
| by Mark Walsh, Wednesday, Oct 18, 2006 6:00 AM ET |
| YAHOO CEO TERRY SEMEL ANNOUNCED Tuesday that the company's long-awaited new ad-serving platform, known as Panama, had gone live. Semel, who made the announcement during a conference call discussing third-quarter earnings results, said that the company had started asking U.S. advertisers to switch to the new system, and that it would invite more to upgrade through the early part of 2007. The announcement was consistent with Yahoo's previously stated plans to roll out Panama's "front-end" in the fourth quarter before launching the "marketplace design" part of the platform, which allows for particular ad tailoring functions to be introduced in the first quarter of 2007. "We believe that through this platform we will be able to unlock the full potential of our large global user base and improve our search monetization capabilities," said Semel. The news of Panama being unveiled on Tuesday helped to push Yahoo's stock up nearly 3 percent to $24.83 in after-hours trading. Overall, however, Semel said he was not satisfied with Yahoo's third-quarter financial performance, and that the company was "committed to doing better." Yahoo in September said that third-quarter revenue would fall within the lower half of previous estimates, due to softening ad revenue in the auto and financial services sectors. Yahoo missed Wall Street's quarterly revenue target of $1.14 billion--reporting net sales of $1.12 billion, excluding the money it pays to search-advertising partners. The company had a profit of $159 million, or 11 cents a share--in line with analyst expectations. In the year-earlier period, Yahoo reported net income of $254 million, or 17 cents a share. The Internet giant also estimated fourth-quarter revenue of $1.15 billion to $1.27 billion, falling below the Wall Street target of $1.31 billion. Yahoo expects that "industry-specific" problems experienced by advertisers in the auto and financial services segments will continue to affect ad sales during the quarter. The successful rollout of Panama in the coming months may be the biggest factor influencing Yahoo's rebound from slowing ad sales and heightened competitive pressures. "It's definitely good for them," said Greg Sterling, principal analyst with Sterling Marketing Intelligence, of the new ad platform launching. "The interface that they've created is much more graphical and user-friendly." He added that Panama was also more flexible, enabling Yahoo to more easily release subsequent versions as needed. But any financial impact from the phasing-in of Panama shouldn't be expected until the second quarter of 2007, warned Yahoo Chief Financial Officer Sue Decker. In addition to Panama going live, Yahoo earlier in the day had announced two other corporate moves to help garner more ad revenue: the acquisition of rich media ad company AdInterax and a 20 percent investment in online ad exchange Right Media (see related OnlineMediaDaily story). Semel said that the deals would help Yahoo to expand and improve its ad offerings during a transition period as new forms of advertising and new competitors emerge online. Facing challenges from rivals such as Google and MySpace, Semel stressed that Yahoo was focusing on strengthening its offerings in the areas of social networking, video and mobile communication. Saying that Yahoo was a "far bigger player" in social networking than generally believed, he noted its acquisition of Web 2.0 companies such as Flickr and del.icio.us in the last year. He said that Yahoo would continue to be a key player in the field. With regard to video, Semel pointed to Yahoo's recent deals with Al Gore's CurrentTV and CBS's local TV stations as examples of where the company is headed in terms of expanding its video content. He also noted Yahoo's purchase last month of JumpCut, which makes online video-sharing and editing tools, as an expansion into both social networking and video. Meanwhile, Yahoo Video was the company's fastest-growing property in the last year--averaging 5.6 million unique visitors during the third quarter of 2006, compared to 1.6 million for the year-earlier period, according to AdRelevance, a unit of Nielsen//NetRatings. In the mobile realm, Semel predicted that the company's Yahoo Go platform for mobile will be available on a majority of cell phones worldwide in the next 18 months. |
Monday, October 16, 2006
Breast Cancer PSA Reaches Google Video Top 10 in Three Days
Breast Cancer PSA Reaches Google Video Top 10 in Three Days
Solos Health must be tugging at the pink ribbons on women's heart strings as its BreastCancerAwareness.com PSA rockets to Google's Top 10 Video list. The PSA, featuring Bree Williamson of ABC's "One Life To Live," is one of a series of online-only videos featuring many of today's leading women entertainers. According to Solos, the Web site is a way to get people involved in one common place for the benefit of breast cancer awareness initiatives and is an "open-source for information on breast cancer." The service also offers personalized breast cancer awareness e-mail addresses, yourname@breastcancerawareness.com, for a small fee. Check it out at BreastCancerAwareness.com. <http://www.breastcancerawareness.com/>
Fox Foundation sponsors Web inventory of Parkinson's disease studies
Fox Foundation sponsors Web inventory of Parkinson's disease studies
The Parkinson's Genetics Database, PDGene, is the first tool of its kind, bringing all gene-related studies involving Parkinson's to one place, according to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. The Fox Foundation partnered with The Alzheimer Research Forum and Lars Bertram, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital to create the site. Scientists can now find information about any gene that previous research has shown may play a role in Parkinson's, all on one site. Scientists can submit comments about each study. To ensure the database's objectivity, only those studies published in peer-reviewed journals will be considered for inclusion in the database. PDGene is modeled after a similar database called AlzGene, also created by Dr. Bertram and his group in collaboration with The Alzheimer Research Forum. Links to PDGene are available on the Fox Foundation's Web site <http://www.michaeljfox.org/> as well as The Alzheimer Research Forum Web site. <http://www.alzforum.org/>
Reuters Gets A 'Second Life,' Opens Virtual Online News Bureau
| Reuters Gets A 'Second Life,' Opens Virtual Online News Bureau |
| by Joe Mandese, Monday, Oct 16, 2006 6:47 AM ET |
| IN A CASE OF real life imitating virtual art, worldwide news service Reuters Group is opening a news bureau in Second Life, the popular Internet-based simulation game where users create their own characters and society. "Starting on Wednesday, Reuters plans to begin publishing text, photo and video news from the outside world for Second Life members and news of Second Life for real world readers who visit a Reuters news site at: http://secondlife.reuters.com ," the news service reported on its own site early Monday morning. Second Life, which as rapidly emerged as the most popular virtual reality destination on the Internet, currently has more than 900,000 members who create their own parallel universe online, building homes and buying virtual products and services using faux currency known as Linden Dollars, after the game's creator Linden Lab of San Francisco. An online exchange enables members to convert their virtual currency into real U.S. dollars. Reuters, which follows Cnet, which already operates a news service on Second Life, reported that London-based media correspondent Adam Pasick will serve as the game's virtual bureau chief, utilizing a personal avatar called "Adam Reuters." Joe Mandese is Editor of MediaPost. |
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