The real value vs. spend in digital marketing

A recent report from eMarketer, DTC Pharmaceutical Marketing Online: A Slow Shift to Digital, explores the rise of digital spending among pharma marketers and brands, but I can't help but wonder if it doesn't miss the point. 

There's not a problem with the data - it is entirely consistent with Euro RSCG Life's own internal analysis in terms of the rough allocation of budget dollars into digital and generally well-reasoned.

However, debate and discussion about the migration of ad dollars from one channel to the next might fundamentally miss the point of the transformative effects of digital on the underlying pharma business model.  It's not about the Internet as a promotional or even educational channel, through which messages and ad dollars can flow freely, but rather digital playing the role of a functional intermediary between brands, patients, and physicians in the
provision of care. 

We think in terms of providing brand utility across the healthcare journey. The real success measures to watch look less like spending trends and more like evidence -- outcomes data, adherence rates, etc.  The real, inherent value in digital transcends the numbers that are
attainable through mere research into spending patterns, as brands can generate profound impact with even deceivingly low levels of "spend", making it more a quality and innovation game than a numbers game.