A GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) executive’s approach of deploying their sales agents as part of their PR campaign is a classic case of putting the cart before the horse.
GSK’s previous tactic of featuring company scientists in commercials may somewhat endear industry scientists to the public because scientists in R&D still retain a level of credibility. It makes sense to have a public relations campaign that shows these scientists in their element and try to make a connection with the general public.
In case of sales representatives, an accurate depiction of these folks in their element would have to show them to be immaculately tailored and carrying expensive PDAs to schedule lunches and dinners as part of their sales campaigns. Mind you, some companies even dictate how their reps should dress and style their hair, but most can spot a rep in a doctor’s office by his or her perfect grooming and perky attitude.
Even if we leave out the company cars and posh incentive trips, reps currently do not foster an image of trust or credibility with the public. Until sales agents’ credibility divide narrows, any PR strategy involving sales reps will only give interest groups and anti-industry activitists more fodder.
In GSK’s case, maybe the horse is not even there and the cart is currently meaningless.
Money is better spent training sales reps to deliver clinical value, or restructuring sales incentive programs so that reps are rewarded for fair-balanced clinical service instead of promotional lip service.
Postcript: Aren’t employees of companies already spokespersons for their companies albeit unofficially? Technically pharma industry’s sales representatives have been acting as spokespersons for their companies for years and look at the messages that the public has picked up from these informal PR activities. What would make an official PR campaign so dramatically different? I suppose the devil is once again in the details.