Tech-EM Chats With Christina Perkins, VP-Marketing at Putney

Vital Statistics
Age: 37
Lives in: Portland, Maine
Office based in: Portland, Maine
Years at company: 2

What specific challenges face Putney as a startup?
Putney is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development of bioequivalent generic drugs for pets. Our goal is to offer high quality prescribing options to veterinarians so price will cease to affect treatment options.
One challenge is that currently, pet generics aren’t widely available, used or prescribed, and so they are still somewhat an unknown or unfamiliar for veterinarians. From a marketing perspective, our biggest challenge is communicating the value of bioequivalent generics in advance of having a Center for Veterinary Medicine approved product. So, it’s essentially that we’re marketing a company without a product.

So what does your marketing portfolio look like and how is it evolving?
First we got the pulse of what the preconceived notions and understanding of generics are in the veterinary community. We started with market research and focus groups to tell us exactly where we were starting. And then we worked on tactics and programs that would address the preconceived notions—and sometimes misperceptions and myths—that existed.

For example, we put together a continuing education program with three parts that addressed questions veterinarians had about the safety, efficacy and value of generic drugs. It also talked about pharmacology and how bioequivalence is achieved so that veterinarians can feel good about prescribing a generic drug. It also talked about the business side of generic drugs and the value they add to the practice. Not only to the margins, but also in the ability for veterinarians to prescribe based on a pet patient’s need, rather than on the client’s ability to pay, or on the veterinarian’s perception of the client’s ability to pay.

What media are you using at this point?
We work with veterinarians to create continuing education programs. We’ve also sponsored roundtable discussions that are transcribed and published in conjunction with trade journals distributed throughout the veterinary profession--not only to veterinarians but also to technicians and practice managers because they play a key role in prescribing.

We’ve held events so that we can get closer to our customers and listen to direct feedback. And we’ve also created a feedback loop with veterinarians so that we can touch base with them at any point to ask questions about products, prescribing, and what their needs are moving forward.

So you feel that that face-to-face interaction with the veterinarians is important to developing the company and product?
It’s critical. We’re in business because there are very few prescribing options for companion animal veterinarians and we want to change that. So it would be remiss of us to move forward with a pipeline without including veterinarian feedback. It’s our first priority to use our marketing dollars towards that direct interaction and feedback loop with our customers.

How does participating in these events affect the customer’s relationship with you?
First of all it helps us establish trust. Generic drugs, for the most part, are understood, but as I said, there are some misconceptions out there. Enabling the veterinary community to meet the people behind the generic company helps us establish trust. That way, as we commercialize approved products, veterinarians will have a basis on which they can make purchasing decisions. The more they know about Putney as a company, the farther along we’ll be towards a purchasing decision—understanding that they’ll still want to sample the product and see how it works before they re-order.

As the v.p. of marketing, what is your role in all of this, and how is that role changing as the company goes through its life cycle?
My role has moved from awareness to include developing relationships and managing relationships that provide ongoing feedback for Putney. My role initially was promoting awareness and creating the brand identity for Putney and starting to introduce it in a soft way to the industry. As we move forward with our pipeline of bioequivalent generics, my role is very much focused on customer feedback. I’m out listening to veterinarians and I manage our veterinary advisory board, a group of thought leaders who work at very high levels across the industry and meet with us four times a year to provide feedback to very specific topics. Our veterinary survey panel, too, is a day-to-day way I stay in touch with practicing veterinarians to make sure that we have our finger on the pulse of prescribing for companion animals.
    
Do you do any other sorts of events? Have you done any trade shows yet?
We have not yet had a trade show presence, because we do not yet have a veterinary approved product. However, that will definitely change with our first approval. It’s hard to get veterinarians’ time during the clinic or practice day. And so when veterinarians choose to go to conferences for continuing education, they are open to learning about new products. And that’s an opportunity for us to create new relationships.

For you, the definition of experiential marketing is?
It’s creating a customer experience, whether it be an event or a sampling program, in which the customer connects with your brand or your product in a meaningful and memorable way. And therefore, that experience becomes part of their recognition of your product or brand, and hopefully supports purchasing decisions moving forward. And that it stays with them in a very positive way.   

So when you sponsor roundtables and focus groups, how do you make sure that that contact is very brand positive and meaningful?
Our goal with these interactions is to provide objective resources so we become a valuable resource—not only for information about generics, but also disease states and other issues they face in their practices. We try to become a helpful resource they haven’t had before.

As you grow, how do you anticipate the event marketing sliver of your overall marketing program is going to change?
Without a doubt, it’s going to grow because we need to ensure that we’re in touch with veterinarians, veterinary technicians and practice managers. And face-to-face events--whether it be a customized event, a trade show, continuing education—are ways for us to generate direct feedback. As I mentioned, veterinarians are very busy during the practice day, so getting them to an event after work that is beneficial to them—continuing education for example—not only gives them continuing education credits, but also allows us an opportunity to hear from them in a setting that is comfortable and when they have time to really reflect on the questions we have for them.

How do you ensure that all of your various marketing pieces and programs stay integrated and consistent?
Feedback. I can’t stress enough how feedback is critical to what we do. So we evaluate programs from every angle. We solicit feedback from distributors, from customers, from thought leaders, partners, and we recognize that everyone, including our customers and consumers receives information and digests it in different ways. Although we need to have a consistent message, we need to deliver it in various mediums so that it will hit everyone at some point in a way that is meaningful to them.

What do you do with your free time? What are your hobbies?
I serve on two non-profit boards, the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine. So a good deal of my time goes towards development and fundraising activities for those organizations. Also, I practice Power Vinyasa Yoga and Pilates, and recently completed two sprint triathlons, and I love to travel and entertain. And I have two kitties, brother and sister—Cosmo and Lola.