Evaluating the impact of influencer marketing in the pharmaceutical industry

Abstract

This study explored the strategic implementation and impact of influencer marketing within the pharmaceutical sector, focusing on Company X’s Product X campaign. Grounded in the literature on digital communication, peer-to-peer influence, and marketing in regulated industries, the study draws on theoretical models such as the Influencer Pyramid and omnichannel integration to assess how authenticity and message alignment affect consumer behavior. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combined quantitative analysis of engagement metrics, web traffic, and sales data with qualitative netnographic observations of influencer content and consumer interactions. The findings demonstrate that influencer marketing, when aligned with brand values and supported by robust data, can be an effective and cost- efficient tool even in highly regulated industries. The campaign achieved significant increases in sales volume, and financial return (ROI of 2.9), outperforming traditional campaigns with lower investment. Key success factors included the combination of macro and nano influencers, multichannel integration, and strategic platform selection, especially Instagram. The study also highlights challenges such as isolating campaign effects and limitations in digital metrics.