Wary at the start, Eli Lilly now embraces social media
Using blogs and Twitter, drug maker shows how Big Pharma can communicate online, despite industry constraints.
Eli Lilly and Co. can’t talk about drugs or diseases, nor share patient stories on its blog or Twitter account.
Talk about a communication challenge.
Despite the restrictions of the heavily regulated pharma industry, it’s managed to find its voice. During a webinar with Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media and Ragan Communications, Greg Kueterman shared what he’s learned about blogging and tweeting as part of the company’s corporate communications team.
Until last September, the company was invisible on social media. Strict regulations and the company’s ties to the federal government made it wary about getting involved on social media. Kueterman’s team wrestled with this question, “As a pharmaceutical company, where could we make a meaningful difference?”
Instead of worrying about what Lilly couldn’t say on social media, it concentrated on what it could.
Exploring the LillyPad blog
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