Rethinking Healthcare Engagement with Vicky Fraser

Strata sits down with Head of Pharma Growth, Vicky Fraser, to talk industry changes and opportunities for creative, insight-led engagement in a sector led by compliance concerns

1. The pharmaceutical industry and healthcare as a whole are experiencing huge changes right now. What do you see as the biggest shifts disrupting the current landscape?

With the rise of generative AI, I’m seeing a lot more appetite for authenticity and creativity led by real humans, and luckily, that’s exactly what we do at Strata! I think the industry has woken up to how ‘noisy’ the digital space can be, and how healthcare professionals (HCPs) are increasingly selective with their time and attention. At Strata we have the benefit of cross-industry experience, and I’d say the trend across the board with high-value audiences is that they need better storytelling, whether in the content they’re consuming or at in-person events.

2. How do you balance innovation with compliance when designing engagement programs?

We’re lucky at Strata to have over 20 members of staff working specifically to support healthcare industry clients. We have a deep sector fluency and understanding of compliance concerns, so both are baked into our approach from the very beginning. Once we know what the story is, and why the s audience(s) should be interested, we’re able to really dive into the creative process.

One key benefit to all our experience across other industries – such as tech, automotive and professional services – is that we can draw on examples of creative approaches that have provably achieved their goals and look at them through a ‘healthcare lens’. This enables us to come up with concepts for healthcare clients that can truly cut through the noise and connect with their audiences.

3. What benefits are there to healthcare sector clients to working with an agency like Strata which is part of a wider Group?

The structure of The Strata Group means that our clients benefit from both a wide pool of capabilities and a real depth of knowledge – we’re able to deliver at speed globally across multiple facets of brand engagement through maximising resources through the Group. Across the Group we have a team of experts within the healthcare sector with a deep understanding of compliance and governance, but the single touchpoint of Strata ensures brand guardianship, reduces silos and provides a single trusted partner. We’re able to give our clients a senior-led, bespoke service.

From a purely practical standpoint, the Group gives us stronger negotiation powers and allows us to offer clients cost efficiencies across areas such as event space bookings and logistics.

4. Do conferences and other in-person events aimed at HCPs still have value in an increasingly digital world?

It’s because we’re in a digital world that they do! People – HCPs included – are really eager for opportunities to make in-person connections and have authentic offline experiences. We’re also so inundated by information online that messages communicated during in-person events just hit different – it’s something we hear again and again from event attendees. The quality of engagement is better at in-person events, too – we find that HCPs in particular take on more key information and appreciate the opportunity to interact with key opinion leaders and their peers.

Conference burn-out is real, though, which is why our clients see the best return on investment when they’re willing to get creative and dedicate resources to ensuring their event attendees have the best experience, make valuable professional connections, and take home the most important messages.

5. How does Strata approach measurement and return on investment to show the real value of engagement?

Events are now one of the most provably powerful accelerators of business growth, but it takes a lot of insight and experience to make them deliver their full potential. At Strata, we like to provide clients with innovative proof of performance: we produce work that inspires audiences to act differently, accelerates pipelines and strengthens relationships.

It’s no longer just about isolated KPIs – data has evolved into a narrative that shapes KOL engagement, informs strategy and elevates experiences. I’m a big believer that stronger measurement can unlock optimisation opportunities and strategic value. If you’re interested in specifics reach out – I’d love to give you some examples.

Vicky Fraser is Head of Pharma Growth at Strata Creative Communications. She’s a pharma and healthcare events strategist with more than 20 years of sector experience and is passionate about strategic scientific storytelling that connects.