Pharmaceutical marketers must put patient need before technological bells and whistles to build meaningful relationships with customers, according to Aaron Uydess, eMarketing manager, Novo Nordisk. “There’s always that sexiness factor of using the latest technology (in patient marketing programs) but it’s not going to help you in the long term,” said Uydess.The most powerful patient-centric marketing messages should never simply begin with a banner or a podcast, according to Uydess. “Remember, when planning the use of tactics, if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” he said.Uydess’ comments were part of a presentation given during ExL Pharma’s Integrated Relationship Marketing & Patient Focused Paradigm Conference, held this week in Boston.During the two-day event, over 35 marketers and presenters stressed the importance of aligning pharma marketing strategies with customer communications to drive brand value and ROI.AstraZeneca senior director, marketing strategy, Elizabeth Sozanski said she would like to see more programs to increase patient adherence.“Adherence is not a one-company problem, it’s everybody’s problem,” she said. “Patients can’t get better if they don’t take the medicines.” Marketers can and should do a better job collaborating with patients and physicians, according to Christine Wallner, executive director, marketing, at Wyeth. “If you really want to have a relationship, the first thing you have to do is talk to your customers,” Wallner said. “That sometimes means enrolling more patients when it’s not always a moneymaker…but it’s the right thing to do.”