AI in Pharma Marketing: A Tool or a Threat?

How can pharma balance human expertise with AI-driven efficiency?

Graham Addison ---- AstraZeneca

Graham Addison

Senior Director, Global Marketing & Launch Excellence

With the rise of AI and automation, do you see the marketing function becoming more strategic or more operational?

AI and automation are reshaping marketing, making it both more strategic and operational. The real opportunity lies in elevating strategy while automating execution.

AI streamlines tasks like data analysis, content creation, and personalisation, freeing marketers to focus on brand positioning and customer experience. However, over-reliance on automation risks reducing marketing to an operational function.

Success depends on using AI as an enabler: enhancing insights, predicting trends, and fuelling creativity while keeping human expertise at the core.

How has the customer journey in pharma changed, and what does that mean for marketing strategies?

Digital transformation, patient empowerment, and AI-driven personalisation have reshaped the pharma customer journey, requiring a shift in marketing strategies.

  • Digital-First Engagement: HCPs and patients rely on AI-driven content, reducing face-to-face interactions;
  • Empowered Patients: Patients actively research treatments and influence decisions;
  • Omnichannel Expectations: Seamless, personalised experiences across digital and in-person touchpoints;
  • AI-Driven Decisions: Predictive analytics enhance engagement and content delivery.

What are the key barriers preventing marketing from achieving its full strategic potential in pharma?

  • Siloed Structures: Lack of cross-functional alignment weakens customer engagement;
  • Underutilised Data & AI: Pharma lags in leveraging AI for insights and personalisation;
  • Limited Digital Maturity: Over-reliance on traditional models slows omnichannel adoption;
  • Talent Gaps: Lack of digital and strategic expertise hinders marketing evolution.

These days, if you’re not leveraging AI, your competitors are. Don’t miss the bigger picture of current trends, which will be presented in Graham’s bold and thought-provoking case study: “The Death of Marketing”.

Join us at the 2nd Annual Commercial Pharma Excellence Summit, already on the 2nd – 3rd of April 2025, at The Westin Madrid Cuzco.

→ visit event website ←
www.pharmacommercial.com

Short Speaker BIO:

Graham Addison leads Global Marketing & Launch Excellence at AstraZeneca, shaping the company’s marketing vision from its Barcelona Global Hub. With over 20 years in the industry — spanning Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, and AstraZeneca — he is known for strategic thinking, creativity, and the ability to inspire teams.

Since joining AstraZeneca in 2014, Graham progressed from Brand Manager to Global Head of Marketing, overseeing global brand strategy and execution. He led BRILINTA through major challenges, driving $1.3 billion in sales in 2023–2024.

Passionate about innovation, he has pioneered the use of AR, VR, and AI to enhance engagement and business impact. Recognised as a Pharma Marketing Pioneer 2024 and one of the UK’s most effective marketers by Marketing Week (2020 & 2021), Graham continues to push boundaries, redefining marketing excellence.

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