With feverish speculation about the imminent calling of a General Election – perhaps as early as 6pm this evening – the Edelman Public Affairs team assesses the likely outcomes ahead and their impact on businesses.

While just three ultimate end states remain the same - no deal, deal, no Brexit – the former is becoming increasingly likely, and the routes to achieve them are also crystallising.

This week will see rebel Conservatives join forces with other parties to seek to extend the Brexit deadline, while Team Johnson has vowed to eject and deselect any Tory MPs seeking to undermine his no deal position.

It is hard to see any outcome being reached without an election being called to give the Prime Minister the majority he craves. The question is whether Labour would vote in favour of an election (which could fall in November), having spent the last three years calling for one, or whether they follow Tony Blair’s advice not to “fall into the trap” of enabling an accidental no deal.

Buckle in for the biggest week in politics since the last. But this time we may well see the real splitting of the Conservative Party and without doubt a test of nerve on all sides.

Click here to read the full analysis.

The rules of search have changed. As consumers increasingly turn to AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, they are no longer presented with links to information – they are receiving direct answers that sound like authoritative opinions. The emerging discipline of AI Search or Generative Engine Optimisation (AIO / GEO) is reshaping how trust, reputation, and influence are built. Visibility in AI answers can’t be bought; it must be earned. 

Living in a Zero-Click World

AI assistants deliver answers instantly, eliminating the traditional journey through links, websites, or comparison pages. This zero-click environment means one thing: if your brand or product does not appear in the AI-generated answer, you are effectively invisible. There is no page two.
For industries like healthcare, where accuracy and safety are paramount, this shift is profound.

The Human Cost of When AI Gets It Wrong

I recently conducted a series of interviews with healthcare professionals that revealed a concerning trend: patients are arriving at appointments with product recommendations generated directly by AI systems. Often, these products are not clinically appropriate, which contributes to misinformation, patient confusion, and reputational risks for pharmaceutical organisations.

In one particular case, a patient had used ChatGPT to research a routine medical need. The research that came back heavily featured a niche brand, while the broader, more clinically superior product did not appear at all in their results. 

Upon hearing this, the doctor asked the patient to conduct another round of research, this time comparing the niche brand with the standard-of-care option. The patient was mortified. They realised they had been ready to use something clinically suboptimal strictly because an AI tool suggested it.

This case study exemplifies the core problem: If your brand isn’t visible in AI search results, people may end up trusting a less accurate, less credible alternative simply because it shows up based on how they phrased the question.

Future-Ready Organisations Need a New Approach to AI Search

This shift isn’t just about competing for ranking. It’s about future readiness, ensuring your brand, products, and expertise are accurately represented when AI systems answer the world’s questions. It’s about shaping the narratives that AI repeats. 

In an AI-mediated environment, earned media signals, credible coverage, expert commentary, and consistent third-party validation increasingly determine which brands are surfaced as trustworthy by AI systems. Generative systems prioritise:

  • credible, high-authority sources
  • consistent brand narratives
  • structured, clear content
  • strong earned-media signals
  • evidence-based trust cues

Preparing for AI Search isn’t simply about tactics or optimisation. It requires reflection, responsibility, and a new set of strategic questions:

  • How accurately are we showing up in AI answers today, and what might be missing?
  • What information are AI models using about us now, and what should they be using?
  • Which topics or questions do we need AI to get right about us?
  • How will we keep track of how AI represents us as the models change?
  • How do we stay consistent globally while adapting to local ways people ask questions?

As AI is rapidly becoming the default for health questions, product decisions, and everyday choices, healthcare brands need to monitor, shape and protect how they appear in AI-generated answers. In this environment, visibility is not just a discovery issue; it is a trust issue.

 

It is 2026. According to Pantone, the world is retreating into safe neutrals. That phrase could also describe my beloved Watford FC’s transfer policy over the past few seasons. 

As work resumed in January, the predictions arrived. A new year, we’re told, will bring change. It always does. Sports marketing, like sport itself, is obsessed with what comes next. We analyse how younger audiences engage digitally, while older fans pay for tickets. We assess new formats and breakaway leagues. We watch athletes build followings and businesses beyond the field of play.

Yet amid all this movement, are we asking the important question: what stays the same? To coin Jeff Bezos; “you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time.” The same applies to brand strategy. In sports marketing, constants often matter more than the latest trend. The principles that underpin success will endure, and in 2026, five of them will continue to shape how brands operate in sport.

Sponsorship choices will remain top-down, not bottom-up 

Despite real progress in understanding sponsorship effectiveness, many deals remain shaped by personal preference at the top. Ask why a sponsorship exists, and too often the answer is familiar: “Because the CEO likes that sport.”

Important work by Rory Natkiel and others has advanced the case for evidence-led sponsorship, and the discipline is maturing. But defaults will persist. Pulling brands away from instinctive choices and towards more strategic, demonstrably effective investment remains one of the industry’s most important, and unresolved, tasks. 

Reach will remain as a low bar for brands in sport 

Sponsorship comes with commercial ambition, but also responsibility. The furore surrounding FIFA’s approach to ticket pricing for the 2026 World Cup has intensified scrutiny on how all governing bodies promote accessibility to live events, and brands willing to partner must recognise the chance for residual impact.

Edelman’s Pushed to the Limit study shows fans believe sponsors take more than their fair share from sport. In an inflationary environment, visibility alone no longer earns credibility for brands. Brands can’t lower ticket prices, but must be additive, be it making experiences better or the ecosystem stronger. As ever, brands need fans to be glad they are there. 

Engaged fans remain the real prize 

Keeping fans at the centre of decision-making is not new, but it remains decisive. The brands that succeed in sport continue to invest in deep relationships and meaningful experiences, in stadiums and niches that fandoms inhabit. In community marketing circles, success relies on turning anoraks into advocates. 

In 2019, comedian Stewart Lee called his tour Content Provider to satirise digital dystopia. In 2026, it’s no joke for brands in sport. Engaged fans spend six times more than casual ones. That has shifted competition off the pitch, as brands and rights-holders weaponise content provision to chase global fan bases that sustain sponsorship, broadcasting, and merch revenues. 

Consistency compounds value in sponsorship 

As in other areas of brand building, consistency remains undervalued in sport sponsorship. Longevity and repetition drive impact, yet sponsorship is still too often treated as a series of short-term activations. Guinness’s commitment to rugby stands out as the exception that proves the rule. 

Effective sponsorship should function like a long-running brand platform, anchored in a single idea that endures for the life of the deal. In practice, activation budgets are frequently contested, with CFOs seeking clearer proof of return. Securing the investment required for long-term creative consistency remains a battleground for brands aiming to maximise the commercial value of sport. 

Athlete welfare looms large as sport’s most overlooked risk 

The public has always been capable of compassion, but social media has stripped away the mythic armour of elite sport, revealing athletes as people first and performers second. In UK professional sport, athlete welfare remains the most significant unmanaged risk in the eyes of fans. How organisations protect, support, and listen to athletes directly shapes trust, credibility, and the relationship with fans. 

Support cannot be symbolic. Sixty-six per cent of fans believe sporting organisations neglect athlete mental health, and nearly half believe retirement transitions are poorly handled . Failures in welfare can damage brands faster and more deeply than poor performance or commercial misjudgement. 

In a year dominated by talk of change, it is these principles – familiar, persistent, and at times uncomfortable – that will continue to determine outcomes for brands in sport. 

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.


Will Butterworth is Strategy Director based in London.

LONDON, January 7, 2026 – Today, Edelman announces the appointment of Jo Burford as Head of Creator Marketing for EMEA, reporting into Tyler Vaught, Global Head of Creator. In this newly created role, Burford will lead the expansion of Edelman’s North American Creator offering into EMEA in partnership with Arent Jan Hesselink, President & CEO Edelman EMEA, building a dedicated regional team of specialists to support clients in key growth markets, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, with MENA in scope for future growth.

Her appointment is fueled by soaring client demand for Edelman’s global Creator capabilities, one of the firm’s fastest-growing offerings. As the news and marketing landscape increasingly becomes Creator-led more brands are moving beyond traditional reach-based influencer marketing toward earned-first storytelling with trusted Creators that drive meaningful connections with communities.

“Jo’s arrival marks an exciting next chapter for Edelman’s Creator ambitions, as we look to double our business over the next year,” said Tyler Vaught, Global Head of Creator Marketing, Edelman. “She brings an incredible mix of experience across platforms, agencies, and as a Creator herself, she understands this industry from every angle. More importantly, she gets what we're building here - we are not chasing reach and impressions, we’re scaling brand trust through the right Creator partnerships.”

“With Jo now in place to shape our EMEA Creator practice, we’re poised to accelerate growth and raise the bar for the region and our clients,” said Arent Jan Hesselink, President & CEO Edelman EMEA. “She knows how to build teams, nurture talent, and create work that truly connects brands and communities. She also brings a finely tuned understanding of what creators mean to culture across Europe and how brands need to show up to earn trust."

With more than 15 years of experience in the Creator and branded content spaces, Burford brings a legacy understanding of the evolving Creator economy and how brands, platforms, and Creators intersect to drive cultural and commercial impact. She joins from TikTok, having previously served as the platform’s Head of Creators for the UK, Ireland, and Nordics. Prior to TikTok, she was Global Head of Marketing at Whalar and Head of Creator Partnerships for EMEA at Twitter. This multi-stakeholder experience has given her unique insight into developing creator strategies that deliver both performance and trust for leading global brands.

“I’m thrilled to join Edelman at such an exciting inflection point for the Creator industry,” said Jo Burford. “There’s so much momentum in EMEA, and we have a real opportunity to build something transformative, a practice that puts trusted Creators at the center of brand storytelling. I’m looking forward to working with our clients and our teams across the region to bring that vision to life.”

As part of Burford's remit, she will oversee Edelman's EMEA Creator team of 30 specialists, with Germany and the UK serving as key hubs, and lead the Creator offering for clients including Unilever, PayPal, and Microsoft. Based out of Edelman’s London office, she will work alongside Freya Lifely, who has been appointed Head of Creators for the UK, reporting into Burford. Lifely, a three-year Edelman veteran and proven leader within the UK Creator business, will play a key role in delivering the firm's continued investment in regional expertise and client service.

After its growth in 2025, Edelman's Creator business is expected to double over the next year as it continues to expand its capabilities across talent partnerships, social storytelling, and Creator-led brand activations, having recently supported award-winning campaigns including Dove’s Share the First, eBay Endless Runway, Microsoft’s Original build, and Progresso’s Soup Drops.

Burford started in her role earlier this week, on January 5.

 

LONDON, January 7, 2026  – Today, Edelman announces the appointment of Jo Burford as Head of Creator Marketing for EMEA, reporting into Tyler Vaught, Global Head of Creator. In this newly created role, Burford will lead the expansion of Edelman’s North American Creator offering into EMEA in partnership with Arent Jan Hesselink, President & CEO Edelman EMEA, building a dedicated regional team of specialists to support clients in key growth markets, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, with MENA in scope for future growth.

Her appointment is fueled by soaring client demand for Edelman’s global Creator capabilities, one of the firm’s fastest-growing offerings. As the news and marketing landscape increasingly becomes Creator-led more brands are moving beyond traditional reach-based influencer marketing toward earned-first storytelling with trusted Creators that drive meaningful connections with communities.

“Jo’s arrival marks an exciting next chapter for Edelman’s Creator ambitions, as we look to double our business over the next year,” said Tyler Vaught, Global Head of Creator Marketing, Edelman. “She brings an incredible mix of experience across platforms, agencies, and as a Creator herself, she understands this industry from every angle. More importantly, she gets what we're building here - we are not chasing reach and impressions, we’re scaling brand trust through the right Creator partnerships.”

“With Jo now in place to shape our EMEA Creator practice, we’re poised to accelerate growth and raise the bar for the region and our clients,” said Arent Jan Hesselink, President & CEO Edelman EMEA. “She knows how to build teams, nurture talent, and create work that truly connects brands and communities. She also brings a finely tuned understanding of what creators mean to culture across Europe and how brands need to show up to earn trust."

With more than 15 years of experience in the Creator and branded content spaces, Burford brings a legacy understanding of the evolving Creator economy and how brands, platforms, and Creators intersect to drive cultural and commercial impact. She joins from TikTok, having previously served as the platform’s Head of Creators for the UK, Ireland, and Nordics. Prior to TikTok, she was Global Head of Marketing at Whalar and Head of Creator Partnerships for EMEA at Twitter. This multi-stakeholder experience has given her unique insight into developing creator strategies that deliver both performance and trust for leading global brands.

“I’m thrilled to join Edelman at such an exciting inflection point for the Creator industry,” said Jo Burford. “There’s so much momentum in EMEA, and we have a real opportunity to build something transformative, a practice that puts trusted Creators at the center of brand storytelling. I’m looking forward to working with our clients and our teams across the region to bring that vision to life.”

As part of Burford's remit, she will oversee Edelman's EMEA Creator team of 30 specialists, with Germany and the UK serving as key hubs, and lead the Creator offering for clients including Unilever, PayPal, and Microsoft. Based out of Edelman’s London office, she will work alongside Freya Lifely, who has been appointed Head of Creators for the UK, reporting into Burford. Lifely, a three-year Edelman veteran and proven leader within the UK Creator business, will play a key role in delivering the firm's continued investment in regional expertise and client service.

After its growth in 2025, Edelman's Creator business is expected to double over the next year as it continues to expand its capabilities across talent partnerships, social storytelling, and Creator-led brand activations, having recently supported award-winning campaigns including Dove’s Share the First, eBay Endless Runway, Microsoft’s Original build, and Progresso’s Soup Drops.

Burford started in her role earlier this week, on January 5.

 

No amount of winery tours prepares you for the hands-on, hard labour of winemaking.

That’s how I spent three weeks working harvest at Chapel Down, the UK’s largest English wine producer in Kent to celebrate hitting my ten year milestone at Edelman.

When you reach a decade working at Edelman, we’re rewarded with a long service award of ten days of extra holiday. While most people head to the beach or explore new cities, I decided to do something completely different; immerse myself in the world of wine. Sparkling wine is my passion, and although I’d studied it, I’d never experienced behind the scenes of a winery let alone a harvest – a rite of passage for any wine lover.

My best friend, Tom, part of the winemaking team at Chapel Down, invited me to join him as one of the Harvest interns. An offer I couldn’t refuse.

2025 was a near perfect year for growing grapes.

This year was one of the best UK harvests to date: warm, dry weather, record sunshine and beautifully clean, ripe fruit. Sunshine and heat are vitally important to ripen grapes, this combination of conditions saw increased sugar development, riper fruit flavours and softer tannins. Dry conditions mean very little disease - such as grey rot - in the vineyard, providing higher yields of clean, healthy fruit leading to higher quality wine.

Make a note of the 2025 vintage, English wines are going from strength to strength and this year is going to be special. Expect more tropical and stone fruit notes, like mangos, nectarines, honeydew melons, bountiful berries such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries and boldness in the wines - simply put more interesting flavours going on in the end product.

What did I do?

Winemaking is not easy, it’s technical and requires patience at every step – not to mention, 90% cleaning. Tanks, barrels, presses, floors, grape bins: everything gets washed, sanitised, scrubbed or swept on a daily basis. The rest is the fun part: pressing grapes, adding yeast, measuring sugar, transferring juice between tanks, and monitoring fermentation across more than 120 tanks (some up to 50,000 litres).

Integrated into the 20 strong team of harvest interns, the winery operates 24hrs a day during harvest - a day shift taking twelve hours between 8am - 8pm and nights 8pm - 8am. It’s a beehive of activity - everyone working independently but also smoothly as a team. This camaraderie certainly one of the greatest parallels between my role at Edelman, leading up to a major event or PR launch, and within the winery.

I helped in the onsite Lab where sugar and acid levels in the grapes are tested. I manually crushed grape samples; all 13 varieties grown across the estate and sourced from specialist growers are tested for ripeness to know when to pick. It’s a balancing act, the sugars need to be high but not too high and the acids low but not too low.

I visited some of the 400 hectares (1,000+ acres) of vineyards and I was blown away by the scale, seeing rows upon rows upon rows of vines over Kits Coty, one of the best vineyard sites in the UK on beautifully white chalk soil. A view you’d expect in France or Italy but it was a pinch me moment to overlook the rolling hills of home.

One of my most memorable moments was filling barrels for oak aged Bacchus - Kits Coty Bacchus 2025. Using the barrel spear to fill the barrels to the perfect height - 94% full - required real skill and it took me a few goes to master it. The wine rose really fast and crescendoed up far above my head, a volcano of grape juice covering me head to toe… three times. My initiation complete!

I touched pretty much every blend of the 2025 vintage. My three weeks in the winery were reminiscent of the total length of the champagne harvest but here in the UK this extends to mid October in 2025. Brave are the souls who give their all to make what we thought could never be possible; make great wine in the UK. I am incredibly proud to be part of this burgeoning young industry, to make it award winning and put it on the map globally.

My reflections on this once in a lifetime experience

Sparkling wine is an investment of time, money and patience. The 2025 fruit we pressed will be released as still wine next year but the sparkling will spend at least 18 months in bottle for secondary fermentation to create the bubbles and develop flavour, due to be released from spring 2028. The more special and premium sparkling wines are aged for longer, it will be Christmas 2029 at the earliest for these wines, and for some it will be more than a decade! There will be some time to wait before trying my final wines.

There’s something cathartic being so hands-on with the making of a food and beverage product. Through my actions a beautiful cuvée was made - the romanticism certainly not lost on me. In fact, it captured my imagination and I appreciate every single glass from now on knowing the sheer effort and number of hands it takes to get the fruit from the vine and into your glass, the finished product. 

Having time for reflection and perspective away from the laptop to realise how special and warranted the work we do really is - without strong successful marketing, differentiating a food and beverage product is impossible. 

In my first interview for the role as an Account Manager in the Brand practice, I was told “Edelman is a place full of incredibly intelligent people with entrepreneurial spirit” and they weren’t wrong. That’s to say if you want something, you can do it but you absolutely need to drive it yourself. Be motivated. Rally your stakeholders. Plan ahead in good time and you absolutely can do what I have done. These opportunities are possible. Make sure you’ve given thought to how you’ll make it work for your clients and your team. Think of the skills you’ll develop as a result of your experience you can bring back to apply to the business and your clients industries. Most importantly, have a supportive team behind you. All credit to my brand team and line manager, Ethan Tuxford - thank you.

This was my once in a lifetime chance to live a dream, and thanks to the team at Chapel Down and Edelman I lived it, and absolutely loved it. I’ll raise a glass to that.


Annabelle Torr is an associate director in the London Brand team, sharing her passion for wine @bellecuvee.

Edelman Sport: Pushed to the Limit

Commercial success in modern sport is no longer measured by performance alone, and not everyone agrees on what success looks like.

Find out more

Offer focused on helping brands promote and protect their reputation in sport 

  • Formalises growing client demand for deeper sector expertise across integrated sports communications and advisory
  • Where passion meets scrutiny, the new division is dedicated to elevating and safeguarding the reputation of sports brands

29 October 2025, London:

Edelman UK has launched Edelman Sport, a dedicated sports division, in response to growing client demand and the continued expansion of its work in the sector. This evolution reflects the firm’s momentum and success across a series of high-profile campaigns and partnerships, formalising a capability that has long operated at the intersection of culture, commerce, and competition.

Edelman’s expanded focus on sports communications reflects the continued growth and transformation of the sector. Sport has become an integral part of culture, business, and public dialogue, bringing with it increased visibility, stakeholder interest, and reputational considerations.

The firm’s enhanced capability is designed to help clients promote – by earning cultural relevance through meaningful action – and protect – by building trust and resilience when it matters most. By blending a heritage in trust and corporate reputation with world-class brand strategy and integrated creative excellence, Edelman enables clients to engage in sport with confidence, clarity, and cultural impact.

Julian Payne, UK CEO, Edelman, said: “At Edelman we have long understood the delicate balance between promoting and protecting reputations and nowhere is this more in focus than the world of sport.

In recent years, the reputations of teams, sponsors and governing bodies have become subject to much greater scrutiny as audiences grow ever larger around the world. To be able to thrive in this environment you must establish a strong identity and a relationship of trust with your audiences.

We have studied what it takes to build trust for more than 25 years and we have seen that there are unique forces at play within the sporting arena which is why we have decided to create a dedicated space to serve this industry. We have an incredible array of clients already and I am excited to see where this team can go next.”

Edelman UK’s sports division is driven by a cross-practice hub that unites specialists from Corporate, Brand, Strategy, Creator, Crisis & Risk and Talent. Fraser Walters (Corporate Director), Nick Parnell (Brand Senior Director), Will Butterworth (Strategy Lead), and Loulou Dundas (Talent & Content Senior Director), will co-lead the group. This collaborative approach leverages Edelman’s UK and global network to deliver integrated communications programmes for some of the world’s leading sports organisations. 

With more than 6,000 people in over 60 offices worldwide, Edelman brings unmatched scale and depth to sports communications, offering clients local insight with global reach. From global governing bodies and grassroots charities to elite athletes, iconic teams, brand sponsors, and leading media platforms, Edelman’s deep experience across every corner of the sporting landscape offers a unique vantage point. 

The move follows the agency’s appointment by European Football Clubs (EFC) – the independent body representing over 800 professional football clubs across Europe – the latest in a string of major client wins that includes multiple motorsports teams and world-leading fitness brands. Together, these partnerships underscore Edelman’s growing reputation as a trusted advisor to the world’s most ambitious brands and organisations in sport. 

EFC selected the agency after a competitive pitch to support its pan-European communications strategy and stakeholder engagement as part of a major repositioning and rebranding exercise earlier this month. Edelman’s new sports division, in collaboration with Edelman offices in several European markets, will help articulate EFC’s increasingly influential role in shaping the future of European club football. 

Alongside these latest signings, the team has worked with some of the biggest names in sport and sponsorship including Heineken, Unilever, and Ascot Racecourse. From the relaunch of Formula 1 under Liberty Media’s ownership to the Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning Eternal Run for ASICS, Edelman has a rich heritage in the sector, advising brands and organisations at the heart of sport’s cultural and commercial evolution. For more information, please visit the website here


About Edelman 
Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organisations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Our 6,000 people in more than 60 offices deliver communications strategies that give our clients the confidence to lead and act with certainty, earning the trust of their stakeholders. For more than 20 years, we have studied the influence of trust across society — government, media, business, and NGOs — to shape conversation, drive results and earn action. 

In 2024 alone, we were awarded the EMEA SABRE Award for Large Regional Consultancy of the Year, ranked 2nd across the board at Cannes Lions for Independent Network of the Year, were the first legacy PR agency to win a Titanium Lion, recognised as PRWeek's Dynasty Agency for the Past 25 Years and named an Agency Stand Out by AdAge. 

Since our founding in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business. Edelman owns specialty companies Edelman Data x Intelligence (research, data), Edelman Smithfield (financial communications), EGA (government and public affairs advisory), and UEG (entertainment, sports and lifestyle).

Omnichannel is more than just a set of digital tactics. It’s a strategic, insight-driven approach designed to deliver seamless, personalized customer experiences by integrating messaging across multiple touchpoints.

It ensures that every interaction, whether through a medical science liaison (MSL), a rep visit, an email, or an AI-powered chatbot, is part of a connected, data-driven ecosystem.

Pharma’s omnichannel success depends on:

  • Understanding your audience needs and pain points across the customer journey
  • Aligning messaging with behavioural shift
  • Optimising channels based on real-time engagement data

But if omnichannel is this complex, who should lead it?

The Case for Omnichannel as a Standalone Function

  1. Strategic Business Driver, Not Just Digital Execution: Omnichannel isn’t just about technology — it’s about relationships. It requires deep integration across brand, medical, commercial, and market access teams. A dedicated omnichannel function ensures these connections happen effectively.
  2. Cross-Functional Leadership is Essential: Unlike traditional digital marketing, omnichannel spans multiple departments. Having a centralised omnichannel team can break silos and drive a cohesive engagement strategy.
  3. Global vs. Local Execution Requires a Governance Structure: Many pharma companies operate globally but execute locally. A standalone omnichannel function can set a strategic framework while allowing for market-specific adaptations.
  4. Proven Success in Industry Leaders: Consider the omnichannel campaign for Lundbeck, which integrated live-action VR, social content, and digital assets to enhance HCP engagement at AAN 2019. This level of execution required a dedicated strategy team, not just a digital execution arm.

The Case for Omnichannel Sitting Within Digital

  1. Technology is the Engine of Omnichannel: Omnichannel relies on AI, automation, and data analytics — all of which sit within the digital team’s expertise. Digital teams already manage platforms that enable omnichannel experiences, making them a natural home.
  2. Efficiency & Scalability: Digital teams are structured for rapid execution at scale. Embedding omnichannel here ensures seamless integration with digital transformation initiatives.
  3. Cost & Resource Optimization: A separate omnichannel function could lead to duplication of roles and budget inefficiencies. Keeping it within digital leverages existing infrastructure.

Where the Industry is Headed

The most successful pharma companies treat omnichannel as a business strategy rather than a digital function. A hybrid model — where omnichannel is a dedicated function that collaborates closely with digital, brand, medical, and commercial teams — is emerging as best practice.

Future omnichannel success will depend on:

  • A clear governance model
  • AI-driven personalization and engagement analytics
  • Integration across customer touchpoints beyond digital

Should omnichannel have its own seat at the table, or should it be an extension of digital? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer — but the decision will shape how effectively pharma companies engage with their audiences.


Have questions? Get in touch here.

Pharma marketers love data. We track email open rates, website clicks, rep visits, and webinar attendance. But the real question is: do any of these metrics tell us if we’re actually changing behavior?

Omnichannel strategy isn’t about delivering more content, it’s about driving meaningful engagement that shifts HCP mindsets and actions. And that means redefining how we measure success.

Vanity Metrics vs. Real Impact

Today, many omnichannel KPIs focus on activity rather than impact:

  • Email open rates ≠ engagement
  • Webinar attendance ≠ knowledge shift
  • Rep interactions ≠ prescribing intent

The challenge? These numbers look good on reports, but they don’t tell us whether we’re influencing HCP decisions or improving patient outcomes.

The Real Goal: Measuring Behavior Change

A true omnichannel strategy isn’t just about delivering the right message at the right time, it’s about influencing decisions over time. That’s why we need to track:

  • Engagement depth: Are HCPs actively engaging with multiple content types, not just passively consuming?
  • Knowledge progression: Are HCPs moving from awareness to deeper understanding across touchpoints?
  • Channel preference evolution: Are HCPs engaging with more personalized, self-directed interactions?
  • Prescribing behavior shifts: Are we seeing intent signals translate into actual prescribing patterns?

How Do We Get There?

To make behavior change the core metric, pharma must evolve how we collect and analyse data:

  • AI-driven insights: Predictive analytics can track engagement trends and identify subtle shifts in behavior.
  • Customer journey mapping: Instead of isolated interactions, we need to visualise how HCPs move through an omnichannel ecosystem.
  • Attribution modeling: Connecting digital and in-person engagement to actual prescribing or clinical decision-making.

The Future of Omnichannel Measurement

Omnichannel isn’t just about being present everywhere, it’s about guiding HCPs through a journey that leads to action. If we measure what truly matters, we can stop chasing clicks and start driving real change.


Have questions? Get in touch here.

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