One of the big themes
of the 21st century is the free flow of power transparency and control of
information to the consumer. KV Pharmaceuticals were granted exclusivity
by the FDA on a life saving drug that used to cost $20 but they raised the
price to $1500. They were called out for unconscionable behaviour in a
Facebook campaign and are now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The consequences for
KV were dire but the principal applies to all companies everywhere. The internet leaves you nowhere to hide if your price, service, fulfillment, social
or ethical behaviour, environmental policies - whatever does not meet with
acceptable standards you risk being found out and publicly called out by your
customers or commentators.
If warehousing, logistics and supply chain are important to your
business or your personal career then why not follow this blog by email or on
Google+. To tap in to the full benefits of business and career boosting
ideas I suggest you join The
Warehouse Performance Initiative.
In Australia, where drug advertising on TV is not
allowed, the corporate branding of drug manufacturers is not all that strong in
the general population. Where
advertising is allowed for over the counter medicines the branding is product
focussed rather than manufacturer focussed.
This seems to me to be at least in part due to the industry practice of
selling drug brands to other manufacturers or retiring them to a generic
manufacturer once they are off patent.
The ongoing consolidation of manufacturers also means that manufacturer
brands change or disappear every few years.
As a consequence
