RESTON, Va., July 23, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, in conjunction with pharmaceutical marketing consultancy Evolution Road, today released results from the second annual study: e-Marketing Effectiveness Benchmarks for the Pharmaceutical Industry, which is designed to help pharmaceutical marketers assess the success of their online marketing activities.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080115/COMSCORELOGO)

The study evaluated the impact of banner ads, search marketing, and visits to a brand Web site on a brand's awareness, favorability and sales results among both patients and prospects. The study found that getting a patient to visit a branded Web site is the most effective form of online pharmaceutical marketing, with an incremental patient adherence rate nearly 20 percentage points higher than among those who did not visit the Web site and an incremental new start rate for prospects nearly 5 percentage points higher than the control. Meanwhile, exposure to, and interaction with, online ads also improved adherence rates among existing patients. Patient's exposed to an ad showed a 4.0-point lift in adherence and patients who interacted with an ad exhibited a 9.5-point lift.

Using comScore's one million person U.S. panel to passively observe behavior, with an overlay of survey questions to gather perceptions about the brand, the benchmarks study summarizes the performance of 32 individual studies involving more than 10 prescription brands.

    Incremental Effect of e-Marketing Tactics Over Control on Adherence/Next
     Fill For Existing Patients
    Source: e-Marketing Effectiveness Benchmarks for the Pharmaceutical
     Industry (2008 Release)

    Marketing Activity                      Adherence/Next Fill(Patient Group)

    Exposure-Only to Online Ads                         4.0%
    Exposure to and Interaction with
     Online Ads (Rich Media*)                           9.5%
    Visits to Brand.com                                19.7%

    * defined as interactive digital media.

"The most effective online marketing tool for both patients and prospects is the brand's Web site. It's important to realize, though, that visits to a brand Web site are achieved through the use of a variety of offline and online tactics, such as online banner ads, search and offline advertising," said Bridget O'Toole, comScore executive vice president. "This is why it is essential for marketers to develop fully-integrated campaigns that not only raise awareness and educate consumers but that also drive visitation to a site."

Online Advertising Improves Brand Awareness and Favorability

Although brand Web sites are the most effective online marketing tactic, there is also a positive result from online advertising. The study found that exposure to, or interaction with, banner ads yields an incremental lift in brand awareness and favorability among existing and prospective patients. For prospects, exposure-only to an ad had a significant impact on both aided and unaided brand awareness, with increases of 5.1 and 5.7 percentage points, respectively. An even greater incremental lift in aided awareness (9.4 points) and unaided awareness (7.7 points) was achieved when consumers interacted with a rich media ad.

Incremental Effect on Awareness and Favorability Over Control Among

Prospects

Source: e-Marketing Effectiveness Benchmarks for the Pharmaceutical

     Industry (2008 Release)

    Marketing Activity                         Prospects

                                      Aided         Unaided       Favorability

                                    Awareness      Awareness

Exposure-Only to Online Ads 5.1% 5.7% 1.7%

Exposure to and Interaction

     with Online Ads (Rich Media*)     9.4%            7.7%          4.2%

* defined as interactive digital media.

To request a copy of the study: e-Marketing Effectiveness Benchmarks for the Pharmaceutical Industry (2008 Release) or for more information on comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions, please visit http://www.comscore.com/request/pharma_benchmarks.asp.

About comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions

comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions delivers in-depth information needed to understand the impact that brand, condition-specific, and health Web sites have on consumers' brand awareness, conversion, and patient compliance. comScore's products deliver actionable insight to help refine consumer profiles, identify key alliances, optimize interactive marketing initiatives, benchmark against the competition and accurately measure the ROI of Web site and online marketing programs.

To learn more about comScore Pharmaceutical Solutions, please visit http://www.comscore.com/solutions/pharma.asp.

About comScore

comScore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR) is a global leader in measuring the digital world. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com/boilerplate.

About Evolution Road

Evolution Road is a marketing innovation consultancy focused on helping brands leverage digital channels to drive their business. For more information, please visit http://www.evolutionroad.com.

SOURCE comScore, Inc.

http://www.comscore.com

Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

News Provided by COMTEX