ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
This study was conducted to qualitatively analyses the viability of digital marketing strategies (DMS) in conveying brand information to clients within the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector in Harare, Zimbabwe. Viability of digital marketing strategies in this case refers to the ability of DMS to convey brand information to clients and to enhance brand visibility of pharmaceutical manufacturing sector’s products. The study widens the understanding on the processes of the dynamics of technological change, and transition within the business world with a focus on the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Zimbabwe. Basing its theoretical underpinnings on the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), the study addressed three research objectives. Twenty-one managers of seven pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Harare, Zimbabwe were purposively selected using non-probability judgmental sampling techniques. A Key Informant Interview (KII) guide was used to gather primary data which was then analyzed using NVIVO analysis. The study identified various digital marketing strategies in use, which includes whatsapp, facebook, twitter, linkedIn, Instagram, email, website and zoom meetings. The results demonstrated that DMS are viable in conveying brand information as they enable content sharing and time and cost-efficient brand information dissemination, globally. DMS allow pharmaceutical manufacturing companies to effectively communicate and showcase their products to their clients irrespective of geographical boundaries and in various forms which can be text messages, images, audio and audio visuals. DMS creates a network connection which simplifies brand awareness promotions, global markets reach cost-effectively and efficiently, open up in global markets and gain new clients, updating brand information timeously, thereby retaining and expanding customer base. Hence, business organizations gain competitive advantage and withstand stiff competition against the international giants. Poor internet and connectivity, power challenges, remoteness, high acquisition and maintenance costs and the presence of conservative minds were the challenges in DMS implementation to convey brand information. The study recommends the pharmaceutical manufacturing companies to leverage on DMS in conveying brand information in order to enhance brand visibility, thereby improving business performance. The study further recommends the government, through the Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) to monitor the information that is shared on various digital marketing platforms and the government itself to create an enabling environment for the use of digital marketing strategies by boosting internet connectivity countrywide. The greatest challenge that this study faced had to do with methodological limitations, as the study was not able to engage the clients and other employees. To resolve this limitation, further investigation was directed on the key informants since strategic issues remain issues of management.
Agrawal, B., & Mandhanya, Y. (2019). Promotional strategies for Indian pharmaceutical companies in the era of digital marketing. Pacific Business Review International, 12(6).
Al-Fawaeer, M., (2014). Exploring the relationship between e-commerce adoption and business strategy: an applied study on the Jordanian telecommunication companies. Journal of Management Research, 6(1),141.
Allsop, D. B., Chelladurai, J. M., Kimball, E. R., Marks, L. D., & Hendricks, J. J. (2022). Qualitative methods with Nvivo software: A practical guide for analyzing qualitative data. Psych, 4(2), 142-159.
Alyahya, M., Dhruvakumar, S., Siddegowda, S.H. and Sreeharsha, N., (2020). Impacts of digital marketing on the pharmacies community in Saudi Arabia and determining the future model of the industry: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, 54(4), 1193-1206
Bala, M., & Verma, D. (2018). A critical review of digital marketing. M. Bala, D. Verma (2018). A Critical Review of Digital Marketing. International Journal of Management, IT & Engineering, 8(10), 321-339.
Bharskar, G. R., & Siddheshwar, S. (2020). Digital marketing in pharmaceutical sector. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Health Care, 2(10), 1-7.
Catalano, C. S. (2007). Megaphones to the internet and the world: The role of blogs in corporate communications. International Journal of strategic communication, 1(4), 247-262.
Chaffey, D and Chadwick F. E. (2016). Digital Marketing Strategy, Implementation and Practice, United Kingdom. Pearson Education Limited
Digital (2023). South Africa accessed at https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-south-africa
Digital (2023). Zimbabwe accessed at https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-zimbabwe
Ganesh, L., (2012). Adoption of Digital Technologies in Channel Management of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry (Doctoral dissertation, Christ University).
Gayathiri, M. B., & Ravindran, K. (2020). Importance Of Digital Marketing Awareness In Indian Market With Special Reference To Tamilnadu. Journal of Critical Reviews, 7(15), 4015-4020.
Govo, M. K., (2019). The critical success factors in Zimbabwe’s retail pharmaceutical sector (Doctoral dissertation).
Kalotra, A., (2014). Marketing strategies of different pharmaceutical companies. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics, 4(2), 64-71.
Khaled, A. S., Ahmed, S., Tabash, M. I., Al-Homaidi, E. A., & Hossain, M. I. (2019). The Impact of Technological and Marketing Innovations on Retailing Industry: Evidence of India. Journal of Reviews on Global Economics, 8, 948-957
Khoza, A., (2016). Pharmacy Stores Profitability and Sustainability in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Walden University.
Luvayo, F. M., (2017). Multi-channel marketing strategies on performance of Pharmaceutical Companies in Kenya: a case of Nairobi County (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Makori, J. (2014). Evaluation of Digital Business Strategies Pursued By Equity Bank Kenya: A Study of Selected Branches in Nairobi (Doctoral dissertation, United States International University-Africa)
Mandal, P., Joshi, N. and Sheela, K., (2016). Understanding digital marketing-theories and strategies. International research journal of management science & technology, 7(9), 2250-1959.
Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe Annual Report (2022).
https://www.mcaz.co.zw/publications/annual-reports
Mkwizu, K. H., (2019). Digital marketing and tourism: opportunities for Africa. International Hospitality Review.
Mordor Intelligence Reviews (2013) Zimbabwe pharmaceutical market - growth, trends, covid- 19 impact and forecasts 2022 – 2027. www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/pharmaceutical-industries-in-Zimbabwe
Mordor Intelligence Reviews (2022). Zimbabwe Pharmaceutical Market-Growth, Trends, COVID-19: Impact and Forecasts (2021-2026).
www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5394092/zimbabwe-pharmaceutical-market
Murphy, G. L. and Medin, D. L., (1985). The role of theories in conceptual coherence. Psychological review, 92(3), 285-316
Nerkar, A. and Roberts, P.W., (2004). Technological and product?market experience and the success of new product introductions in the pharmaceutical industry. Strategic Management Journal, 25(8?9), 779-799
Nur, A. S. N., Sahabuddin, M., Hossain, M.I., Ismail, N. (2024). Examining the influence of functional, social and psychological antecedents on attitude towards Chatbot usage: an emerging market context. International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets. 10.1504/IJBEM.2025.10064107.
Nyagadza, B. (2022). Search engine marketing and social media marketing predictive trends. Journal of Digital Media & Policy, 13(3), 407-425.
Nyamai, E.M., (2014). Marketing strategies adopted by pharmaceutical companies in response to the changing consumer buying behaviour in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Park, H., Rodgers, S. and Stemmle, J., (2011). Health organizations’ use of Facebook for health advertising and promotion. Journal of interactive advertising, 12(1), 62-77.
Putri, D. R. (2021). Digital marketing strategy to increase brand awareness and customer purchase intention (case study: Ailesh green consulting). European Journal of Business and Management Research, 6(5), 87-93.
Researchandmarkets (2022). www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5394092/zimbabwe-pharmaceutical-market
Rogers Everett, M., (1995). Diffusion of innovations. New York, 12.
Rogers, E.M., (2010). Diffusion of innovations. Simon and Schuster.
Smith, K.T., (2011). Digital marketing strategies that Millennials find appealing, motivating, or just annoying. Journal of Strategic marketing, 19(6), 489-499.
Sonawane, S., Mahajan, V. and Dhavan, A., (2023). Effect of Digital Marketing on Pharmaceutical Business and its impact on Social Wellbeing-A Conceptual Review. The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, 11(2).
Teixeira, S., Martins, J., Branco, F., Gonçalves, R., Au-Yong-Oliveira, M. and Moreira, F., (2017). October. A theoretical analysis of digital marketing adoption by startups. In International Conference on Software Process Improvement (pp. 94-105). Springer, Cham.
Tripathy, M. R. and Das, P. K., (2020). Effectiveness of Digital Marketing: An Organizational Perspective. In National Conference on Industry 4.0(NCI-4.0) Faculty Of Engineering and Computing Sciences (FOECS), Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad.
UNIDO (2017). Sector Development Strategy for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing in Zimbabwe. https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/files/2019-01/Zimbabwe_Pharmaceutical_Sector_Development_Strategy.pdf
Wani, T.A. and Ali, S.W., (2015). Innovation diffusion theory. Journal of general management research, 3(2), 101-118.
Zanamwe, N., Bere, M., Zungura, C., Nyamakura, S.A. and Muchangani, B., (2012). E-commerce usage in the pharmaceutical sector of Zimbabwe. The Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce, 17(1), 1-15.
Chowa, K. (Nee M., Farhana, N., & Devi, A. (2024). A Qualitative Analysis of the Viability of Digital Marketing Strategies in Conveying Brand Information to Clients in the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Sector in Harare, Zimbabwe. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(11), 653–671.
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode