Balancing Future-Forward with Foundational Focus – New Tools vs. Timeless Truth

Key takeaways from Medical Advertising Hall of Fame’s Career Accelerator Series Session “Thriving in Modern Marketing” 

With the constant buzz around AI and automation, the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame’s Career Accelerator Series Session “Thriving in Modern Marketing,” held June 17, provided a meaningful take on what modern marketing really means. As someone who holds ‘purpose’ as a guiding value, I especially appreciated how the presenters reframed how to use purpose and intention alongside our increasingly robotic collaborators. Intention can serve as a filter for integration, helping drive tactics that are not only innovative, but purpose-driven and strategically sound. 

The challenge today isn’t about staying ahead of the tech curve; it’s about staying clear on what we’re really aiming for. Whether it’s choosing a targeting strategy, evaluating a new AI tool, or telling a more resonant story, our core job as marketers remains the same: to create meaningful connections.  

Here are three key takeaways from the session. 

1. Data-Led, Person-First: Marketing for Real Humans

 With growing access to targeting data and individual-level insights, we’re better equipped than ever to personalize our outreach. But while increased and more refined data may aid in our efforts, it’s important to remember that audiences aren’t numbers on a page – they are individual people. And in pharmaceutical marketing, we’re usually speaking to individual people who are dealing with health challenges, either as a patient or a healthcare provider. 

 With that in mind, personalization at scale should feel helpful, not intrusive, for the people on the other end of your ad. That starts with empathy, translating data into real insight, not just outputs. Reframing “audiences” as “personas” is not only a selling point of new tech, but a good way to see the person behind the data point. Targeting and personalization are now the expectation, not the aspiration, but human-centered content should still be our guiding rule.   

2. Technology Is the Tool, Not the Strategy

A new concept that the session introduced to me was “tech debt,” or the cost of constantly chasing new tools without a clear reason. AI and automation can streamline work and spark ideas, but the goal should always be to solve a real business problem. 

The tech we bring into our workstreams should create more space for human intelligence and judgment to lead and amplify strategy. Tech shouldn’t be the strategy. Having recently worked on tactical ideation for one of our brands, I realize how easy it can be to fall into a shiny-object trap when ideating. In those moments, I’m reminded to ask, ‘What is this really solving for?’ And if it’s not solving a barrier or aligning with a strategic imperative, it probably doesn’t belong in the solutions deck.

3. Omnichannel Isn’t a Buzzword—It’s a Mindset 

I’d be remiss in my work as an Engagement Strategist if I didn’t at least mention omnichannel in my recap, because yes, it’s important, and yes, it can be a challenge, (and yes, my team can help)! But as this presentation reminded me, omnichannel work goes back to the core idea that marketing has always been about– identifying where your audience is, understanding how to connect with them, and showing up with the right message in the right space at the right time.  

Omnichannel focus should be on integration, not ubiquity, and a strong omnichannel strategy doesn’t mean being on every channel – it means being on the right ones. Building a connected, meaningful story happens with intentional small steps forward, not in a big splash all at once. The long-term benefit of a cohesive journey outweighs the risk of fragmentation from doing too much, too soon. In that regard, metrics and KPIs matter, but only when they show how we’re solving real audience needs.  

All-in-all, what’s old is new again for the modern marketer.

TLDR? The modern marketer is not reinventing the wheel, we’re just spinning it with more intention. Standing out still means connecting with people, using data to drive creativity, and honoring the audience we’re here to serve. 

Thank you to the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame and the presenters for their time and insights!