The New Season of Congresses

Congress season is back in full force post summer holidays. For Pharma marketers, events like ESMO and ASH represent a significant investment and an equally important opportunity to shape clinical narratives. But too often, success is measured by surface-level metrics such as booth traffic, session attendance, or survey responses.

These metrics show who was there, but they don’t tell you how messages landed or whether they influenced HCP behavior.

The Industry Knows Insight Is the Priority

There’s a growing recognition across Pharma that message resonance matters more than ever.

• 57% of Pharma respondents say understanding HCP needs and behaviour is a top priority.
• Yet 63% admit that demonstrating behavioral impact and outcomes remains one of their biggest challenges.
• Only 24% of companies comprehensively collate and analyze HCP engagement data, and just 22% act on the insights.
• Fewer than 20% measure knowledge gain or practice change from their education activities.

The gap is clear: while the industry is prioritising insight, it is still falling short in measuring and acting on it.

Why Standard Metrics Fall Short

Traditional post-congress measurement paints a partial picture. Booth counts or attendance figures reflect visibility, not resonance. Surveys can capture sentiment, but often lack depth or objectivity.

Meanwhile, HCPs themselves see congress as a cornerstone for engagement. According to IQVIA, 75% of HCPs consider in-person congress attendance critical or very important for accessing scientific content and networking. Another two-thirds value the flexibility of virtual formats.

This tells us two things: congresses remain a vital touchpoint, and the messages delivered there must be tracked for real-world impact.

Message Resonance Baselines: A Stronger Foundation

At Talking Medicines, we believe the answer lies in establishing Message Resonance baselines.

By mapping how different HCP groups currently interpret and align with your clinical messages before congress, you set the foundation to measure change. From there, longitudinal tracking shows how alignment shifts during and after the event.

This approach answers critical questions:

• Which HCP groups are aligned with your messages, and which are not?
• How does alignment vary across personas?
• What impact does congress engagement have on real-world behaviors and attitudes?

What This Delivers for Pharma and Agencies

By moving beyond surface-level metrics, Pharma marketers can:

• Track resonance over time rather than relying on static snapshots
• Understand the impact on HCP behavior, not just awareness
• Optimize campaigns in near real time based on proven intelligence
• Demonstrate ROI with evidence that matters to clients and stakeholders

This is congress intelligence you can act on, not just report on.

The Opportunity for Congress Season 2025

With ESMO and ASH on the horizon, now is the time to establish these baselines and set up longitudinal tracking. Relying on traditional metrics risks missing the bigger picture – whether your scientific narratives are truly resonating with the audiences that matter most.

At Talking Medicines, we use DrugVoice to capture, structure, and analyse real-world HCP conversations with Advanced Data Science. The result is actionable intelligence that helps Pharma and their agencies shape strategy, optimize live campaigns, and deliver measurable impact.

Ready to go beyond booth visits and surveys this congress season?  Get in touch with us today to see how DrugVoice can transform your approach.