A New Blueprint for Animal Health Marketers

Marketing in animal health is changing fast, and we know how tough it can be to keep up. From shifting customer needs to tougher competition, it can feel like you’re always playing catch-up. That’s why we’ve pulled together some simple, practical ideas to help you focus on what really matters—and make your marketing work harder for you.

1. More Competition, Bigger Challenges

   • Faster product launches and a push for value beyond the product.
   • Uncertainty around pricing and prescribing reforms.
     
     

2. Changing Customer Expectations

   • A stronger demand for personalised, meaningful experiences.
   • Decisions increasingly made by corporates, not individuals.
   • An overload of content leading to disengagement.
     
     

3. Rising Patient Expectations

   • AI is empowering pet owners with more information than ever.
   • Cost and value are under the microscope in vet practices.
   • Younger pet owners are reshaping the demographic landscape.

Five Foundations for Future-Ready Marketing

We’ve identified five areas to help you keep your marketing clear, customer-focused, and effective.

1. Stronger Strategic Guardrails

   • Move from brand-led to customer-value-driven strategies.
   • Bring commercial thinking into product development earlier.
   • Use customer insights to shape meaningful experiences.
     
     

2. Genuine Customer Focus

   • Focus on making customer experiences truly valuable.
   • Share personalised, relevant information that resonates.
   • Build flexible, data-driven customer journeys.
     
     

3. Broader Thinking About the Funnel

   • Evolve beyond the traditional sales model.
   • Get creative and experiment with new approaches.
   • Use customer insights to guide decisions in the field.
     
     

4. Shared Ownership of Customers

   • Marketing isn’t just sales’ job anymore—everyone has a role to play.
   • Equip teams with the data and curiosity to make better decisions.
   • Create feedback loops that keep improving over time.
     
     

5. A Better Rhythm for Planning

   • Balance long-term strategy with nimble, frequent updates.
   • Use quarterly cycles for operational planning.
   • Stay agile and optimise as you go.

Balancing People and Technology

AI can make a big difference in how you work—helping you personalise at scale, run smoother campaigns, and free up time to focus on what you do best. But it’s not about replacing people. It’s about finding the sweet spot where technology and human insight work together to deliver real value.

Let’s Keep It Simple

Good marketing doesn’t need to be over-complicated. At Oxford, we believe in finding practical ways to tackle challenges and make your marketing more effective. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’d love to help you get there.