Fabio Gratton, Ignite

Everyone wants to be a market leader and innovator, but no one wants to take a risk that could cost them their job. While there is a tremendous interest in strategies that leverage Web 2.0, we have yet to see the kind of traction one might expect given the surrounding media frenzy and accompanying client demand. Most of it is very safe, and does not fully take advantage of what Web 2.0 is all about—collaboration, community, and consumer-generated content.

If a client is interested in exploring a video syndication strategy on a video-sharing Web site like YouTube, the agency needs to be able to properly present the risks and benefits of this tactic. It also needs to be able to effectively articulate for the various company stakeholders (medical, legal, regulatory, IT, brand, PR, privacy, compliance, etc.) the legal and logistical concerns that might arise from embarking on this type of initiative.

What if an idea centers on re-purposing an already existing TV spot? What does this mean then to the text size and context of the fair-balance language that goes with this spot? Since videos can and should be tagged with keywords in order to be found via the site's search engine, what types of keywords are appropriate; how should these be handled from a regulatory perspective? And if "related-videos" might appear alongside the posted video, what is the risk to the company if those accompanying videos present off-label or inappropriate content? Should the ability for people to post comments be open and unmoderated, or should this functionality be "turned off," and what are the options and implications? What resources will be necessary to manage this?

The Skinny

Ignite Health is a full-service healthcare marketing agency

Telephone: 949-861-3200

E-mail: Fabio@ignitehealth.com

Web site: ignitehealth.com