The challenge of pharmaceutical brand architecture: A theoretical analysis based on the Brand Architecture Model (B.A.M.).

Due to the dwindling growth rate and the absence of new innovative ingredients coupled with intense competition, the pharmaceutical industry finds itself in a precarious position. These significant changes raise the question whether the current innovation and product-oriented business model of pharmaceutical companies is the right one to face future challenges. One of the most important and necessary challenges is to be able to coordinate and communicate the whole pharmaceutical brand portfolio to address the complex customer network. This requires a systematic approach of pharmaceutical brand architecture. A theoretical framework on how to manage pharmaceutical brand architecture is still missing. For this purpose a highly diversified brand architecture process is derived and translated to the pharmaceutical industry. Further, evaluation criteria for the constitution of pharmaceutical brand architecture are derived. Finally, the evaluation of the current literature suggests an extensive upcoming empirical research, which has to deal with the empirical evaluation of pharmaceutical brand architecture.