Mallinckrodt Shares Digital Asset Management Best Practices

This video provides an in-depth exploration of digital asset management (DAM) best practices, specifically tailored for emerging and mid-sized pharmaceutical companies. Presented by Joyce Pearl, Director of Marketing Services, and Tom Zito, Marketing Materials Specialist and DAM SME, from Mallinckrodt, the session outlines their journey from a chaotic, costly content management situation to a streamlined, efficient DAM program. The speakers share practical insights and lessons learned from building their DAM system from scratch, emphasizing the challenges and triumphs of implementing such a system within a resource-constrained environment.

The presentation begins by illustrating the severe pain points Mallinckrodt faced prior to DAM implementation, including exorbitant costs for retrieving or recreating lost files (e.g., $40,000 for a single file package), difficulty locating original files and licensed images, and reliance on expensive agencies for simple updates. This context sets the stage for their decision to adopt a DAM system, integrating it with their transition from Zinc to Veeva PromoMats. A significant challenge was not just getting internal buy-in due to cost and legal concerns, but also ensuring user adoption, particularly from agencies responsible for uploading content. This led to the creation of custom training materials and the establishment of a dedicated DAM librarian role.

A core component of their methodology is the "TASK" acronym, which encapsulates their key learnings and criteria for setting DAM expectations. "Taxonomy" stresses the critical importance of consistent classification, naming conventions, and metadata for discoverability. "Accept when it's not working" highlights the necessity of flexibility and willingness to iterate on processes, even if it means admitting initial approaches were flawed. "Set expectations and train everyone" underscores the continuous effort required for onboarding agencies and internal teams, providing clear guidelines and support. Finally, "Know your image rights" emphasizes the often-overlooked legal complexities of content usage, advocating for a deep understanding of licensing terms like royalty-free and rights-managed. The speakers detail how they integrated their printing process with Veeva to ensure file integrity and developed fields within the DAM to track image permissions and expiration dates, significantly mitigating previous issues.

Key Takeaways:

• Address Costly Inefficiencies: Prior to DAM, Mallinckrodt faced significant financial burdens, including paying up to $40,000 to retrieve or recreate lost files for a single brand, highlighting the critical need for centralized asset management to reduce operational costs.
• Strategic DAM Implementation with Veeva: The company strategically integrated its DAM implementation with a broader transition from Zinc to Veeva PromoMats, leveraging the platform's capabilities for promotional review and asset storage. Agencies were required to be Veeva certified.
• The Crucial Role of a Dedicated DAM Librarian: Establishing a dedicated Digital Asset Management Subject Matter Expert (SME) or "Librarian" is vital for day-to-day operations, ensuring consistent content classification, metadata application, and overall system integrity.
• The "TASK" Framework for Success: Mallinckrodt developed the "TASK" acronym to guide their DAM strategy: Taxonomy, Accept when not working, Set expectations and train, and Know your image rights. This framework provides a structured approach to managing digital assets.
• Taxonomy is Paramount for Discoverability: Effective taxonomy, including clear classification, consistent naming conventions, and robust metadata, is essential for users to find and reuse assets efficiently. Without it, the DAM becomes a costly storage solution rather than a functional library.
• Embrace Flexibility and Iteration: Be prepared to "Accept when it's not working" and adjust processes. Mallinckrodt initially required source files too early, leading to corrupt or incomplete packages, and later shifted this requirement, integrating their printing process with Veeva to pull files directly from the DAM, significantly improving file integrity.
• Continuous Training and Communication: "Set expectations and train everyone" is an ongoing effort. This includes virtual onboarding sessions for agencies and marketers, custom quick guides, and additional sessions like "ask the librarian" to ensure consistent understanding and adoption of DAM guidelines.
• Deep Understanding of Image Rights is Non-Negotiable: Companies must "Know your image rights," understanding terms like royalty-free and rights-managed. The video highlights that agencies often lack this deep understanding, making it incumbent on the client to educate and enforce proper licensing documentation.
• Leverage System Features for Compliance: The DAM system can be configured with custom fields to document image permissions, expiration dates, and automatically alert users about upcoming expirations, streamlining compliance and reducing legal risks associated with content usage.
• Overcoming Agency Resistance: Agencies may not prioritize taxonomy and metadata as much as the client. The DAM librarian must be hands-on in verifying and editing incoming content to maintain consistency and quality within the library.
• Internal Buy-in and Cross-Functional Support: Gaining initial buy-in from marketing and legal teams was easier due to existing frustrations and costs. However, active user adoption required more convincing and work, emphasizing the need for continuous advocacy and support.
• Building Processes from the Ground Up: Mallinckrodt's team, initially without direct DAM experience, successfully built their operational model and processes from scratch, demonstrating that a base knowledge of the creative process and a willingness to learn can lead to effective solutions.

Tools/Resources Mentioned:

• Veeva PromoMats (Digital Asset Management and Promotional Review platform)
• Zinc (Previous promotional review system)

Key Concepts:

• Digital Asset Management (DAM): A system for organizing, storing, and retrieving digital assets.
• Taxonomy: The classification and categorization of content, crucial for search and discoverability within a DAM.
• Image Rights: Legal permissions governing the use of images, including concepts like royalty-free (one-time fee for broad usage) and rights-managed (specific usage rights with limitations).
• Promotional Review Process (PRC): The internal review and approval process for marketing and promotional materials in regulated industries, often involving medical, legal, and regulatory teams.
• DAM Librarian/SME: A dedicated role responsible for the day-to-day operations, governance, and quality control of the digital asset management system.

Examples/Case Studies:

• Mallinckrodt's DAM Journey: The entire presentation serves as a case study of Mallinckrodt, an emerging/mid-sized pharma company, and their experience implementing and optimizing a DAM system, including their initial challenges, strategic decisions, and the development of the "TASK" framework. Specific examples include paying $40,000 for file retrieval and integrating their printing process with Veeva PromoMats.