Merck plans to shift more advertising for new drugs from broadcast television to online communities and cable networks.

The drugmaker is planning to launch several pilot programs for new drugs as it attempts to find more effective ways to market new products and reach its customers, the Financial Times reports. Merck wants to streamline its marketing to more effectively reach its intended customers for each drug and also lower marketing costs.

"The new model will also move away from a broad broadcast DTC approach in its classical sense. It has to. Because as a consumer we're sitting in front of our TV, and we're switching all the time," Peter Loescher, Merck's new second in command, who is leading this drive, told the Financial Times.

Merck wants to move away from the shotgun approach to appeal to customers via cable networks as well as online communities. "We tried to target specific populations – [to] be far more targeted and far more diverse," Loescher said.