Purpose

Digital transformation and the expansion of data-driven technologies have significantly reshaped organizational marketing practices. In this context, smart digital marketing has emerged as an advanced approach that emphasizes data analytics, precise audience targeting, and personalized message design rather than the mere use of digital channels. However, evidence suggests that digital tools alone do not ensure effective product promotion, and that advertising effectiveness plays a critical role in message delivery. This issue is particularly salient in the pharmaceutical industry due to ethical, social, and regulatory constraints. Accordingly, this study aims to explain the role of influential advertising within the framework of smart digital marketing and to examine its impact on pharmaceutical product promotion, with a specific focus on its mediating role.

Methodology

This study is applied in purpose and adopts a quantitative, descriptive–survey design. The statistical population consists of managers and employees involved in marketing, sales, and advertising activities at Omid Darou Salamat Pharmaceutical Company. Using random sampling, data were collected from 400 valid questionnaires. A researcher-developed questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale was employed to measure digital marketing strategies, influential advertising, and pharmaceutical product promotion. Reliability and validity were confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity criteria. Data analysis and hypothesis testing were conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS software.

Findings

The results show that digital marketing strategies have a positive and significant effect on pharmaceutical product promotion. Influential advertising also exerts a direct and significant impact on product promotion. Moreover, bootstrapping analysis confirms that influential advertising plays a partial and significant mediating role in the relationship between digital marketing strategies and pharmaceutical product promotion. The coefficient of determination (R²) indicates an acceptable explanatory power of the proposed model.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that effective pharmaceutical product promotion depends not merely on digital presence but on a smart, data-driven, and ethically responsible advertising approach. Influential advertising acts as a key mechanism for translating smart digital marketing capabilities into consumer awareness, trust, and purchasing behavior