Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14141
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Publication type: news
Edwards J.
Drug Ads Losing Recall Effectiveness Among Consumers
BrandWeek 2008 Aug 15
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/packaged-goods/e3i3accb70086cea8f56ab6aeaa6aadf2eb
Full text:
If you think that marketing in the drug category is becoming less interesting and more monotonous, you’re right.
A ranking of the most-recalled prescription drug ads shows that prescription drug ads became less memorable for consumers between this year and last, as measured by Nielsen IAG, New York.
The drug ads consumers remembered best in 2007 were executions for Schering-Plough’s allergy drug Nasonex, Takeda’s sleeping pill Rozerem, Schering’s anti-cholesterol brand Vytorin, Pfizer’s anti-cholesterol brand Lipitor and its anti-smoking brand Chantix, and Sepracor’s insomnia med Lunesta.
But midway through 2008, all of those brands have run into controversy or economic difficulties, and some of them pulled much or their entire consumer advertising.
What is left, according to IAG, is a bunch of drug ads that would not have made the grade last year: Six of the most-remembered ads this year would not have made it into the top 10 last year, based on IAG’s recall index.
Among the drug ads that have hit rocky patches:
• Nasonex’s animated bee ads have become the subject of an FDA inquiry into whether visuals distract viewers when ads deliver their warnings and safety messages.
• Rozerem, which has struggled to gain market share, cut the ad spend on its dreamlike Abraham Lincoln-meets-a-talking-beaver ads by 77%, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. (Nielsen IAG, Nielsen Monitor-Plus and Brandweek are divisions of The Nielsen Co.)
• Vytorin was the subject of media frenzy when Shering revealed a study that said it had no effect on narrowed arteries and may heighten cancer risk.
• Lipitor sales were challenged when Merck’s rival brand, Zocor, went generic and became available for pennies on the dollar. Then Pfizer pulled its ads featuring artificial heart pioneer Robert Jarvik after it emerged he was not a practicing doctor.
• Sepracor went on a cost-cutting drive, slashing the ad budget for Lunesta by 39%.
According to IAG’s svp for healthcare, Fariba Zamaniyan, creative strength also is an issue. The ads that were dialed back had strong, established characters, such as Jarvik or the Lunesta moth, and had been running for a long time. The current crop of ads, including spots for Pfizer’s Lyrica and Warner Chilcott’s Loestrin 24Fe, are simply less established than their predecessors. “The overall average has come down. A high bar was set, but now it’s just not as high,” Zamaniyan said.
Zamaniyan speculated that increased attention by the FDA and the media to drug ad controversies could lead to more creatively conservative advertising. Those types of spots often feature doctors addressing the viewer directly, or slice-of-life vignettes in which middle-aged folk recommend drugs to each other, and they tend to be less memorable.
Most Recalled Prescription Drug Ads in 2007:
(Source: Nielsen IAG. Scores indicate IAG’s recall index vs. the norm. Scores are weighted to equalize the effect of media spending. Only ads with above average recall scores make the list. A score of 100 is average.)
1. Nasonex, Schering-Plough: Animated bee talks about prevention of nasal allergy symptoms while buzzing next to Nasonex bottle. Score: 158
2. Rozerem, Takeda: Abraham Lincoln, talking beaver, man in suit and man in diving suit at a bus stop; your dreams miss you: 156
3. Vytorin, Merck/Schering-Plough: Plates of food shown next to shots of relatives such as a casserole of tuna and peas and your grandma Louise: 149
4. Lipitor, Pfizer: Robert Jarvik in white lab coat discusses risk of heart disease and stroke caused by high cholesterol: 144.
4. Chantix, Pfizer: Smoking is a challenge not meant for sprinters; tortoise and hare on a lime-colored quitting road: 144
4. Vytorin, Merck/Schering-Plough: Plates of food shown next to shots of relatives such as Grandpa Bo and bowtie pasta: 144
5. Lunesta, Sepracor: Luna moth flies into peoples’ bedrooms; the best part of a Lunesta night is the way you feel refreshed the next morning: 142
5. Cialis, Eli Lilly: Couples in various romantic places including laying in front of fireplace, in restaurant, in rowboat and laying on hammock: 142
6. Gardasil, Merck: Young women including a Cowgirl, Colorguard, Gymnast and Softball player say they want to be “One Less”: 138
6. Rozerem, Takeda: Abraham Lincoln, talking beaver, man in suit and man in diving suit in an office; your dreams miss you: 138
Most Recalled Prescription Drug Ads Sept. 1, 2007-May 31, 2008, TV Season:
1. Chantix, Pfizer: Smoking is a challenge not meant for sprinters; tortoise and hare on a lime-colored quitting road: 144
2. Cialis, Eli Lilly: Couples in various romantic places including laying in front of fireplace, in restaurant, in rowboat and laying on hammock: 142
2. Lunesta, Sepracor: Luna moth flies into peoples’ bedrooms; the best part of a Lunesta night is the way you feel refreshed the next morning: 142
3. Loestrin24 Fe, Warner Chilcott: Two women at pharmacy counter; pharmacist says one may need blood test to see if Potassium increases: 136
4. Lyrica, Pfizer: Woman in orange sweater reads from journal about her struggle with fibromyalgia; woman is then shown instructing a painting class: 127
4. Plavix, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Aventis: Hospital gurney follows man through city to medical building; If you’ve had a heart attack caused by a completely blocked artery, another heart attack could be lurking: 127
5. Boniva, Roche/GlaxoSmithKline: Sally Field drinking water in garden and playing with a dog talks about taking just one pill once a month for her osteoporosis: 122
5. Plavix, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi-Aventis: Keeping power flowing to thousands of homes and businesses, Paul is a formidable man: 122
5. Veramyst, GlaxoSmithKline: Woman talks about using one medicine for seasonal allergies that treats all nasal and eye symptoms: 122
