Bristol-Myers Squibb raised its marketing and advertising expenditures by 7% to $349 million in the third quarter, chiefly on increased investments in Plavix promotion, the launch of Baraclude and its first-ever print ad campaign for Abilify.
BMS expanded DTC advertising for Plavix, handled by Unit 7 and running alongside a professional campaign by Torre Lazur McCann.
The firm began launching Baraclude with journal ads, handled by CorbettAccel Chicago, and specialty sales support. The drug, for hepatitis B, won U.S. approval in March but is still rolling out in key global markets such as Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina and, pending approval, China.
The Abilify DTC campaign, also handled by Corbett Accel Chicago, is running in USA Today, The New York Times, Us Weekly, Prevention and Time. Abilify was launched in late 2002 for the treatment of bipolar I disorder. A BMS spokesman said the campaign was part of the company’s efforts to shift promotional support from mature products facing exclusivity loss to those considered growth drivers.
BMS boosts marketing spend by 7% behind 3 drugs
Bristol-Myers Squibb raised its marketing and advertising expenditures by 7% to $349 million in the third quarter, chiefly on increased investments in Plavix promotion, the launch of Baraclude and its first-ever print ad campaign for Abilify.
