DTC

FDA gives guidance on brand, generic names in ads

Matthew Arnold January 26, 2012

The FDA issued guidance clarifying narrow questions of scientific or generic name placement in ads and labeling in different media, including electronic media.

Bon Jovi enlists in Advil's battle with Tylenol

Matthew Arnold December 21, 2011

Jon Bon Jovi is the latest celebrity pitchman for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare's Advil.

Advil Congestion effort ties traffic gridlock to cold and flu misery

Matthew Arnold December 13, 2011

Don't tell the New York Post, but Pfizer is boosting bike lanes as part of an Advil promotion.

Branded Benlysta DTC campaign ready to roll out

Marc Iskowitz October 26, 2011

New online and print DTC advertising targeting US patients with lupus will appear "within weeks," said executives from Human Genome Sciences. Can the campaign revive blockbuster fortunes for Benlysta?

Fear factor in DTC gene tests: not so scary after all?

Matthew Arnold October 19, 2011

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is controversial in part because many medical professionals and policymakers fear that it will prompt inflated perceptions of risk in patients poorly-equipped to interpret test results. A small study suggests that, at least for those administered the test through a clinical setting, that concern may be overblown.

Dendreon to expand DTC in effort to spur demand

Marc Iskowitz October 11, 2011

Dendreon is expanding its DTC campaign, an analyst says, as the firm sees slack demand for its Provenge cancer vaccine and a nascent threat from Johnson & Johnson's Zytiga.

Advertising as dating game: It's the brand.com where things get serious

Matthew Arnold October 05, 2011

A survey by Yahoo! and advertising giant BBDO says advertisers need to raise their game in "owned media" like brand.com sites to woo consumers.

Merck signs sports talker Golic for low blood sugar awareness effort

Matthew Arnold September 21, 2011

Defensive tackle-turned-sports radio talker Mike Golic has signed on to Merck and the American College of Endocrinology's Blood Sugar Basics program, which emphasizes the import of blood sugar control for people with type 2 diabetes.

Lipitor.com gets Bad Ad slap for cross-promotion sans risk info

Matthew Arnold September 06, 2011

Pfizer's Lipitor website touted the efficacy of Caduet, Chantix and Norvasc but failed to balance those claims with risk info for the drugs, according to an "untitled letter" from FDA's Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communication (DDMAC).

EMD Serono brings back "Birds & Bees" infertility effort

Matthew Arnold July 27, 2011

EMD Serono refreshed its "Birds & Bees" fertility issues awareness campaign with a Facebook page and a music video.

FDA weighs brief summary format redesign

Matthew Arnold June 21, 2011

The FDA is weighing shifting to a prescription drug brief summary format more like that of the "Drug Facts" design used for OTC products, based on a study showing that it led to higher risk comprehension.

Allman to headline Merck's Tune In to Hep C awareness effort

Matthew Arnold June 21, 2011

Merck is launching a chronic hepatitis C awareness campaign featuring rocker and hepatitis C sufferer Gregg Allman, whose Allman Brothers Band will headline a benefit concert on World Hepatitis Day on July 27, in New York.

Arthritis drugmakers hone pitch to consumers

Marc Iskowitz May 18, 2011

Makers of arthritis biologic drugs, a $15-billion market, are refining their consumer pitch to focus on prevention and early diagnosis, not just symptoms.

Pradaxa DTC goes the white coat route

Matthew Arnold May 09, 2011

Boehringer Ingelheim is launching its Pradaxa DTC campaign with a first wave of white-coated doctors talking up the blood thinner for atrial fibrillation.

Patients prefer health media sites to user-generated content for medical info, says survey

Matthew Arnold May 03, 2011

Consumers continue to trust health magazines, websites and WebMD more than user-generated contribution sites like Wikipedia, Facebook or Twitter for medical information, according to a survey.

GSW launches health and wellness practice

Matthew Arnold April 06, 2011

InVentiv's GSW is going after the consumer health and wellness market with an offshoot, dubbed The Well @GSW, aimed at OTC brands, consumer products and retail accounts.

Crestor dons chef's hat with online cooking show series

Matthew Arnold March 09, 2011

AstraZeneca is sponsoring an online cooking show series as part of its Crestor efforts.

Roche maintained DTC spending on Boniva, while competitors cut back

Ben Comer March 03, 2011

Sally Field's winsome smile may have helped to curb declining sales of Roche's Boniva in 2010, but it didn't carry the drug past Warner Chilcott's Actonel, despite a substantially higher DTC spend.

Sunovion refreshes Lunesta campaign

Marc Iskowitz January 12, 2011

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals quietly mothballed a Lunesta TV ad that drew FDA scrutiny, in favor of a spot that reprises the sleep drug's familiar mascot.

Pfizer hypes Advil line extension with TV ad, personal shopper offer

Matthew Arnold November 17, 2010

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare is launching an Advil line extension with a contest to win a personal shopper for "Black Friday," the Friday after Thanksgiving, when bargain-hunting holiday shoppers pack stores.

Ad-ucation? Sorvinos plug Lantus in Sanofi web effort

Matthew Arnold September 21, 2010

Sanofi Aventis launched a Lantus-branded "diabetes awareness campaign" featuring Paul and Mira Sorvino.

Takeda, Arthritis Foundation launch gout awareness effort

Matthew Arnold September 15, 2010

Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America and the Arthritis Foundation launched a gout awareness campaign featuring TV and radio PSAs airing nationally, along with a website, www.goutliving.org.

iVillage, QualityHealth deal connects media with marketing

Marc Iskowitz August 26, 2010

Marketing firm QualityHeath says a partnership with website iVillage will potentially expose more women to its pharma-sponsored content while giving clients better control over DTC media spend.

J&J uses web video, teacher outreach in UK ADHD effort

Matthew Arnold June 16, 2010

J&J's Janssen-Cilag launched an animated patient education video aimed at showing viewers the world from the perspective of a child with ADHD and urging parents to see a doctor about behavioral problems.

Script in hand, Boomer women sleep on it, ask friends before filling

Matthew Arnold June 08, 2010

Forty-four percent of women research prescribed drugs using multiple sources before filling a script, a survey found, suggesting that marketing efforts targeting Baby Boomer women, in particular, must focus less on brand awareness and more on the post-script conversation.

Nicorette launch features Facebook contest with Dr. Drew

Matthew Arnold April 28, 2010

GlaxoSmithKline is launching a Nicorette lozenge with a new iteration of the "Quitting Sucks" ad campaign and a Facebook contest starring TV shrink Dr. Drew Pinsky.

GSK rolls out new DTC ads for Lovaza

Ben Comer April 06, 2010

GlaxoSmithKline launched new TV spots last week for Lovaza, a prescription omega-3 fish oil capsule indicated for the lowering of very high triglyceride levels.

FDA proposes standard for print, broadcast drug ads

Marc Iskowitz April 02, 2010

The FDA said side-effect related statements in consumer drug ads should be presented in a clear, conspicuous and neutral manner and, in a proposed rule issued this week, allowed for flexibility in determining whether these criteria are met.

GSK launches surprising cervical cancer ads

Ben Comer March 09, 2010

What began as a sparkly new ad for perfume quickly shifted gears, from trivial to terrifying, once the young female actor glimpsed the perfume bottle's script: cervical cancer.

DTC spending stabilized in 2009 amid strong growth for cable, Internet adspend

Matthew Arnold March 03, 2010

Pharma spending on consumer advertising was largely flat in 2009, rising 1.9% to $4.5 billion over 2008 spend, according to data from The Nielsen Company. That's good news for media companies, suggesting that spending has hit bottom following two years of steep declines.