A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, an IBS drug called Zelnorm was launched. Unique in the universe, Zelnorm’s DTC campaign famously used words and images drawn on naked tummies. Although that movie ended, we now have a sequel called Linzess.

As with any good Part II, Linzess has been enhanced and reworked to reach self-identified sufferers with its own brand relief story. But the new campaign picks up where Zelnorm left off. Using symptomology to drive awareness and engagement, it continues to use on-tummy illustrations, only the design has been refined. Instead of the Sharpie-like markings used by Zelnorm, Linzess deploys a string-like graphic that not only writes and draws, it also ties and unravels in “knots” of pain. Moreover, Linzess links visual cues and copy. For example, when the voiceover says, “It’s like bricks piling up,” the “string” makes “bricks” on the tummy.

Fifty-eight of the commercial’s 60 seconds are focused on the tummy. This effectively reinforces the brand solution message to sufferers.

Sadly, the Linzess campaign fails to repeat its naked tummy imagery in its digital DTC, which features symptom words wrapped around fully clothed sufferers. This unfortunate lapse in integrated campaign effectiveness—it looks like another brand—cries out for campaign synegration. Maybe someone should have asked Obi Wan Kanobi for help?


Deborah Dick-Rath is the president of Epic Proportions, a healthcare communications consultancy. She can be reached at [email protected]