In the everyday advertising jargon that passes forinsightful comment, the expression “the rule of the tool” is as rare as hen’steeth. For those unfamiliar with this rule, I’ll take a moment to explain. Therule of the tool decrees that, to the person who only has a screwdriver, everytask looks like it can be completed using that screwdriver, even when it’sclear to everyone else that it is the wrong tool for the job.
Remarkably, the owner of the screwdriver remains completelyoblivious to its inappropriateness, for no other reason than there is noalternative tool to hand. He, or she, really does believe it is the best toolfor any job, to the point they’ll happily dig a trench with it even when it’spatently a stupid thing to do.
The screwdriver of course, is a metaphor for any other“tool,” way of thinking or other belief system. For the more devout religiousobservers, faithful prayer is their main solution (i.e. their tool) to allproblems. The tool thinkers will happily get themselves wrapped up in ferventprayer, even when the best way to avoid being hit by the oncoming bus is simplyto just step out of its way.
Applied as a metaphor for a restrictive creative approach inour own world of pharmaceutical advertising, it throws up some interestingobservations. Take the creative idea. Happy smiling patients, animals onrollerblades and, of course, the ubiquitous boxing gloves are all standardequipment in most people’s creative arsenal.
Flipping through a recent awards book I was amazed to seeits pages littered with pooches. Was last year the year of the dog? It wouldseem that, as well as being man’s best friend, it’s also become the best friendof some creative teams.
However, most worrisome was that no one judging the work sawthe patiently obvious elephant in the room. Pre-conditioned thinking is rife.So, if the creative brief calls for a TV spot, or a journal ad, or a detail aidor all of the aforementioned, my question is does it have to be any of thesebog standard approaches? In my view the idea always comes first. How itoperates, and where it’s placed, really depends on where the target audience islooking.
The rule of the tool applied to TV spots exemplifies thepoint. Nearly all follow the same formula of mindless imagery, a 60-secondcommercial, 30 of which contain a fair balance voiceover read out at superspeed which ends with “Ask your doctor about…” Exactly who else would I ask? Mygrocer? I can hear the conversation: “…two pounds of apples please, and what doyou recommend for my hemorrhoids?”
Today, the pharmaceutical industry spends in excess of $5billion per year on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising and billions more onphysician ads.
Exactly how many do you recall? In fact, I should reallyinclude all TV spots currently airing, since DTC is in fierce competition forthe viewer’s attention much like Nike and Geico. Where is the credibility whenactors don a steely grimace to illustrate some imaginary pain in the netherregions?
Regulatory laws prohibit any meaningful claims, however somepseudoceuticals seem to get away with murder, such as “Aktavar…eat all you wantand still lose weight. We couldn’t say that on TV if it wasn’t true.” A new advertisingmodel is crucial, one that’s credible, ethical and is of course, memorable.
Physicians fare no better than the viewing patient. We’reall painfully aware that the reps time with the doctor is measured in seconds.
In a recent telephone survey of 180,000 doctors, 19% of USoffice-based physicians refuse to see sales representatives from the drug anddevice industry at any time, according to SK&A Information Services, Inc.It also stated 22.7% of doctors ask reps to set an appointment.
So once through the hallowed door, is the answer really a20-page sales aid? Were the words, efficacy, safety and tolerability used aslarge and bold as possible?
OK, we do it because physicians tell us they’re important,but you may as well incorporate a chip that emits a yawn every time the salesaid is opened.
And as for our old friend, the leave behind—will it be a penor mouse pad emblazoned with the drug claims? Not to mention the regulatory PIand, in some cases, black-box information. By the way, that’s a lot ofinformation on a pen.
A tad harsh? Ask a rep—many simply cut up the sales aid topresent the important bits or detail off the back page.
The average age of a sales rep is 26 years old. They’retechnology savvy, own computers, PSP’s and other gaming devices. E-interactivepromotions and e-detailing can deliver the important information while keepingthe doctor interested in learning new facts. Stretching that all-importantmeeting is about providing relevant information in an interactive format.
Of course, tool-based thinking is apparent in almost everyindustry, and that’s because it’s easy to reach for the familiar. However, inour advertising world, I consider the phrase “restrictive creative thinking” anoxymoron.
Next time you’re judging a concept, booking the media spaceor simply wondering how to best present your brand to your target audience,remember the rule of the tool. And use that screwdriver to loosen up the rightside of your brain.
Ross Thomson is an advertising creative consultant
From the April 01, 2008 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
