TAP Pharmaceuticals is pulling the plug on television commercials for its heartburn and ulcer treatment Prevacid, instead focusing on the print portion of its campaign for the drug.
TAP spent an estimated $115 million to advertise Prevacid in all major media in 2004, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. The sum for TV advertising alone was not available.
A TAP spokeswoman told the New York Times that the drug maker has decided to focus on print advertising because it allows for more detail in describing the drug and gives consumers more time to review information.
A request for further comment from TAP went unreturned at press time.
Merkley & Partners in New York is the lead agency for Prevacid.