Lessons Learned for Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs

Prescription drug advertising expenditures and consumer response have leveled off, according to recent results from Ipsos PharmTrends. Now that the "spending spree" has reached a plateau, marketers will have to carefully scrutinize their promotional plans and apply lessons learned from past experiences in order to meet new challenges going forward. To date, prescription drug advertising efforts have resulted in memorable and persuasive campaigns that have lead to consumer trial and category expansion. Given the flattening level of consumer response over the past year, pharmaceutical marketers are challenged to execute campaigns that achieve not just trial, but also longer-term goals including brand development and equity.

Analysis of Ipsos PharmTrends data, in collaboration with the normative database of prescription drug copy testing sourced from Ipsos-ASI, reveal lessons learned that can help mediate the challenging road ahead for prescription drug Direct-to-Consumer Advertising (DTCA) success. Following are seven lessons learned from seven years of branded prescription drug advertising experience.

Lesson #1: Execution considerations are the same as for other advertising Despite differences between advertising prescription drugs and advertising in other product categories, DTCA is still advertising. To do its job and move the business, and ad must first deliver an impression, and in most cases the impression has to be associated with the advertiser's brand name. Advertisements also have to convey a message, directly or implicitly, about what the product is, what it does, and what it means to the consumer. Finally, the ad has to persuade the viewer with a message that changes their attitudes, beliefs, disposition, or behavior.

Lesson #2: Advertisements also need to accommodate some Rx DTC-specific aspects Prescription drug advertising is, in a lot of ways, a more difficult task than traditional consumer packaged goods advertising. In Rx drugs, traditional branding elements such as shelving and packaging don't exist. Ads must reach and gain the attention of narrowly defined target populations, register unfamiliar brand names, and build awareness quickly. They have to communicate and explain complex messages and benefits and motivate the consumer to action. And they have to do all this while following strict FDA guidelines and a long--though predictable--approval process.

Lesson #3: Prominent music helps recall Music is a critical aspect of Rx DTCA. Appropriate use of music has been shown to enhance appeal, with predominant singing or music as part of the setting correlating strongly to related recall and brand linkage. Popular tunes could also be considered as part of the audio track. A clear and concise audio track and 1-800 number also enhance recall.

Lesson #4: "Real people" heighten attention, identification, and empathy Winning Rx DTC ads use stories, situations, and characters with which the viewers can identify or people who represent target consumers or their aspirations. Problem/solution approaches (where applicable) can be especially compelling, particularly if viewers can identify with the characters and situation, as they convey both tangible and high-order benefits in relevant and believable terms.

Lesson #5: Fair balance is a challenge, but not necessarily a problem The complexity of fair balance information and the cost of airtime to convey it is an obvious drawback to Rx DTCA. There is, however, no evidence in our experience that fair balance information "scares off" consumers or distracts them: intent to ask a doctor about an advertised prescription drug is uncorrelated with expressed concern about complications or side effects, and related recall is affected only marginally. Thus, fair balance can be used to your advantage as an educational tool. Be sure to mention the brand name throughout the fair balance statement to further strengthen brand linkage. Show the brand name legibly on screen for longer to counter consumer unfamiliarity with scientific names--and because consumers do not see Rx brand names/logos anywhere else but advertising.

Lesson #6: High-order benefits make the message more compelling For symptomatic conditions, relief is the obvious, direct benefit. Where therapeutic benefit is less obvious, persuasion depends on high-order benefit (e.g. an enhanced lifestyle, peace of mind). Even with a tangible or rational benefit, higher order benefits or emotional pay-offs make ads more persuasive. Remember the benefit is ultimately very personal to the viewer.

Lesson #7: Using the right research is the key Pharma-specific segmentation studies could help develop sound creative strategies and lead focused patient relationship programs. Given the stringent regulatory system, a range of creative alternatives developed and evaluated early in the process could help manage risk. These alternatives could typically represent the most aggressive (and therefore risky) to the most conservative (one that is likely to be approved). Inexpensive and fast turnaround ad screening tools such as Ipsos-ASI's Next*Idea can help understand how each creative delivers against a brand's goals. That way, if a creative is not approved or major changes are required, there are fallback options. Given the challenges in Rx DTCA and the cost of a campaign the marketer should give the DTC project the time, attention and scrutiny it deserves.

Consumer package goods advertising has taught marketers that consumer advertising is the most effective method for quickly building awareness, a key device for branding and building brand equity, and a powerful tool for changing attitude and behavior. The prescription drug market has realized the same outcomes since regulations were eased seven years ago, but also learned lessons unique to the Rx category. As the exploratory phase of DTCA comes to an end, marketers need to integrate the lessons learned to achieve long-term goals and execute ever-increasingly sophisticated campaigns to drive sales.