AMERICA: And now a word from our pharmaceutical manufacturer

The US and New Zealand are the only industrialised countries where pharmaceutical advertising is allowed. US drug ads are part sales pitch and part educational lesson, but sometimes, like a lot of consumer advertising everywhere, they seem to tap into the viewer's insecurities. There really cou...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Marketing Week 2006-11, p.36-36
Format:	Magazinearticle
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Advertising Advertising agencies Advertising expenditures Consumers Direct marketing Drugs Forecasts and trends Government regulation Laws, regulations and rules Market trend/market analysis Marketing Pharmaceutical industry Television advertising
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	The US and New Zealand are the only industrialised countries where pharmaceutical advertising is allowed. US drug ads are part sales pitch and part educational lesson, but sometimes, like a lot of consumer advertising everywhere, they seem to tap into the viewer's insecurities. There really couldn't be a more serious business than pharmaceutical marketing, which has had a short but eventful life involving Capitol Hill, pharmaceutical lobby groups and the advertising industry. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) drug advertising, as it is known here, formally started on television ten years ago after the government agency Food and Drugs Administration relaxed the rules to allow the ads on air. Later that year the FDA asked for a moratorium on drug ads. DTC advertising has ballooned from a mere $12m in 1996 to $4.2bn (L2.2bn) today. Ad industry estimates forecast DTC advertising will break the $5bn (L2.6bn) mark by the end of 2006 according to TNS Media Intelligence data. The overall US drug advertising market was worth $11.4bn (L6bn) last year when you include the professional marketing of drugs, such as sales reps marketing to doctors.
ISSN:	0141-9285