Drug advertising

FDA considers toll-free numbers for DTC ads

Christe Bruderlin-Nelson — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 04:05:02 -0500

Do consumers know where and how to report adverse reactions to the medications they take? Would listing a toll-free number at the end of drug commercials make it easier for them? Would having the number there hinder them from clearly hearing the laundry list of side effects at the end of such commercials?

That's all unknown, so the FDA will be completing a large study about placing a toll-free number for consumers at the end of all direct-to-consumer advertisements to which consumers can report side effects. As part of the study, the FDA will interview approximately 1,600 individuals after presenting them with ads for a fictitious blood pressure medication to determine if the additional information is too overwhelming for them.

Last September, a law passed for print ads that mandated inclusion of FDA contact information on the ads, but there isn't a similar requirement for television ads thus far. However, more severe legislation is under consideration. One example from last spring is a bill that says that during the first three years a drug is on the market, there can be no DTC advertising.

The FDA announced that it will accept comments for the next two months regarding the study, but did not clarify when the study would commence.

One concern: If reporting via toll-free numbers or using MedWatch become commonplace, will FDA and drug companies be inundated with reports of common and relatively harmless side effects? And perhaps a more important question: How will FDA act on the information it receives?

- read the Associated Press story
- see the Pharmalot blog post
- get NBC Philadelphia's take

J&J yanks mom-offending Motrin ad

Tracy Staton — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:30:07 -0500

A Johnson & Johnson online ad has captured headlines all over the place. Too bad it's the wrong kind of headline. The online commercial looked to promote the Motrin painkiller to new moms. But its flip approach got them all riled up instead.

The ads promise Motrin can treat backs, necks, and shoulders that ache from Mom's toting baby in one of those slings or packs that keep infants close and their mothers' hands free. Baby-wearing women were not amused. Offended moms spewed complaints via Twitter, YouTube, and various motherhood blogs. Some even called for a boycott of the medicine, which is one of the standard treatments for childhood fevers.

By the end of the day yesterday, J&J had posted an apology on the Motrin.com website and pulled the online commercial. Magazine ads are also set for the axe, though they'll take longer to get out of circulation. The ad was "meant to engender sympathy and appreciation for all that parents do for their kids, a VP of marketing wrote on JNJ BTW, the company's blog, "but did so through an attempt at humor that missed the mark."

As the Wall Street Journal noted, both the outcry and the swift response shows how quickly Internet-savvy consumers can influence corporate behavior.

- here's the video
- read the story at Scientific American
- check out the WSJ's article

Related Article:
Johnson & Johnson - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Pfizer reorganizes, leaves Ann Arbor

Christe Bruderlin-Nelson — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:20:46 -0400

Despite myriad challenges facing Pfizer these days, it keeps plugging ahead with its strategic plan. Yesterday, the company announced a restructuring plan that will create three new drug development operations entities. One will focus on primarily on Brazil, Russia, India and China (the BRIC countries) in an effort to increase market share in emerging markets. The other two will focus on physicians--one on primary care docs and the other on specialists. Only lab testing and identifying compounds will remain under current research operations.

The move follows news last month that Pfizer would realign its drug discovery efforts and strategically shift its focus. Pfizer execs say that the change will not involve layoffs--this week, at least--but the company has a layoff record that includes cutting 13,500 positions since the end of 2006. Pfizer admits job cuts are not out of the question in the future, and the new units will begin operating at the start of 2009. Previously, the company organized operations units based on geographical location.

At the same time, Pfizer waved goodbye to Ann Arbor as it closed its doors on its Michigan lab--the lab where its blockbuster drug, Lipitor, came to be. In its heyday, the site housed about 2,100 Pfizer employees. However, Pfizer isn't going without a fight and this particular fight is with the property tax assessors. Currently assessed at $238 million, Pfizer would like the value of the property cut down to 50 percent of that, which would save the company over $6 million each year in taxes and drop the revenue Ann Arbor receives by $2 million. Currently, Pfizer is the largest taxpayer in Ann Arbor and, according to the CFO of Ann Arbor, the reduced assessment would definitely affect the municipal budget.

On an amusing note, Pfizer is in a lawsuit over some unwelcome free advertising. A company called JetAngel placed a "Viva Viagra" logo for one of Pfizer's best selling drugs on a replica missile, and then drove said missile through Manhattan, briefly resting in front of Pfizer headquarters on 42^nd Street. Pfizer execs were not pleased with the complimentary tribute and filed a lawsuit in the federal court in New York for misappropriation of the trademark.

The previously unknown, yet gutsy, company, followed up its marketing tour of Manhattan with an email to Pfizer announcing that it would repeat the "free PR" stunt next week as it starts a 12-city tour, and will add a twist: bikini-clad models will ride atop the logo-laden missile, handing out condoms with pictures of McCain and Obama on them. JetAngel's "new, non-traditional outdoor medium" that aims to "capture the consumer's attention" has certainly gotten our attention.

For investors, Pfizer shares dropped 4.0 percent to $18.18 Tuesday afternoon.

- read about the reorganization at Forbes.com
- see this Wall Street Journal blog post for the tax story
- find out more about the missile stunt at Pharmalot.com
- see this WSJ blog post about the missile

Sepracor slashes Lunesta ad budget

Tracy Staton — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:36:32 -0400

Spotted a moth lately? Fewer and fewer people have, and for good reason. Sepracor has started to cut back its consumer ads, making that familiar Lunesta moth something of an endangered critter. At least in comparison with previous years, when the sleep-aid mascot fluttered about on TV screens everywhere.

What gives? Well, the market for insomnia meds is slowing somewhat, the Boston Globe reports. Plus, Sepracor's sleeping-pill competitors are scaling back their consumer promotions, too. And Sepracor is keen on shifting ad dollars to products that might offer more bang for the promotional buck. Analysts appear to agree with the move; according to Ian Sanderson of Cowen & Co., "most of the Street felt the ad spending could not be sustained."

Last year, Sepracor spent nearly $300 million on advertising Lunesta, making it the most heavily advertised drug in the country. That budget beat out the second-most advertised drug, Sanofi's insomnia pill Ambien CR, by more than $100 million. This year, Sepracor has so far dropped to fifth place among the most advertised meds, again just ahead of Ambien.

- read the story in the Globe

Pharma cuts 2008 ad budgets

Tracy Staton — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:37:40 -0400

Last week, we showed you what happened with pharma's ad spending in 2007. Now, we're here to tell you what ad budgets look like in 2008: not good. According to Jim Edwards at BrandWeek, the money pharma is spending on ads is in decline this year for the first time ever. Health education campaigns--which aim to raise awareness of a disease or disorder without mentioning brand names--are among the hardest hit. Spending on these sorts of ads dropped 3 percent during the first half of the year, to $2.4 billion.

Looking at the past two years, that number looks pretty small. In 2006, drugmakers spent $660 million on image and education ads. In 2007, that fell to $341 million. So far this year, the same budgets now total $138 million, a 22 percent drop from the same period last year.

Times are tough all over, it's true. But unbranded advertising--while popular with some because there's no need for a litany of side effects--is a struggle to justify at cost-conscious companies. Because they aren't directly linked with sales, they're easier to cut than branded ads can be.

Pfizer is the lone exception to this new rule. It's actually increasing educational-ad spending this year with a big stop-smoking push designed to support Chantix.

- read the BrandWeek story

Big Pharma's Top 13 Advertising Budgets

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:54:03 -0400

By Maureen Martino and Tracy Staton

When it comes to the bottom line, marketing can be every bit as important as R&D. A company may develop a great drug, but that drug could become either a blockbuster with the right advertising approach--or wither from lack of marketing support. From TV and radio spots to newspaper and Internet ads, Big Pharma now has a variety of ways to let the public know about their latest and greatest drugs. The key to success is crafting a memorable and effective message, finding the right media outlet, and spending the appropriate amount of money to get results.

Below are thirteen Big Pharma companies ranked by their 2007 advertising budgets. These drugmakers made it into Advertising Age's 2008 list of 100 National Advertisers, and the Pharma Marketing Blog identified the thirteen drug companies on it, slicing and dicing some of the trends. The pharma numbers include spending on "measured media"--19 media types tracked by TNS Media Intelligence. The "unmeasured media" numbers are generated by Ad Age, and they include direct marketing, product placement, certain types of online spending, and more.

1. GlaxoSmithKline
2. Johnson & Johnson
3. Pfizer
4. Schering-Plough
5. Wyeth
6. Bayer
7. Bristol-Myers Squibb
8. Eli Lilly
9. Merck
10. AstraZeneca
11. Novartis
12. Boehringer Ingelheim
13. Sanofi-Aventis

We analyzed that data, plus company financial documents and press releases, past FiercePharma and FierceBiotech articles, and other media coverage. The result: A quick look at each of these companies' recent ad strategies--and the results they achieved.

One trend you'll notice is that several companies cut their ad budgets in 2007: GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, and AstraZeneca, to name a few. But for every Novartis (down 30 percent) there was an Eli Lilly (up 51.5 percent). And then came Boehringer Ingelheim, which boosted spending by a whopping 163 percent.

You'll also see that while all of the pharma sector focused the bulk of its "measured media" spending on magazines and television, online spending varied widely, from just $1 million (Reckitt Benckiser) to $49.2 million (Johnson & Johnson). But lurking in the "unmeasured media" numbers--which amounts to about half of pharma's total budget--is internet-search spending. And as John Mack at the Pharma Marketing Blog notes, some analysts peg those search buys at 40 percent of all drugmakers' ad money. So the low "measured" Internet numbers don't accurately reflect what Pharma is doing online (see the Pharma Marketing Blog for more).

For much more detail and number-crunching on these 13 companies (and the other 87 on Ad Age's list), check out this link. And for a regular look at pharma's marketing strategies, visit the Pharma Marketing Blog.

Eli Lilly makes transparency vow

Christe Bruderlin-Nelson — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:11:53 -0400

With all the talk about big pharma paying physicians for this or that, Eli Lilly is taking on the role of industry forerunner. In a proactive move, the pharma giant says it will start to become transparent about just how much cash it doles out to physicians and for what purpose.

Perhaps with more and more members of Congress setting a disclosure bill in motion, Lilly decided to come face to face with what might be inevitable. Regardless of what happens, it's a decent PR move and pharma companies definitely need good PR these days.

Specifically, Lilly will disclose how much it pays individual physicals for advisory roles, speeches and other services, as long as the payments are more than $500. The listing will be on a public database. However, Lilly will not be disclosing payments to physicians for travel, gifts and entertainment at this time.

- here's Lilly's release
- read the Associated Press story

Boehringer Ingelheim - Top 13 Advertising Budgets

Tracy Staton — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:39:10 -0400

Company: Boehringer Ingelheim
2007 Ad Spending: $505.3 million
2006 Ad Spending: $191.8 million

Breakdown

Magazines: $63.4M
Newspaper: $900,000
Outdoor: $100,000
TV: $228.8M
Radio: $2.2M
Internet: $7.8M

Where Boehringer is spending money: As one of the few drugmakers to boost U.S. ad spending in 2007, Boehringer Ingelheim pumped up its budgets for several products. Its prostate drug Flomax got a 65 percent boost in spending to $87.3 million, and heartburn treatment Zantac saw a 29.9 percent hike to $41.9 million. But the biggest leaps came in spending on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drug Spiriva and restless legs-slash-Parkinson's treatment Mirapex. Spending on Spiriva grew to $81 million from $22.9 million, and Mirapex got $60.9 million for its first big campaign.

Those big investments paid off: Spiriva "led the way" in boosting Boehringer's revenues, the company said in announcing its 2007 results. The COPD drug delivered a 35 percent boost in global sales to €1.8 billion. Mirapex sales grew 26 percent to 644 million euros. And Flomax posted a 19 percent rise to €1.02 billion.

Where Boehringer isn't spending money: Boehringer didn't push one of its biggest drugs via U.S. measured media: Micardis, a blood-pressure drug. The product nevertheless grew sales by 23 percent to $1.12 billion.

Eli Lilly - Top 13 Advertising Budgets

Tracy Staton — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:32:45 -0400

Company: Eli Lilly
2007 Ad Spending: $774.2 million
2006 Ad Spending: $511.1 million

Breakdown

Magazines: $47.2 million
Newspaper: $1 million
Outdoor: $100,000
TV: $291.2 million
Radio: $3.2 million
Internet: $5.7 million

Where Lilly is spending money: Eli Lilly pumped up its media push on its antidepressant Cymbalta by a decent 17.5 percent to $184 million. Percentage-wise, Byetta scored the biggest increase-to $31.7 million from $773,000. And while spending on Cialis grew to $126.5 million from $45 million, that boost came in part from Lilly's buyout of its partner on the drug.

Results? Well, industry watchers liked Lilly's "Depression Hurts" campaign for Cymbalta; Medical Marketing & Media deemed it the best overall consumer campaign. And Cymbalta sales growth reached a whopping 60 percent, giving Lilly a $2.1 billion infusion to the top line, $1.8 billion of that in the U.S. alone.

Meanwhile, Cialis chalked up a 20 percent hike in U.S. sales to $485 million. But the Byetta push was more successful, yielding a 48 percent boost in U.S. sales to $636 million; worldwide sales were slightly higher at $650 million. Lilly's share of that amounted to $330 million, because it sells the drug in partnership with Amylin Pharmaceuticals.

Where Lilly isn't spending money: Lilly backed off on advertising its number-one seller, the antipsychotic med Zyprexa. Concerns that the drug caused excessive weight gain in some patients-even leading to diabetes-were expected to depress sales. Plus, the company was fighting lawsuits from patients and state governments over its marketing of the drug. Lilly still managed to grow Zyprexa's U.S. revenue, though: the drug brought in $2.2 billion in the U.S., a 6 percent increase. The company offset falling demand by increasing prices.

Merck - Top 13 Advertising Budgets

Tracy Staton — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:27:51 -0400

Company: Merck
2007 Ad Spending: $751.8 million
2006 Ad Spending: $1.02 billion

Breakdown:

Magazines: $125.4 million
Newspaper: $13.6 million
Outdoor: N/A
TV: $212.2 million
Radio: $300,000
Internet: $24.5 million

Where Merck is spending money: The company slashed its ad spending by about $250 million in 2007. But it still managed to increase media support for the cholesterol drug Zetia to $105.9 million from $93.64 million, a 13 percent hike. The company's biggest ad push was for Gardasil--its vaccine for human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer and genital warts. Merck allocated $101.4 million to the shot, up 137 percent from the previous year's $42,740.

That's one reason Gardasil led a big increase in Merck's vaccine division's revenue. The HPV vaccine brought in $1.5 billion worldwide, up from $234.8 million in 2006, when the shot was first approved in the U.S.

Global sales of Zetia grew by 25 percent to $2.4 billion. But Merck doesn't get all that revenue; the drug is part of a joint venture with Schering-Plough, along with a sister product, Vytorin, that combines Zetia with the Merck statin Zocor. The entire Merck/Schering-Plough joint venture added $1.83 billion to Merck's revenues, according to financial statements.

Where Merck isn't spending money: Merck almost got out of the image-advertising business, slashing its corporate brand budget by 78 percent, from $172 million to $38.6 million. And the company cut back its spending on the allergy and asthma med Singulair by 27.5 percent, to $82 million. Osteoporosis treatment Fosamax also saw the knife, with a 49 percent cut to $32.7 million. Singular still managed $4.3 billion in global sales, up from $3.6 billion the previous year. Fosamax, on the other hand, saw its sales drop slightly to $3.05 billion.

Wyeth - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Maureen Martino — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:24:13 -0400

Company: Wyeth
2007 Ad Spending: $1.078 billion
2006 Ad Spending: $1.051 billion

Breakdown

Magazines: $94.7 million
Newspaper: $9.1 million
Outdoor: $400,000
TV: $296.4 million
Radio: $19.8 million
Internet: $14.7 million

Where Wyeth is spending money: While other companies spent big on direct to consumer advertising, Wyeth took the more indirect approach. The company spent $16.7 million promoting KnowMenopause.com, a website educating women about menopause and the company's HRT drug. It also shelled out $13.7 million on Yourtimeforchange.com, a website that discusses depression and treatment options (Yourtimforchange.com is no longer on the web).

Web aside, $59.6 million was spent on promoting Wyeth's biologic Enbrel, which treats rheumatoid arthritis, among other ailments. The most money by far ($114M) went to Advil advertising. Wyeth also boosted the vitamin brand Centrum's budget 44.5 percent. The biggest jump, however, was for the hormone replacement therapy Prempro, which saw a spending increase of 249 percent.

Where Wyeth isn't spending money: Enbrel advertising dropped 14.7 percent in 2007. Like many other drugmakers, Wyeth's image advertising dropped significantly, falling 63 percent.

Johnson & Johnson - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Maureen Martino — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:20:16 -0400

Company: Johnson & Johnson
2007 Ad Spending: $2.409 billion
2006 Ad Spending: $2.401 billion

Breakdown

Magazines: $ 402.1 million
Newspaper: $ 50.9 million
Outdoor: $ 4.8 million
TV: $ 879.4 million
Radio: $ 34.8 million
Internet: $ 49.2 million

Where J&J is spending money: J&J spent $50.2 million promoting its epilepsy drug Topamax. The drug--which was originally scheduled to go off-patent in September--won extended market exclusivity for one year based on a new pediatric indication for the med. The multi-purpose biologic Remicade saw $14.3 in advertising spending. Overall, J&J spent $49.2M on Internet advertising--far more than any other drug company.

Though J&J spent a substantial amount on prescription drugs, consumer product advertising was the name of the game in 2007. Neutrogena ($165 million), Tylenol ($152 million), Aveeno ($126 million), and Listerine ($111 million) made up the company's top four ad campaigns. J&J also spent $80 million on image advertising, though that was down from $100 million in 2006.

J&J boosted it's Internet advertising budget 41 percent in 2007 to 49.1 million. The company also embraced outdoor advertising--that budget increased 470 percent to $4.8 million. National radio spots were up 71.9 percent to 9.2 million. Overall, company sales rose 14.6 percent to $61 million.

Where J&J isn't spending money: None of J&J's top five ad campaigns included spending on prescription drug advertising. Remicade was the only prescription drug that had an increased budget in 2007 (there was no budget for the biologic in 2007). Topamax dropped 16.2 percent and Zyrtec dropped 17.8 percent. Newspaper advertising fell a whopping 98 percent to a paltry $149,000 from 7.4 million.

GlaxoSmithKline - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Maureen Martino — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:17:50 -0400

Company: GlaxoSmithKline
2007 Ad Spending: $2.457 billion
2006 Ad Spending: $2.505 billion

Breakdown

Magazines: $387 million
Newspaper: 13 million
Outdoor: $900,000
TV: $742.4 million
Radio: $14.2 million
Internet: $29.4 million

Where GSK is spending money: The biggest advertising price tag was attached to Advair, GSK's blockbuster asthma medication, which rung up $127M in advertising spending (photo). The company spent $107.8M on advertising for the osteoporosis med Boniva, which features celebrity spokesperson Sally Field (video). That's a 7.4 percent increase from 2006. Other big campaigns included Requip for restless leg syndrome and Parkinson's, Avodart for enlarged prostate and Valtrex for genital herpes.

On the consumer products side of things the company ramped up advertising for the OTC diet drug Alli to $90 million (the drug was not approved for OTC use in 2006). Spending on the Aquafresh brand soared 213 percent, from $19.4 million to $61 million.

Overall, GSK's sales grew 6.9 percent to $45.5 billion and earnings increased 5.6 percent to $10.6 billion.

Where GSK isn't spending money: GSK spent 1.9 percent less on advertising in 2007 than it did in 2006. And although Advair still topped the company's budget, spending on the drug dropped 34 percent, from $194 million to $127 million. The company significantally cut back on ad budgets for Imitrex (down 50 percent), Vesicare (down 42 percent) and Coreg (down 68 percent). GSK also cut its image advertising budget by almost 68 percent in 2007. Ad spending was cut in most media categories, with the exception of Spanish language media, radio spots and Internet advertising.

Bristol-Myers Squibb - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Maureen Martino — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:14:17 -0400

Company: Bristol-Myers Squibb
2007 Ad Spending: $796.3 million
2006 Ad Spending: $690.6 million

Breakdown

Magazines: $158.3 million
Newspaper: $6.8 million
Outdoor: $1 million
TV: $201.4 million
Radio: $200,000
Internet: $7.8 million

Where BMS is spending money: By far, BMS spent the most money on advertising Plavix ($174.8 million), the company's blockbuster anti-clotting drug, which was up 16.7 percent from 2007. Spending on company image advertising ($51M) and and the recently-approved rheumatoid arthritis drug Orencia ($35M) rounded out BMS's top campaigns.

The company focused on a key media area in 2007. Television ad spending was up in all categories: network TV (11.8 percent) spot TV (320 percent), syndicated TV (48 percent) and network TV (206 percent). In addition, B-to-B magazine ad spending was up 863 percent. BMS's ad budget grew 15.3 percent in total, and sales were up 12 percent to $19.3 billion.

Where BMS isn't spending money: The ad budget for psychiatric drug Abilify was down slightly from $101 million to $98 million. And the money that BMS dedicated to television commercials was taken from newspaper, radio and internet advertising budgets, all of which fell in 2007.

Bayer - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Maureen Martino — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:11:42 -0400

Company: Bayer
2007 Ad Spending: $861 million
2006 Ad Spending: $683.4 million

Breakdown

Magazines: $102.5 million
Newspaper: $16.1 million
Outdoor: $900,000
TV: $330.6 million
Radio: $18 million
Internet: $5.3 million

Where Bayer is spending money: Almost all of Bayer's top products enjoyed a budget boost, but the largest increases went to Bayer's contraceptives Yaz ($75.8M) and Mirena ($39.5M), which were hiked 253 percent and 209 percent, respectively.

Most of Bayer's consumer products were up as well. Aleve--the company's biggest campaign--was up 42 percent to $87 million, and Bayer's image-advertising came in third behind Yaz with a $74 million budget. One A Day, Ascensia, Alka-Seltzer and Midol rounded out Bayer's ad budgets that saw increases in 2007.

The company upped ad spending for magazines, along with newspaper, TV and local radio. Overall, Bayer's 2007 sales increased a hefty 22 percent to $44 million.

Where Bayer isn't spending money: The only big product that experienced a budget cut was the veterinary drug K9 Advantix, down 18 percent from 2006 to $18 million. The company backed off national newspaper spots and radio, as well as Internet advertising, which was down over 50 percent.

Schering-Plough - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Maureen Martino — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:08:24 -0400

Company: Schering-Plough
2007 Ad Spending: $1.092 billion
2006 Ad Spending: $883.6 billion

Breakdown

Magazines: $54.4 million
Newspaper: $6 million
Outdoor: $0
TV: $426.7 million
Radio: $6.1 million
Internet: $9.1 million

Where Schering-Plough is spending money: Schering-Plough spent $122 million promoting the allergy drug Nasonex. Another $53 million went to a 325 percent increase on advertising for the asthma drug, Asmanex. Most of the company's spending--$148.6 million--went to promoting the non-prescription allergy drug, Claritin.

Schering significantly increased its advertisements in three areas. It's spending on internet ads rose 104 percent and national newspaper placements were up 262 percent. Like GSK, Schering-Plough saw an opportunity in the Spanish-language market and boosted its budget in Spanish-language magazines ads 512 percent. All told, sales increased 19.8 percent in 2007, from $10.5 billion to $12.6 billion.

Where Schering-Plough isn't spending money: Advertising for the contraceptive NuvaRing dropped 58 percent. National and local radio budgets were down 62 percent and 71 percent, respectively. The company's newspaper advertising budget was down almost 58 percent.

Pfizer - Top 13 Ad Budgets

Maureen Martino — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:05:21 -0400

Company: Pfizer
2007 Ad Spending: $1.253 billion
2006 Ad Spending: $1.006 billion

Breakdown

Magazines: $225.2 million
Newspaper: $33.3 million
Outdoor: $1.2 million
T: $456.6 million
Radio: $11.3 million
Internet: $24.2 million

Where Pfizer is spending money: While many other drugmakers cut back on ad budgets, Pfizer increased it's spending by almost 25 percent in 2007. No surprises here--the company shelled out $187.3M on advertising for Lipitor, the world's best-selling drug. The budget for Caduet promotion soared 105 percent from 2006, with $89 million spent promoting the Norvasc/Lipitor combo in 2007. Lyrica also saw it's budget skyrocket 123 percent. In 2007, Pfizer won a new fibromyalgia indication for Lyrica--originally a nerve pain drug--and spent almost $74 million on promotion. The anti-incontinence drug Detrol LA and, of course, Viagra, rounded out Pfizer's top five campaigns.

Despite the significantly increased ad budget, Pfizer's sales totaled $48.4 billion in 2007--up just .1 percent from $48.3 billion in 2006.

Where the company isn't spending money: Viagra's budget dropped 35 percent in 2007, and Pfizer completely abandoned the exhaled insulin drug Exubra after it returned drug rights to Nektar in November. The company also spent almost 48 percent less on image advertising than it did in 2006.

Pfizer's Lipitor ad returns, sans celebrity

Christe Bruderlin-Nelson — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:29:31 -0400

When word leaked that Pfizer's celebrity doctor spokesperson had never actually practiced medicine, controversy heated up. The drug maker pulled its ads for Lipitor, which currently brings Pfizer about $12 billion a year, in February. Pfizer has spent over $250 million advertising Lipitor over the last two years.

According to the ads, the spokesperson, Dr. Robert Jarvik, invented the artificial heart valve. But according to the New York Times, a former colleague says he simply worked on different versions of prototypes designed by someone else. Jarvik earned at least $1.35 million during his two-year tenure as Pfizer spokesperson.

Both Congress and the medical community felt the ads were misleading--especially since Jarvik is not a cardiologist and does not have a medical license. In fact, he never has had a license and could not even prescribe the medication he was touting. The fact that he came off as a heart expert further added to the confusion. The ad had been running since 2006 (you can see the video here).

To make things worse, the ads showed Dr. Jarvik rowing, but it turned out he doesn't even pretend to row. Rather, a stunt double held the oars.

Now, Pfizer will be peddling its bestseller on the small screen once again, but they've nixed the questionable spokesperson. The new spokesperson (video) is actually a Lipitor patient, according to Pfizer execs.

The drug goes off patent in 2011. In the meantime, Pfizer will get back to DTC advertising and promoting Pfizer-funded studies that show Lipitor gets the job done.

For more proof that drug companies are getting crafty with their advertising, check out some of the PSA-type ads. Rather than mentioning the drug, the company talks only about a given condition and directs viewers to a website. For example, Pfizer's "My Time To Quit" commercials aimed at pushing Chantix don't actually mention Chantix, but sends patients to a website. When consumers get to the website, the side effects are there, but far less obvious than they would be on television.

Pfizer isn't alone in the web-flavored advertising, however. Sanofi-Aventis is promoting Ambien at its website via a TV commercial that doesn't mention the drug or its side effects.

For their parts, the companies say their goal is increased advertising efficiency, but it is worth noting that Pfizer's quit-smoking website move happened right as Chantix was getting piles of negative press about side effects, including an increased risk of suicide.

Representative Bart Stupak, D-Michigan, chairperson of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations said, "We are taking a hard look at the deceptive tactics of drug companies in their direct-to-consumer advertising. Drug companies should know that they will be held accountable for the representations made in their ads."

- see the Associated Press story
- read what the Wall Street Journal says
- find out more at the Red Orbit
- get the Consumer Affairs angle

Pfizer, Merck go for indirect ads

Tracy Staton — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:22:29 -0400

The new trend in drug marketing isn't drug marketing at all. New commercials from Pfizer and Sanofi-Aventis, plus what can only be called a "jewelry campaign" from Merck, show that pharma companies are again turning to disease awareness to sell their products.

Pfizer unveiled a new "My Time to Quit" commercial during the Olympics, which encouraged people to quit smoking, but didn't mention the company's stop-smoking med Chantix at all. By leaving out the drug's name, the drugmaker also got to leave out that unwieldy recitation of side effects that can eat up 20 seconds or more. Instead, the ad sent viewers to mytimetoquit.com, a site that links to a Chantix website.

Likewise, Sanofi-Aventis' latest marketing ploy for insomnia med Ambien involves a 15-second ad and an annoying rooster. The commercials refer viewers to silenceyourrooster.com, a site that promotes the drug. The idea seems to be working, traffic-wise: The site got 400,000 hits in the commercial's first seven days on the air.

Meanwhile, Merck has been promoting Gardasil via its Charm4Life campaign women's magazines. The ads promote "limited edition" bangle bracelets (pictured here) designed by the jewelry company Alex and Ani (magazine ad). Pay $32 for four of them, and the proceeds will go to the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The charm4life.com website, where women can order the bracelets, offers information about the human papilloma virus that can cause cervical cancer. "Talk to your doctor," the site suggests. "Or find out more for yourself right now." The "find out more" is hyperlinked to a Gardasil website.

Why the sudden turn to awareness campaigns? Some experts theorize that it's the intense scrutiny Congress has been offering product-oriented ads. But others wonder whether the awareness approach might backfire, attracting the very critique they may be designed to prevent.

- read the Wall Street Journal article
- see the story at CNBC
- check out the Pharmalot item

Drug websites that catch docs' eyes

Tracy Staton — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:34:58 -0400

Which drug websites do docs turn to most? Merck's Januvia and Takeda's Actos--two diabetes meds--head up the top 10 list. Among the rest are Pfizer's Chantix and Merck/Schering-Plough's Vytorin. Release