Novartis makes the patient, not the product, the focus in two new DTC spots for cholesterol drug, Leqvio.
The two separate ads each feature a protagonist, John and Gloria. The quick cuts convey their busy lives through some little inconveniences, such as middle seats on red-eye flights and unappreciative bosses, and some big ones—a heart attack for John and a minor stroke for Gloria.
“What we've aimed to do here is we make the patient or the person the hero,” said Mike Exton, Novartis VP and global and U.S. head of its cardiorenal and metabolic franchises. “It’s that, ‘Wow, look how much you've overcome in your life.’
“You want to get control of your bad cholesterol, and you've given it your best shot. It's just that many things happen and get in the way. Here is an option for you that can be very convenient and fit in with your already scheduled routine.”
The new ads are part of an overall launch strategy focused on setting up treatment infrastructure—including injection centers—and making sure patients' copays don't stand in the way of their starting Leqvio. And it's an important rollout for the company, with blockbuster expectations in just a few years.
Leqvio is unique in that unlike many other cholesterol drugs, it’s a quick, twice-a-year subcutaneous injection that can be administered during regular cardiology appointments.
Of course, it’s not all about convenience, it’s also about efficacy. Exton points out that Leqvio reduces LDL by 50%.
“It’s the combination of the two, which is encapsulated in the alliteration at the end [of the spots] that we're using is ‘Lower. Longer. Leqvio,’ which embodies the characteristics of the product,” Exton said. “Because it's significant in the convenience, but you're also getting the real efficacy that you need to allay fears of further events.”
Novartis is pinning high hopes on Leqvio, which gained FDA approval in late 2021. The campaign kicked off during the Oscars (before the big you-know-what) with Gloria’s spot.
The pharma is promoting it with a “surround sound campaign” featuring TV, digital and social media, and in-office efforts with John and Gloria as the central characters. Because about 16 million Americans have atherosclerotic cardiovasculardisease, the media reach is broad and mainstream—think Jeopardy!, Family Feud, and morning and evening news, as well as the NFL draft.
Unlike competitors Repatha from Amgen and Praluent from Sanofi and Regeneron, both of which require a self-injection two times a month, Leqvio’s twice-a-year frequency gives it a boost when it comes to projected sales. GlobalData figures Leqvio could garner $2.5 billion in five years.