Weight Loss Drug Ads: Good or Bad?

Summary

Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

Episode: Weight Loss Drug Ads: Good or Bad?
Release Date: October 5, 2024
Host: Terry O’Reilly
Produced by: Apostrophe Podcast Network

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Introduction to Weight Loss Drug Advertising

In this compelling episode of Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly, host Terry O’Reilly delves into the controversial world of weight loss drug advertisements. The discussion centers around whether these ads serve as beneficial reminders for patients or if they pose ethical and practical concerns within the Canadian healthcare context.

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Regulatory Landscape of Prescription Drug Advertising in Canada

The episode begins with an exploration of Canadian regulations pertaining to prescription drug advertising. Unlike the United States, where direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising is prevalent, Canada enforces stricter guidelines. Brian Goldman introduces the concept of "reminder ads," which are permissible under Canadian law but come with significant restrictions.

• Brian Goldman [04:31]: "We're talking about a particular kind of prescription drug commercial that is ubiquitous on Canadian TV, commercial radio, and podcasts."

Terry O’Reilly explains that these ads can only mention the drug's name without specifying its purpose, compelling listeners to consult their doctors for more information.

• Terry O'Reilly [05:40]: "Pharmaceuticals weren't that active on mainstream media for most of my career. I think the gates really opened maybe about 10 years ago where they really started to be active."

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Historical Context and Evolution of Pharmaceutical Ads

Delving into the history, O’Reilly recounts the first TV prescription drug commercial in America by Boots Pharmaceuticals in 1983, which was swiftly taken down by the U.S. government. This anecdote underscores the evolving nature of pharmaceutical advertising and the regulatory responses it has elicited.

• Terry O'Reilly [02:01]: "Or more with code listen@blue nile.com that's bluenile.com code listen for $50 off."

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Case Study: Ribelsis and Ozempic Advertisements

The core of the episode features a detailed analysis of weight loss drug ads, specifically focusing on Ribelsis and Ozempic. Terry and guest Dr. Brian Goldman critique the execution and regulatory compliance of these advertisements.

• Brian Goldman [03:45]: "That's our show this week. If you'd like to comment, our email address is whitecoatbc.ca."

• Terry O'Reilly [06:09]: "It's painful. I'll start with that. The acting is so stiff."

O’Reilly emphasizes the lackluster production quality, attributing it to the constraints imposed by Canadian advertising regulations which prohibit detailing the drug’s benefits or usage.

• Terry O'Reilly [07:12]: "They're trying to get people to remember the brand name by saying it about a thousand times in that commercial."

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Impact and Effectiveness of Reminder Ads

The conversation shifts to the effectiveness of reminder ads in influencing consumer behavior. O’Reilly and Goldman discuss how these ads primarily aim to implant the brand name in the audience's memory, hoping that indirect conversations online or in the press will drive viewers to consult their doctors.

• Terry O'Reilly [07:51]: "A jingle is one of the best ways... by and large, a jingle is the best way to get somebody to remember something."

Goldman compares the brand recognition of Ozempic to household names like Kleenex or Viagra, highlighting its dominance in the weight loss drug market.

• Brian Goldman [08:10]: "Ozempic had a first move advantage. It's really become the Kleenex of rapid weight loss drugs, hasn't it?"

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Expert Insights: Barbara Mintz on the Social Impact

The episode features an interview with Barbara Mintz, a leading authority on the impact of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising. Mintz provides a critical perspective on the societal implications of such advertising practices.

• Barbara Mintz [15:39]: "There is no redeeming social value."

Mintz argues that reminder ads do little beyond brand recognition and often lead to unnecessary prescriptions, putting patients at risk without offering substantial health benefits.

• Barbara Mintz [18:22]: "Reality is a little different."

She highlights the lack of regulatory safeguards in Canada compared to the U.S., particularly concerning drugs with serious health risks like the black box warning for Ribelsis.

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Consequences for Healthcare and Patient Behavior

Mintz discusses the repercussions of these advertisements on both healthcare providers and patients. Patients influenced by brand familiarity may pressure doctors into prescribing specific drugs, potentially leading to inappropriate treatments.

• Barbara Mintz [19:05]: "Doctors were very likely to prescribe the drug that the person had asked for, but they were also much more likely to say that they would not have prescribed or they would have been less likely to prescribe the drug to another similar patient."

This dynamic raises concerns about the rational use of medications and the sustainability of healthcare resources.

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Challenges in Pharmaceutical Branding and Creativity

O’Reilly critiques the creativity—or lack thereof—in pharmaceutical advertising, despite stringent regulations. He points out the often convoluted names of drugs that hinder brand recall and the missed opportunities for storytelling within these ads.

• Terry O'Reilly [28:07]: "I think there's no excuse for bad work ever."

He underscores that creativity can flourish even within regulatory constraints, advocating for more engaging and informative advertisements that could better serve both consumers and the healthcare system.

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Conclusion and Recommendations

In wrapping up, the episode presents a stark choice for Canada: either emulate the U.S. model of transparent pharmaceutical advertising or heed experts like Mintz and the Canadian Medical Association by banning reminder ads altogether. The consensus leans towards stricter regulations to prevent the undue influence of pharmaceutical marketing on patient behavior and healthcare practices.

• Barbara Mintz [22:44]: "There is no redeeming social value."

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Final Thoughts

Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly offers an incisive critique of weight loss drug advertisements, highlighting the intricate balance between marketing, regulation, and public health. Through expert interviews and thoughtful analysis, the episode calls for a reevaluation of current advertising practices to better protect consumers and ensure the responsible use of pharmaceutical products.

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Notable Quotes

• Terry O'Reilly [06:09]: "It's painful. I'll start with that. The acting is so stiff."

• Barbara Mintz [15:39]: "There is no redeeming social value."

• Barbara Mintz [19:05]: "Doctors were very likely to prescribe the drug that the person had asked for, but they were also much more likely to say that they would not have prescribed or they would have been less likely to prescribe the drug to another similar patient."

• Terry O'Reilly [28:07]: "I think there's no excuse for bad work ever."

• Barbara Mintz [22:44]: "There is no redeeming social value."

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This episode serves as a critical examination of the intersection between marketing and healthcare, urging listeners to reflect on the true cost and benefits of pharmaceutical advertising in Canada.

Transcript

[Terry O'Reilly]

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[Brian Goldman]

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[Brian Goldman]

Terry, what are you doing? This isn't under the influence. It's white coat, black art. And I'm Dr. Brian Goldman.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Right. Sorry, Brian.

[Brian Goldman]

And that's Terry O'Reilly, host of the CBC's under the Influence and our very special guest. He's standing by because he knows commercials like I know medicine. This week we're talking about a particular kind of prescription drug commercial that is ubiquitous on Canadian tv, commercial radio and podcasts. Commercials like this one. Order up for Damien. Hey, how did your doctor's appointment go, by the way? Did you ask about Ribelsis? Actually, I'm seeing my doctor later today. Did you say Rebelsis? My dad's been talking about Rebelsis. Rebelsis? Really? Yeah, he says it's a pill that.

[Terry O'Reilly]

That's right.

[Brian Goldman]

Did you know it's also covered by most private insurance plans? Well, I'll definitely be asking my doctor. We can't air the entire ad because we haven't licensed it, but you probably know how the rest of it goes. They want you to ask your doctor if Ribelsis is right for you. Now, I can tell you that Ribelsis is a pill that contains semaglutide, the same ingredient found in Ozempic and Wegovy. That the medication can help you lose weight and lower your A1C. And the side effects, all the things that American drug commercials mention in sometimes nauseating detail. In Canada, pharmaceutical companies can only run what they call reminder ads. You know, there's this medication you can take, but we can't tell you what disease it's for. Or they can run so called help seeking ads where they name a disease and tell you there's a drug treatment but can't name the drug. I wonder what these ads actually accomplish, which is why we've brought in a real expert.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Hi, I'm Terry O'Reilly. I'm the host of under the Influence on CBC Radio. And I am, I guess you would call me a career ad man. Been in the business for about 40 years.

[Brian Goldman]

Wow. That's as long as I've been in the business of emergency medicine.

[Terry O'Reilly]

And we kind of started the same year, I think on CBC.

[Brian Goldman]

Yeah. It's almost like we're doppelgangers.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Yep.

[Brian Goldman]

Terry O'Reilly, welcome to White Coat, Black Art.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Well, great to be here. Thanks for having me.

[Brian Goldman]

I've seen and heard this Rebelsis ad probably 50 or 60 times. And when that was in heavy rotation, it drove me crazy. It's obviously a dorky ad, but I'm gonna ask you as an ad man, please dissect it. What do you think of it?

[Terry O'Reilly]

It's painful. I'll start with that. The acting is so stiff. It's clearly they're using non union actors. All the people in that ad and I'm, you know, are slightly overweight, I would say. And so that that's an important casting call right there for that ad. You'll notice that when they went to say what rebelsis does, there was a loud sound of a coffee grinder obscuring whatever they said. Because that ad is trying to exist within the Canadian pharmaceutical advertising regulations, which stipulate that you can't tell the audience in the commercial what the prescribed drug does. You can only talk about brand name price, which they never do, and quantity. That's all you can say in Canada in a pharmaceutical ad. So they're trying to get people to remember the brand name by saying it about a thousand times in that commercial. And then hopefully with all the other, you know, online chit chat about this and in the press, they're hoping people will connect the dots and then go ask their doctor about it.

[Brian Goldman]

So, you know, I gather the generic term for this kind of an ad is a reminder ad. You're the ad man. What is a reminder ad supposed to do?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Well, it's supposed to plant the brand name in your mind and think about Ozempic. For example, with they used that jingle from 1974 from that hit song by the group Pilot, which was called Magic. So they have co opted that jingle, changed the word. So instead of it's Magic, it's Ozempic. So remember that a jingle is one of the best ways. Even though it's fallen out of favor in my industry, by and large, a jingle is the best way to get somebody to remember something.

[Brian Goldman]

Since you mentioned Ozempic, let's play this ad for the product that we heard incessantly during the Summer Olympics. Have a listen.

[Terry O'Reilly]

I just asked.

[Brian Goldman]

And of course, the O, I guess, is, is for Ozempic it kind of nods to the jingle, the song that you were talking about, but it's its own jingle, I guess. It's its own creative. Everybody's talking about Ozempic because it's in the news. There's, there's all kinds of earned media. It's talked about on talk shows. Ribelsis doesn't have that advantage, does it?

[Terry O'Reilly]

No, because I think Ozempic had a first move advantage. It's really become the Kleenex of rapid weight loss drugs, hasn't it? It's kind of the Viagra of the category. So I think all the other drugs that are coming after it are going to have to do a lot of catch up to try and get the same brand name awareness. No doubt about it.

[Brian Goldman]

You know, I'm going back to that kind of mediocre execution of these ads. In part, you've said, you know, they're hamstrung by what they can and they cannot say. But is that a poor excuse for lack of creativity in your opinion?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Absolutely. I've always said that creativity loves constraint, meaning that when you're constrained in some fashion, whether it be by regulation or budget or time, not enough time to do it well, that it fuels creativity because it forces you to go down an unconventional route, give up all the conventional thinking to figure something out and the constraints of that, you can lead, and usually do lead to great creativity.

[Brian Goldman]

Have you ever worked on a pharmaceutical commercial in Canada or an ad campaign?

[Terry O'Reilly]

I have not very many over the 40 years. I have to say. Pharmaceuticals weren't that active on mainstream media for most of my career. I think that the gates really opened maybe about 10 years ago where they really started to be active. I did some of the early Viagra work, which was interesting. So there's an advertising agency in Canada called Taxi Advertising. And when Viagra hit the market, it had the same stipulations and regulations. You couldn't say what it did. So they did what I think is some of maybe the best pharmaceutical advertising ever done. So the first ad, if people remember, all it showed was this average guy walking out of his home in the morning and whistling and singing to this song about Good morning, good morning. And he's skipping all the way to work. You know, he's smiling. At the end of this, of the commercial, the elevator closes and he kind of gives us a wink and a raised eyebrow and the elevator closes and all you see is the Viagra logo.

[Brian Goldman]

I remember it was so well done.

[Barbara Mintz]

Good.

[Brian Goldman]

Is that Debbie Reynolds?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Is that Debbie Reynolds? I Think it is. But it was such a funny commercial. I mean, you didn't know what it was for, but then you knew what it was for, but they just, they skirted the regulation so beautifully. In other words, they went right to the line with it, but didn't cross the line. Then subsequent campaigns, Brian, that taxi did. There's one where there's two golfers. Guys look like they're in their 60s or 70s golfing. And one of them says, what'd you do last night? And he says, well, get a load of this.

[Brian Goldman]

Oh, can you believe that?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Hey, that's nothing this morning. And then there's a blue Vigor pill. Pill covers his mouth so you can't hear what he's saying. But then you realize at the end of the spot that he's talking about how much sexual activity he had last night. Again, showing that even within the limitations and restrictions of pharmaceutical advertising, there's still lots of room for creativity, which you rarely see in the category.

[Brian Goldman]

You know, I'm assuming it costs a lot of money to make ads like that one and by Ad Times. So you're not talking to the ad execs who are doing those campaigns, but you have insider knowledge. Why are pharmaceutical companies spending that kind of money on ads like that and buying air time?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Because the upside is so huge. I was reading that ozempic spent in 2023. I think they spent $120 million on media time in the US alone. I mean, that's big. Very few big brands spend that kind of money. So the upside is unbelievable. The amount they figure, you know, they've done the math that by spending $120 million, that the return will be in multiples of that.

[Brian Goldman]

You're listening to White Coat, Black Art this week, a look at the value and purpose of those prescription drug ads that encourage you to ask your doctor. Let's talk about something that's not always top of mind, but still really important. Life insurance. Why? Because it offers financial protection for your loved ones and can help them pay for things like a mortgage, credit card debt. It can even help fund an education. And guess what? Life insurance is probably a lot more affordable than you think. In fact, most people think life insurance is three times more expensive than it is. So with State Farm life insurance, you can protect your loved ones without breaking the bank. Not sure where to start. State farm has over 19,000 local agents that can help you choose an option to fit your needs and budget. Get started today and contact a State Farm agent or go to statefarm.com 1-800flowers.com knows that a gift is never just a gift. A gift is an expression of everything you feel and helps build more meaningful relationships. 1-800-FLowers takes the pressure off by helping you navigate life's important moments by making it simple to find the perfect gift. From flowers and cookies to cake and chocolate, 1-800-flowers helps guide you in finding the right gift to say how you feel. To learn more, visit 1-800-flowers.com acast that's 1-800flowers.com acast My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big roas man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn you'll be able to reach people who do. Get a hundred dollar credit on your next ad campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com results to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com results. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn the place to be to be. In 2020, three US pharmaceutical companies spent 2.87 billion US on advertising for the top 10 brands alone, up from 2.5 billion the year prior. That's according to Vivex, a US company that provides information to drug company clients. We don't have comparable figures for Canada, but the money spent here on ads is in the tens of millions. And the association of Canadian Advertisers says pharmaceuticals are driving ad spending growth. As Terry said, pharma would not spend the money on ads if they didn't expect a return on investment. One expert I've known for years is Barbara Minsis. She's one of Canada's leading authorities on the impact of direct to consumer prescription drug adds on patients and their doctors. She's a professor at the University of Sydney in Australia, where we reached her. Barbara Mensis, welcome to White Coat, Black Art.

[Barbara Mintz]

Thank you.

[Brian Goldman]

We've heard from Terry O'Reilly about Canada's restrictive rules for advertising prescription drugs. So what's the deal? Remind us why we have reminder ads.

[Barbara Mintz]

Well, we have reminder ads because actually it's against the law in Canada to advertise prescription medicines to the public. And these reminder ads have been allowed since actually late 2000, really, through a loophole in the law. So it was a reinterpretation of a clause in the Food and Drugs act that says that prescription drugs can be advertised to the public, but only name, price and quantity can be mentioned. That was brought in just to allow pharmacists to post comparative prices. It had nothing to do with, really, these kinds of ask your doctor ads that we're seeing now.

[Brian Goldman]

Wow, that is so interesting that a kind of a legal quirk or regulatory quirk has allowed these ads to proliferate.

[Barbara Mintz]

And I think it's also. I mean, you have to also look at what was happening at the time. Our government and every other government like ours that had a law against prescription drug advertising was under huge industry pressure to change our laws to make the situation much more like the United States. So in the late 1990s, the US had really opened up television advertising of prescription drugs. And so the Canadian government, actually what happened was that health Canada brought in a new administrative policy. In essence, they found a way to partially give in to industry pressure without needing to change the legislation, without needing to go to parliament to consult with the province.

[Brian Goldman]

What is the redeeming social value behind reminding the public to ask their doctor, for instance, whether Ozempic is right for them?

[Barbara Mintz]

There is no redeeming social value. So interestingly, in the United States, these ads for Ozempic and Ribelsis would be completely illegal. We always think about Canada as, you know, kind of having stronger regulations than the US when it comes for this, the unfettered free market. In this case, because these are drugs that have what is called a black box warning on their prescribing information, which warns about a serious risk to health. In this case, the warning is about a risk of thyroid cancer. In the US reminder ads are not allowed to either doctors or to the public for drugs with black box warnings. And that's because of an understanding that what is the benefit to health really of an ad that reminds you of a brand name?

[Brian Goldman]

Well, at least in the United States, the drug ads tell you exactly what the pharmaceutical product does. They also give that litany of side effects, often at breakneck speed.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Don't take repelsis if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it, stop Ribelsis.

[Brian Goldman]

And get medical help right away.

[Terry O'Reilly]

If you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain.

[Brian Goldman]

And of course, there was that medullary thyroid cancer that you mentioned, right?

[Barbara Mintz]

Yeah.

[Brian Goldman]

You know, jokes aside, and people, you know, stand up comics make a lot of. And talk show hosts make a lot of jokes about those kinds of commercials. But how would you compare the social value of that kind of ad to what we have here in Canada?

[Barbara Mintz]

Well, I would say that neither of them really have social Value, except for the company that's running them. Like that's if you're thinking of, okay, what is the value? The value is in increasing sales. Now the reason of course, that they've got all those side effects on the US Ads is that the US FDA requires this.

[Brian Goldman]

What do we know from research about the impact of pharmaceutical ads? You know, what can you point to?

[Barbara Mintz]

So there's now a whole body of research because this kind of advertising, prescription drugs to the public, has been around for about a quarter of a century, a little bit more. So what we know is that when a person comes into their doctor's office to ask for an advertised drug after having seen an ad, they're very likely to leave with a prescription for that product. And that doctors also have reported feeling under pressure from patients to prescribe drugs that they've seen advertised. There's survey data from the US about that. I carried out study in family doctors offices in, actually it was in Vancouver, in Sacramento, in which we surveyed patients in the waiting room about what they wanted from the appointment. And then we also had the doctors fill out a short questionnaire after the consultation. And what we found is that doctors were very likely to prescribe the drug that the person had asked for, but they were also much more likely to say that they would not have prescribed or they would have been less likely to prescribe the drug to another similar patient.

[Brian Goldman]

What concerns do you have with people requesting a drug that they really only know by name recognition?

[Barbara Mintz]

The concerns would be that they may not even have the condition. The drug is actually approved and tested and found to be beneficial to treat. So if you have something like the Ribelsis or the Ozempic ads, you're looking at pictures of people who are just a little overweight. And essentially the drug is approved for use in type 2 diabetes, not for weight control. That's one thing. The other thing is that if they're taking a drug that really isn't going to help them because they don't have the condition that it's aimed to treat, or they very mild symptoms where that might be better treated without a drug, they're just as likely to suffer side effects as somebody who would benefit from the drug. But they're not getting any benefit, they're only at risk for harm. These are also very new drugs usually and we don't have the long term data to know what the effect really will be in the long term. And then the other side is really costs and sustainability of health care services. People are paying more money for these drugs than they might be paying for another alternative. If we're covering them through our healthcare service, then we also are spending money on things where we're not getting good sort of health return on our investments.

[Brian Goldman]

Can you at least make a partial case that getting people to ask their doctor may be of some value to some patients because it makes them aware of something they might have been completely unaware of before?

[Barbara Mintz]

I think it's hard to make that case, I have to say for these Rebelsis and Ozempic ads. Now that case was made a lot, for instance, for Viagra, that people were aware of it. I mean, I don't think the reminder ads are really going to do anything other than branding.

[Brian Goldman]

So what changes in prescription drug advertising would you like to see in Canada?

[Barbara Mintz]

So I would like to see the loophole that Health Canada opened up through their administrative policy in the year 2000 closed again. There really is no rationale from any public health perspective to allow reminder advertising in Canada. And it's especially of concern because this is a kind of advertising that the U.S. controls more than other ads and doesn't allow for drugs for serious risks. So that's one thing. The other would be to really ensure that when US media is targeting a Canadian audience that they are not running advertising that is illegal in Canada. This is something that other countries have in place that we certainly could have in place in Canada.

[Brian Goldman]

What's your advice to consumers who are going to continue to watch these reminder ads for the foreseeable future?

[Barbara Mintz]

My advice would be a strong grain of salt. There was a quite well known British pharmacologist, Andrew Herxheimer who had a quip about pharmaceutical advertising that it's the truth, the half truth and nothing like the truth. They're giving you the idea that this drug is a magical solution. Reality is a little different.

[Brian Goldman]

Let's talk about something that's not always top of mind but still really important. Life insurance. Why? Because it offers financial protection for your loved ones and can help them pay for things like a mortgage, credit card debt. It can even help fund an education. And guess what? Life insurance is probably a lot more affordable than you think. In fact, most people think life insurance is three times more expensive than it is. So with State Farm life insurance, you can protect your loved ones without breaking the bank. Not sure where to start. State farm has over 19,000 local agents that can help you choose an option to fit your needs and budget. Get started today and contact a State Farm agent or go to statefarm.com the holidays are all about sharing with family meals, couches, stories, Grandma's secret pecan pie recipe, and now you can also share a cart. With Instacart's family carts, everyone can add.

[Terry O'Reilly]

What they want to one group cart.

[Brian Goldman]

From wherever they are.

[Terry O'Reilly]

So you don't have to go from.

[Brian Goldman]

Room to room to find out who wants cranberry sauce or whether you should get mini marshmallows for the yams or collecting votes for sugar cookies versus shortbread. Just share a cart and then share.

[Terry O'Reilly]

The meals and the moments.

[Brian Goldman]

Download the Instacart app and get delivery in as fast as 30 minutes. Plus enjoy free delivery on your first three orders. Service fees and terms apply. Oh my God. It's the coolest thing ever. Hey guys, have you heard of Gold Belly? Well, check this out. It's this amazing site where they ship the most iconic famous foods from restaurants across the country, anywhere, nationwide. I've never found a more perfect gift than food. They ship Chicago deep dish pizza, New York bagels, Maine lobster rolls, and even Ina Garten's famous cakes. Seriously. So if you're looking for a gift for the food lover in your Life, head to goldbelly.com and get 20% off your first order with promo code gift. When it comes to reminder ads, there's another sobering reality that's more than a little different. While we debate the pros and cons of reminder ads in Canada, Canadians can watch those detailed drug ads coming from the US Pretty much every day. I can recite a commercial for WeGovy in my sleep. So let's bring back Terry O'Reilly to grade those US offerings. We have a couple of US ads that I just want you to quickly comment on. Here's one for a product called Skyrizi, which is a biologic that's used to treat psoriasis. It's also used for people who have colitis, inflammatory bowel disease. Have a listen. With Skyrizi, three out of four people achieve 90% clear skin at four months. Of those, nearly nine out of 10 sustained it through one year. And Skyrizi has four doses a year.

[Terry O'Reilly]

After two starter doses, Skyrizi may increase.

[Brian Goldman]

Your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. What do you think of that?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Well, you heard the fair balance issue there, where they had the side effects about the same length of time as they talked about the benefits. And interesting. They're singing the benefits of that drug.

[Brian Goldman]

Nothing is everything.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Yeah, yeah.

[Brian Goldman]

You know, you can, you can show your skin because you don't have psoriasis because you're Using this product.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Exactly right. But interesting choice to sing the benefit in a very kind of upbeat pop kind of way. You know, the basic age range for OIC, the target audience, from what I've been reading, is 50 to 55. That's the sweet spot. That commercial makes me feel like it's probably people in their 20s because of the sound of that pop tune. Or teens, even late teens.

[Brian Goldman]

Are there any US Commercials that you like?

[Terry O'Reilly]

No, none. I mean, in the pharmaceutical. I haven't seen any great pharmaceutical advertising for years and years. Honestly.

[Brian Goldman]

How important is it to use humor to grab the audience in a pharmaceutical ad?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Well, I'm a big fan of humor overall because I think it's the great shock absorber of life. And I think every advertisement is an intrusion. And the great marketing people always remember that. So in order to make that the most welcome intrusion, humor is a great way to do that. Some categories don't lend themselves to humor, but I think humor makes it memorable, makes it sticky. And especially because advertising needs repetition. Repetition is at the heart of a media bias. You need people to see an ad, the rule of thumb is you need people to see the ad 10 to 12 times before they'll actually consider taking action on it. And if you're going to have that kind of high repetition, if you have humor, smart humor, it has a longer shelf life.

[Brian Goldman]

As you've said, there are certain conditions that don't lend themselves to humor, at least so far. There are commercials for cancer chemotherapy pills.

[Terry O'Reilly]

No. And I think humor would be inappropriate in that situation. Another interesting aspect of all of this, Brian, that I've always wondered about is the names of these drugs are impossible to remember, hence them trying to use a jingle. But I mean, what pharmaceutical companies choose as names is always bewildering to me because you're always in marketing looking for the simplest, catchiest name. Now, I understand the reason they choose these wonky names is because they can trademark them. But still, a lot of them I can't even pronounce unless I hear it 90 times. It's anti marketing to do that. So it's an interesting category glitch that they have to deal with.

[Brian Goldman]

And not only is it a glitch, but years ago on White Coat Black Art, we had an expert on who said that pharmaceutical companies spend tens of millions of dollars trying to figure out names that they can use that are kind of in the ballpark of what they're trying to do. Here's one of them, and it's called trelogy. And this is a Medication that's used for people, used by people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. And they use an old familiar song that of course, many of us have heard before. Let's play a little bit of that one.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Birds flying high.

[Brian Goldman]

You know how I feel.

[Terry O'Reilly]

If you've been taking COPD sitting down, it's time to make a stand. Start a new day with trilogy. No, Once daily COPD medicine has the.

[Brian Goldman]

Power to treat COPD in as many ways as Trilogy with three medicines in one inhaler.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Trilogy helps people.

[Brian Goldman]

There's a vibe. They're trying to create a vibe. There aren't.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Yeah. Buy a great song, a brand new day. And I get the trilogy thing because I said it was three medicines, but you don't hear that that often. To my ear, Brian, of hearing drug names that have some kind of connection strategically, like Flonase to me made sense because it's about your nasal passages and being able to have some airflow going on. I mean, Flonase made sense to me.

[Brian Goldman]

Trellis.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Now I don't know what ozempic means. Rebel says sounds like rebellious. I don't know if that's part of their thinking. Be rebellious about your life. Like, you know, disrupt your life by losing weight. I'm not sure if that's the thinking.

[Brian Goldman]

Skyrizi again, same thing.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Yeah. What does that mean?

[Brian Goldman]

Oh, Tesla.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Crickets.

[Brian Goldman]

Last question. Here's your chance to tell the people who make pharmaceutical ads how to make them better. What would you do differently?

[Terry O'Reilly]

Well, I think there's lots of room for creativity. I think you could do a lot of storytelling in pharmaceutical ads. I just think that there's no excuse for bad work ever. Stipulations, regulations are no excuse because creativity loves constraint.

[Brian Goldman]

Terry O'Reilly, those are wise words. Thank you so much for speaking with us.

[Terry O'Reilly]

My pleasure, Brian.

[Brian Goldman]

Some say we're at a fork in the road. We can permit tell all ads like they have in the US or we can ban reminder ads as Barbara Mintz has suggested, a position endorsed by the Canadian Medical Association. And if we stopped asking our doctors, I'm pretty sure they would not mind one bit. That's our show this week. If you'd like to comment, our email address is whitecoatbc.ca. before we go, just a note about the ads. We got the Novo Nordisk Ozempic ad, the Rebelsis American ad, Pfizer's Viagra, and AbbVie's Skyrizi ads from YouTube. The Canadian rebelsis ad came from the Dailies podcast and GlaxoSmithKline's Trelegy ad came from Ispottv. White coat, black art was produced this week by senior producer Colleen Ross with help from Jennifer Warren, Stephanie Dubois and Samir Chabra. Our digital producer is Ruby Gwyn. Visa. That's medicine from my side of the gurney. I'm Brian Goldman. See you next week. To make switching to the new Boost Mobile risk free, we're offering a 30 day money back guarantee. So why wouldn't you switch from Verizon or T Mobile? Because you have nothing to lose. Boost Mobile is offering a 30 day money back guarantee. No, I asked why wouldn't, Wouldn't you switch from Verizon or T Mobile? Oh, wouldn't.

[Barbara Mintz]

Because you love wasting money as a.

[Brian Goldman]

Way to punish yourself because your mother never showed you enough love as a child. Whoa, easy there.

[Barbara Mintz]

Yeah.

[Brian Goldman]

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