• 14
  • February
    2012

The number of pharmaceutical ads which play during breaks in daytime and evening television programming can be overwhelming. Because drug companies are seeking to sell their products, these ads are oddly serene, despite the list of serious side effects which are required to accompany the unusually calming images on the screen.

When it comes to selling dangerous drugs, pharmaceutical manufacturers regularly attempt to distract viewers from the upsetting risks that their medications pose by pairing harsh warnings with calming or life-affirming visual aids.

Unfortunately, the distracting images function so effectively at downplaying the health risks of certain drugs that a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule is currently pending on the issue. It insists that pharmaceutical ads may not feature distracting representations during verbal warnings related to side effects.

Last year, the FDA consulted television ad experts about the ways in which pharmaceutical commercials influence consumers. Specifically, the agency was concerned about whether or not consumers can comprehend the warnings being verbalized if they are simultaneously viewing distracting images.

After conducting a controlled experiment, the experts determined that ads with very positive visuals instill positive feelings in the audience about the pharmaceuticals being advertised. While the experts could not come to a decisive conclusion about whether or not distracting images fracture a viewer's ability to comprehend warnings, evidence suggests that they certainly might.

More questions about the purpose of and viewer response to these distracting ads must be answered before the FDA will hand down the finalized version of the pending rule. In the meantime, consumers should be aware that television drug ads are designed to sell more than educate. Whether or not the screen is projecting the image of toddlers playing with bunnies or not, the verbal warning is the most important part of a pharmaceutical commercial.

Source: Miami Herald, "Cue the puppies: How drug ads downplay health risks," Fred Tasker, Jan. 28, 2012