PharmaLive Releases Analysis Of Pharma Industry DTC Ad Spend

Despite the economic recession, pharmaceutical marketers increased their DTC investment in 2009. Overall, DTC ad spend increased 1.9% to $4.51 billion in 2009. Television spend was up 0.6% to nearly $3 billion. Radio advertising spend saw the greatest increase, rising 112% to $46.3 million. And, not surprisingly, online advertising generated strong growth – increasing 30.8% to $117.4 million.

 

Research supports the need for pharmaceutical marketers to include digital and social media in their marketing mix. A recent industry survey found that more people went to the Internet for additional information after seeing a consumer ad than went to their doctor as a primary post-DTC action, indicating that brands not using these channels risk being left behind.

 

“The industry’s direct-to-consumer expenditure increase for 2009 reversed a two-year decline, with the latter resulting from various factors such as less new medicine launches, the economic downswing and tighter FDA scrutiny regarding prescription-drug ads,” says Andrew Humphreys, editor in chief of Canon Data Products.

 

“As for the recent rise in DTC advertising expenditure, some marketers ramped up spending during last year on consumer promotion for blockbuster brands such as No. 1 Lipitor before their patent protection expires. Additionally, expanding consumer needs for healthcare information are helping spur growth.”

 

This PharmaLive Special Report contains further analysis detailing:

 

Leading prescription brands in terms of DTC expenditure for each of the past 10 years

Top five DTC brands of the past decade

Most-competitive therapeutic categories for consumer promotion

Pharmaceutical companies that spent the highest amounts of advertising dollars to consumers

Brands that have successfully integrated digital and social media into their marketing mix

 

Included charts will list for the years 2000 – 2009:

 

Promotional spend to consumers for human prescription drugs

DTC expenditure for the companies that promote the Rx brands

Consumer ad spend segmented by channel

 

This annual Special Report is available at www.PharmaLive.com/specialreports

 

For more information, contact Sandra Baker at 215-944-9836 or Sandra.Baker@cancom.com.

 

About Canon Data Products Group

Canon Data Products Group, a division of Canon Communications LLC, publishes PharmaLive and Appliance Special Reports, which provide financial, company, and product statistical data and qualitative analysis for the global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and appliance industries; maintains eKnowledgeBase, a comprehensive market intelligence tool serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sectors; and manages company-wide Site Licenses for PharmaLive.com, Med Ad News, and R&D Directions.