Direct-to-consumer advertising can be seen everywhere. From TV commercials to magazine spreads, ads illustrating the use of prescription drugs are persuading audiences to ask doctors about certain medications.
A video by Vox explained the evolution of direct-to-consumer advertising and the impact it has on American society. The FDA also demonstrates the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising in a 2015 article.
In the 1990s, drug manufacturers started targeting consumers with advertisements instead of relying only on doctors to relay information on medications. When these ads were introduced on TV, they were vague and offered little information as to what the drug did to help or what health issue they were meant to aid.
Once the government stepped in, direct-to-consumer ads on TV were more helpful by describing the benefits as well as some major risks and then directing the audience to a place with more information about the drug.
The effects of these ads have both positives and negatives. On the one hand, consumers are more knowledgeable about their options and can discuss these drugs with their doctor. However, this also causes doctors to feel a greater pressure to prescribe patients drugs that they may not need due to the patient naming a specific drug.
Is this what Richard Pollay warned us about?
Prescription drug ads demonstrate the four main advertising effects that Pollay discusses in his 1986 article.
- Pervasive: Direct-to-consumer ads are everywhere. We see them at stores, the internet, magazines and our TV screens. It is more than likely that we will see a prescription drug ad while watching a show on cable or on an ad-supported streaming platform. We also see them while on social media or other websites.
- Repetitive: These ads are consistent in saying that certain drugs can be used to help relieve or cure symptoms of different illnesses. Each ad tells the audience the risks and benefits associated with the medication and to ask a doctor about prescribing the treatment.
- Professionally developed: A lot of research goes into making direct-to-consumer ads and how to best reach the target audience. These companies know how to grasp the attention of consumers and keep their attention to get them to ask about the drug to their doctor.
- Delivered to a detached audience: Consumers are becoming more reliant on advertisements for information as we spend more time watching TV or reading online. We no longer make decisions solely based on advice from friends and family. This makes the audience vulnerable to the suggestion of these advertisements.
Pollay also warned us about the possible manipulative qualities of ads, and direct-to-consumer advertisements prove this. TV commercials depicting the use of prescription drugs in a positive way could manipulate people into thinking that there are more benefits than risks associated with taking a medication. This can also cause consumers to believe they need a drug that they don’t.
Direct-to-consumer advertising has its pros and cons, and it is important that the consumer recognizes both before recommending a prescription for a drug they saw on a TV commercial to their doctor.
References
Pollay, R. (1986). The Distorted Mirror: Reflections on the Unintended Consequences of Advertising. Journal of Marketing, 50(2), 18-36. doi:10.2307/1251597
Anecdotes by Angeline 