All of the money spent on pharma advertising each year in the US doesn’t translate to creativity, and this fact is often blamed on the category’s extensive regulation. MullenLowe argues that it doesn’t have to be this way.

Why it matters

Direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical ads in the US follow a templated and oft-ridiculed approach that drains them of emotional insight. In a very competitive category, it’s particularly necessary to find ways to truly connect with patients.

Takeaways

• Ads in the category focus too much on showing the symptoms the person with the condition is going through, even though the target...