cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0> | | |
Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp. has begun a multi-channel direct response campaign to promote Elidel, an eczema treatment cream.
The campaign kicked off with a 60-second television spot using a Web site address and a toll-free number as response mechanisms. The ads run in media targeted at women ages 25 to 54.
The Quantum Group, a division of advertising firm CommonHealth, did not release the budget for the campaign. But Susanne Budofsky, vice president, management supervisor at The Quantum Group, said that it would be a national campaign, with placement on both broadcast and cable networks. CBS’s "The Early Show" was the site of an early placement.
The initial TV ad pushes consumers toward their doctor and toward the Web site http://www.elidel.com or a toll-free number (877-4-ELIDEL).
The TV spots will be supported by a print campaign, which will roll out in weekly magazines during February and monthly publications during March. The ads will appearing in women’s service magazines and parents’ publications. The print ads will use different Web sites, allowing The Quantum Group to track responses.
In May, Budofsky anticipates rolling out DRTV ads with a stronger offer, although plans for that campaign are still being generated.
Because Elidel is a prescription medication, Budofsky feels direct response is an appropriate marketing vehicle.
"It’s in a category in which people are interested in information," she said. [Eczema] is a chronic disease. They live with it as an ongoing condition. They have tried other products and are open to seeking out new advice."
Novartis, based in Basel, Switzerland, values the market for eczema treatment at $465 million.
|
