Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 9.3 AZ global sales, media expenses, and market launch events in GERD category (1993-
2011). Global sales fi gures from Astra and AstraZeneca Annual Reports and 10 K Filings. Media
Spending Data from Public Domain Sources
Astrazeneca ppi revenue does not drop off … as shown in Fig. 9.3 . It stays constant at
or about the US6$billion/year level for the next 10 years leading to an additional
US$50+ billion in gross revenue over the 10 year period. How did this happen?
9.3.2
Priming the Promotion Pump
As shown in Fig. 9.3 , the US rules for direct to consumer advertising changed in
1997 (Iizuka 2004 ) in a manner that increased the effi cacy of media promotion for
prescription and OTC medications. From 1997 through the end of 2000, AZ spent
between $50 and $100 million/year 17 promoting Prilosec as the “Purple Pill” and the
daily solution for sufferers of GERD. This campaign successfully built the brand
equity of the color purple on the pill and other equities 18 as the source identifi ers or
cognitive touch points of heartburn relief for GERD patients who needed consistent,
17 All media advertising expenditures in Fig. 9.3 from Kantar Media, Ad $ pender , http://products.
kantarmediana.com/security/ . Accessed 1 Dec 2011.
18 Registered US marks eventually included the use of the color purple on the pill, purple pills with
two and or three gold stripes, purplepill.com, Prilosec, Nexium, and Prilosec OTC.
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