US Rx DTC Ad Spend Set To Beat $1 Billion Again

Total US direct-to-consumer advertising spending for prescriptionpharmaceuticals reached $146 million in April 1998, up 38% over April 1997, says Scott-Levin's Direct-To-Consumer Advertising Audit, which notes that, year-to-date, total DTC ad spending came to just under $400 million. The data mean that DTC spending will hit the $1 billion-plus mark for the second year in a row, it was noted.

Television continued as the fastest-growing medium for DTC ads, generating 55% of the total in April compared to 26% in April 1997. Second and third this April were magazines, on 32%, and newspaper promotion, at 12%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb topped all drug companies in DTC ad spending, with over $27 million in April; $24.6 million was allocated to Pravachol (pravastatin) alone. Glaxo Wellcome ranked second, spending $23.8 million, followed by Schering-Plough at $22.1 million, Zeneca at $12.8 million and Pfizer at $10.6 million. The top five products for DTC ad spending in April were Pravachol, Claritin (loratadine) on $22 million, Zyrtec (cetirizine) on $9.1 million and Zyban (bupropion) and Flonase (fluticasone), both $8.1 million.