Cancer ads enter the pharma mainstream

Direct-to-consumer campaigns are being used to promote cancer treatment drugs.

Cancer, a disease long considered too devastating for the glare of television advertising, has emerged from the marketing shadows.

More specifically, pharma manufacturers’ direct-to-consumer (DTC) campaigns have taken to broad-based media to promote their immuno-oncology drugs, among other therapies and product offerings, in fresh ways.

One proof point: Television spending on DTC oncology ads tripled from $163 million in 2015 to $504 million in 2017, according to intelligence firm Kantar Media.

“What accounts for such a dramatic, relatively sudden, and significant shift?” asked Catherine Goss, svp/managing director at Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, during the 2018 DTC National conference in Boston.

“As...

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