Pharmaguy's Gallery of Drug Advertising Mascots

P H A R M A G U Y ’ S F A V O R I T E D R U G “ M A S C O T S ” ( A K A C R I T T E R S ) S E E N I N D I R E C T - T O C O N S U M E R A D S

GALLERY OF DRUG ADVERTISING “MASCOTS”

INTERNAL PLUMBING CRITTERS

M A S C O T S E I T H E R R E P R E S E N T S B L A D D E R O R W H AT H A P P E N S W H E N T H E B L A D D E R I S F U L L .

2016. Pharma Marketing Network. All rights reserved.

Gallery of Drug DTC Advertising Mascots

MR. & MRS. WATER BALLOON IN AN ENABLEX AD

Enablex TV commercials in 2009 featured water balloon people, some of whom were harmed during filming - notably a water balloon woman who burst into a shower of urine(?) due to an overactive bladder, which happened at a high school reunion.This balloon couple was blithely unaware of what their teenage balloon daughter was up to with her boy friends in her room. Find out more about that here: http://bit.ly/eablexballoonpeople

http://bit.ly/eablexballoonpeople





ANNOYING MYRBETRIQ BLADDER CHARACTER!

This annoying bladder-shaped critter torments a woman all day urging her to go to the bathroom in Myrbetriq commercials. It also appeared in movie theaters in the summer of 2014 to promote a unique mobile ad campaign. More about that here: http://bit.ly/PMT223

http://bit.ly/PMT223

http://bit.ly/PMT223



DETROL BATHROOM LADY RETIRES

When Detrol went off patent Pfizer came up with Toviaz to treat women with overactive bladder. This was bad news for the Detrol bathroom lady who had to go! Read about it: http://bit.ly/cbJDqU

http://bit.ly/cbJDqU

http://bit.ly/cbJDqU



VESICARE’S AWARD-WINNING PIPE PEOPLE

In 2012, Euro RSCG Tonic won two Effie Awards for work completed on behalf of its client, VESIcare.“One reason for the success of the campaign is that it managed to talk about the problem and give a solution without adding to the patients’ embarrassment. In short, it hit just the right note. Patients just didn’t listen to the advertising, they liked it,” claimed Rich Roth, Managing Director, Chief Creative Officer of Euro RSCG Tonic.



XIFAXAN’S GUTSY “BUBBLE GUY”

This walking mascot, nicknamed “Bubble Guy” has been compared to a dinosaur and Jar Jar Banks. Xifaxan is for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. No surprise then that Valeant created a cute pink mascot. It’s been reported that Bubble Guy has at least 6 fans on Twitter who have expressed fondness or empathy for the “cute” and “cuddly” mascot. Even a turd, like South Park’s Mr. Hinky, can be cute. More here: http://sco.lt/6by4g5

http://sco.lt/6by4g5

http://sco.lt/6by4g5



“IRRITABELLE,” THE VIBERZI IRRITABLE SIDEKICK

Talk about irritable! The Viberzi “irritable (bowel) sidekick” enjoys nothing more than preventing her alter-ego IBS-D (Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea) sufferer from enjoying her life. In comparison, Xifaxan’s “Bubble Guy” is a joy. More here: http://bit.ly/Irritabelle

http://bit.ly/Irritabelle

http://bit.ly/Irritabelle



MOVANTIK HELPS WITH “OPIOID BAGGAGE”

Need help with your opioid baggage; e.g., constipation? Movantik will help you overcome that and enjoy a day in the park with your opioid! See ad here: http://bit.ly/opioidpark

http://bit.ly/opioidpark

http://bit.ly/opioidpark



DESPERATE TURDS

This Dulcolax print ad is a view of turds (Scheisse) trapped inside an A-hole! The tagline is expressed in a turd's thought balloon: “Only you can set them free”. More here: http://bit.ly/deeturds

http://bit.ly/deeturds

http://bit.ly/deeturds



RAPAFLO’S PROSTATE MASCOT “WALLY” IS REALLY A WALNUT!

I call him “Wally” because he looks just like a walnut (on left), which I suspect was the model the agency used to create the character. There’s even a little walnut-like point at the top of his head, which may not be medically accurate. More about that here: http://bit.ly/wallywalnut

http://bit.ly/wallywalnut

http://bit.ly/wallywalnut

SLEEP AID CRITTERS

T H E S E L I F E F O R M S A P P E A R I N T H E B E D R O O M S A N D D R E A M S O F S L E E P E R S I N A D S .



AMBIENCR ROOSTER & TWO GUYS

In 2008, Sanofi-Aventis, marketer of sleep aid AmbienCR, ran a “Rooster Car Alarm Commercial,” one of several in a series of “unbranded” ads. These ads did not mention the brand, but promoted the branded website SilenceYourRooster.com. The ad agency responsible for the ad − Saatchi & Saatchi − won the 2009 PE Magazine “ad stars” award. The rooster, aka “cock,” was “specially trained to stay up at night.” Read more here: http://bit.ly/2guys1cock

http://bit.ly/2guys1cock

http://bit.ly/2guys1cock



BELSOMRA’S FURRY SLEEP/WAKE CREATURES

Is a good night’s sleep as elusive for you as your cat? There he is, nice and white and cuddly. But that wake cat is dirty and creepy looking! The comments attached to an “unlisted” Youtube video of the ad are hilarious. See them here: https://youtu.be/_kMzVNnv78w

https://youtu.be/_kMzVNnv78w





ROZEREM ADS SHOW BEAVER, DIS LINCOLN

Back in 2006 many pharma marketing pundits were trying to figure out the thinking behind the new ad campaign for Rozerem, a sleep aid pill marketed by Takeda. The ads featured Abraham Lincoln and a beaver.Aside from “showing beaver” (sexual innuendo intended?), the ads “dissed” Abe. More about that here: http://bit.ly/rozerembeav

http://bit.ly/rozerembeav

http://bit.ly/rozerembeav



THE LUNESTA MOTH LIVES ON!

I thought the Lunesta moth would be “mothballed” due to negative marketing ROI. But I was wrong! More about that here: http://bit.ly/lunestamoth

http://bit.ly/lunestamoth

http://bit.ly/lunestamoth

LICE & FUNGUS AMONG US

S O M E N A S T Y C R I T T E R S M AY B E L I V I N G U N D E R Y O U R T O E N A I L S & O N T O P O F Y O U R H E A D .



LAMISIL’S DIGGER THE DERMATOPHYTE

Digger looks nothing like an actual dermatophyte. But he is kind of “cute” and physicians loved to pose with the “live” mascot at medical conventions. FDA sent Novartis a warning letter in 2003 because TV ads featuring Digger overstated Lamisil’s efficacy (Digger and his pals were completely defeated by Lamisil suggesting a complete cure of toenail fungus) . Read the letter here: http://bit.ly/diggerletter

http://bit.ly/diggerletter

http://bit.ly/diggerletter



JUBLIA’S MASCOT MAKES IT TO THE SUPER BOWL

Jublia’s mascot tackled toenail fungus during the 2015 Super Bowl. Not everyone thought the ad was effective: “Shouldn’t the Jublia football player tackle and crush the toenail fungus into the dirt until it is completely destroyed, or at least noticeably injured?”, asked one commenter. “Or are they worried about getting an unnecessary roughness call?” Keep in mind that the FDA is the ref in the real world.



ULESFIA LEAVES LICE LISTLESS

I came across this image after FDA issued an untitled “warning” letter to Shionogi over a Ulesfia Lotion co-pay voucher. More about that here: http://sco.lt/8E58rp

http://sco.lt/8E58rp

http://sco.lt/8E58rp

DEPRESSION DRUG MASCOTS

I T ’ S N O T E N O U G H T O S H O W D E P R E S S E D P E O P L E I N D R U G A D S . C R I T T E R S A N D G A D G E T S A R E A L S O N E E D E D .



THOSE HAPPY ZOLOFT BLOBS!

Are these blobs or onions? Whatever these little mascots are supposed to be, how happy can they be without arms or legs?



THE ABILIFY ROBE

“After 6 weeks on an antidepressant, I still couldn’t shake my depression,” says the ad, which shows a robe chasing a woman as soon as she leaves the house. That robe wants to take her down, but eventually Abilify puts it in the back-ground where it sulks on its own.



THE PRISTIQ WIND-UP DOLL

According to a confidential inside source, the wind-up doll signifies what many people on depression feel like: they must go through their daily lives on “autopilot,” and at times, do not even “feel human.” The wind-up doll simulates the impact of depression on daily functioning - particularly feelings of sadness, loss of interest in favorite activities, trouble concentrating and lack of energy. OK, I'll buy that. More on that here: http://bit.ly/pristiqdoll

http://bit.ly/pristiqdoll

http://bit.ly/pristiqdoll

COPD CRITTERS

W H A T D O E L E P H A N T S A N D W O LV E S H A V E I N C O M M O N ?



SPIRIVA ADDRESSES THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

The elephant represents COPD. It sits on peoples’ chests in living rooms, outside on ham-mocks, etc. But as soon as the ad talks about Spiriva, voila!, the elephant is off those chests! But it follows people around just waiting to crush their chests again! I suppose the message is not to forget to take your inhaler with you wherever you go because you never know when the elephant will pounce!



SYMBICORT WOLF OPTS OUT OF BLOWING DOWN PIGS’ STRAW HOUSE

Why doesn’t the wolf blow down the house AFTER treatment with Symbicort? It may be AZ was afraid of getting an FDA warning letter citing “Overstatement of Efficacy.” Instead, the wolf blows out candles on a birthday cake! http://bit.ly/fdastymiesDTC

http://bit.ly/fdastymiesDTC

http://bit.ly/fdastymiesDTC

REAL ANIMALS IN ADS

M O S T M A S C O T S A R E M A K E B E L I E V E L I F E F O R M S , B U T R E A L A N I M A L S A R E A L S O F E AT U R E D I N D R U G A D S



ON CHANTIX YOU’RE THE TORTOISE, NOT THE HARE

Slow and steady wins the race. That is the message of 2007 Chantix TV DTC ads that featured a race between a tortoise and a hare, which was a scrawny, reddish, devilish looking hare; not a cute cuddly rabbit like the Eveready bunny. More here: http://bit.ly/chantort

http://bit.ly/chantort

http://bit.ly/chantort



“SAL” & “MARTY” WIN MARKETING CREATIVITY AWARD

AstraZeneca’s disease-education campaign “Take it from a Fish,” which features “Sal” & “Marty” won the top prize at the 2015 Lions Health creativity festival. More here: http://sco.lt/6Fzdr7

http://sco.lt/6Fzdr7

http://sco.lt/6Fzdr7

MISCELLANEOUS MASCOTS



THE NASONEX BEE CRITICIZED AT FDA HEARING

At a 2005 FDA public hearing on DTC advertising and later in 2009 in front of a Congressional hearing , Ruth Day, head of Duke University’s Medical Cognition Laboratory, famously claimed that the Nasonex bee’s beating wings divert viewers’ attention from the risk information. More about that here: http://bit.ly/beatingbeewings

http://bit.ly/beatingbeewings

http://bit.ly/beatingbeewings



MUCINEX’S MR. MUCUS GETS TOUGH!

“Big Bad Mr. Mucus” replaced nice family guy Mr. Mucus in 2009. Although this iconic mascot doesn’t look very loveable, he may have been inspired by two other, more loveable, icons; i.e., John Travolta (who played an amiable biker in the movie “Wild Hogs”) and Shrek. More about that here: http://bit.ly/badmrmucus

http://bit.ly/badmrmucus

http://bit.ly/badmrmucus



PURPLE PILL BOTTLE DOES WHAT NOW?

This Tanzeum pill bottle mascot is a golf buddy who doesn’t play or help you carry your clubs. It just follows you around. It also follows other people with diabetes to the beach, yoga class, wherever! See the ad here: https://youtu.be/6xdC40UanA4

https://youtu.be/6xdC40UanA4

https://youtu.be/6xdC40UanA4



THE PREVACID 24HR LURKER

Frequent heartburn is always lurking says the GSK TV ad for Prevacid 24Hr. See the ad here: http://bit.ly/prevlurkerad

http://bit.ly/prevlurkerad

http://bit.ly/prevlurkerad



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Pharmaguy's Gallery of Drug Advertising Mascots