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NEW JERSEY, October 21, 2002: The classic pharmaceutical ads -- and the people who wrote them - understood the power of a great headline. "Today, we could have saved him for the price of a matinee." "Help their walk down memory lane last a little longer." "Helps make arthritic joints more articulate." Three examples of great work -- even as stand-alone headlines. But absolute gold when married to the visuals. In 2002, though, it seems we're less concerned about the headline. Sure, there's a phrase at the top of every ad. Sometimes it has the makings of an actual sentence. But isn't it a little sad to see the preponderance of "catchy" rhyming phrases that are thinly-veiled reworkings of the brand's positioning statement? Or even sentences that parrot what is "said" by the visual? And how many ads contain headlines with "efficacy" and "tolerability?" No, we won't reprint any, out of respect for the agencies and the brand teams. Frankly, we're not saying that clever catch phrases aren't effective. They are appropriate for sales teams with limited time to grab a doc's attention. But are they working as hard in print? And maybe your brand needs to bolster it's perception of efficacy and tolerability. So that is stated as clearly as possible.
And at this point, any solid copywriter reading this is thinking, "C'mon, I write the great headlines, but they get killed -- it's not my fault." Hey, we're not trying to blame anyone. Perhaps the complete-sentence headline works best for corporate ads, advertorials, and the like. Maybe the long-form headline is not appropriate in data driven advertising. But since the industry is all abuzz about creating emotional ties between customers and brands, perhaps it's time to re-emphasize the value of a great headline. Because when united with a killer visual, it can make a difference in the success of the brand. And that would be proof positive that the Rx headline is indeed alive and well. PositionInk is a weekly column that addresses issues relevant to pharmaceutical marketing. If you want to contribute an article, or suggest one, please call 908-507-7379. Or email to info@rxme.com. | ||
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Pharmaceutical marketing executives use RxME: THE HIGH-POTENCY RxPORTAL: RxME is the pharmaceutical marketing executive homepage, and the premier online information resource for healthcare marketing professionals. Specializing in decision-support information for pharmaceutical marketing personnel around the globe, RxME is designed for pharmaceutical marketers of every type, inlcuding product directors, sales managers, sales representatives, advertising executives, writers, art directors, market research analysts, and all personnel involved in the marketing of ethical pharmaceutical products. The only Rx portal designed for pharmaceutical marketers by pharmaceutical marketers, RxME is dedicated to helping men and women in the Rx industry to build their brands, their businesses, and their careers. Edited by veteran pharmaceutical marketing professionals, RxME delivers relevant, potent content...unlike other sites featuring automatic content delivery, RxME selects only the news stories that are pertinent to Rx marketing. There's no need to dig though reams of news stories or layers of navigation to find the information you need. If you haven't already told your colleagues about RxME, we invite you to do so today. But we understand if you don't. After all, there can ony be one "smartest person in the meeeting." Thank you for visiting RxME. Just be sure and visit QD -- because the most important brand you're building is You.® | ||
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