• Brandweek, Thursday, February 15, 2007 1 PM

Johnson & Johnson's Centocor unit will unveil a documentary in theaters next week titled InnerState that follows patients with Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

It is hoped the movie will trigger patients with these conditions to ask their doctors about Remicade, a treatment for inflammatory disorders involving the immune system. But in addition to being unadvertised, InnerState does not mention Centocor or Remicade, a rep for the company says.

According to a preview posted on YouTube, the movie follows three patients--a singer and a racecar driver among them--and describes how they came to terms with their conditions.

The strategy is a significant change for the brand managers at Centocor. In 2005, they placed $13.5 million in consumer advertising behind the brand, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. But in 2006, that budget dropped to less than $1 million.

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