• Brandchannel , Monday, January 26, 2009 11:15 AM

The imagery in the advertising for the three ED drugs on the market -- Viagra, Levitra and Cialis -- is strikingly similar, writes Barry Silverstein, although the "Viva Viagra" song recently has differentiated that brand from its rivals, and Cialis can claim that it is longer lasting. The sameness of the ads is not surprising -- after all, all three brands treat the same condition and essentially have the same side effects and risks, which must be stated in the advertising.

The larger question is whether prescription drugs should be advertised directly to consumers at all -- a practice that's allowed only in the U.S. and New Zealand. Since beginning here in 1996, DTC has grown into a $4 billion business annually. Congress is currently looking into such issues as whether celebrities should be used to promote prescription drugs.

If the pharmaceutical companies are able to withstand governmental scrutiny, they face three challenges in making their brands memorable: 1. What's with the names? They all sound alike. 2. The advertising is generally dull. 3. How can they recite possible side effects without scaring the bejeezus out of potential customers?

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