Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Medication Advertisements and Use of Different Types of Media

Abstract

The authors are not aware of any research for Internet social media direct-to-consumer prescription medication advertisements (DTCA) related to consumer behavior. The authors study (n=635) the association of traditional and digital media DTCA including Internet social media with the intentions to seek and behavior of obtaining additional information about a prescription medication after seeing a DTCA. This research found that advertisements seen on traditional/cable television were associated with decreased behavior. Advertisements seen on Internet television were associated with increased behavior. Seeking additional information of reading print content on the Internet was associated with increased behavior. No social media advertisements were associated with either intentions or behavior. Companies designing Internet and social media advertising platforms, pharmaceutical brand managers, and pharmaceutical marketers should consider these findings when tailoring their DTCA campaigns.