RX ADVERTISING SPENDING ON THE RISE
By Adnews Staff
Competitive Media Reporting of New York has reported that drug companies continued to reach the $1 billion mark in direct to consumer ad spending for prescription medications in 1998. The report, which calculates ad spending through all media, said drug companies spent $896.75 million(US) through September, up 32.3% for the same period a year earlier. The report also said the biggest increase came in network television advertising, where drug companies spent four times, or $289.09 million as much, compared to the same period in 1997. The top five companies were: Glaxo-Wellcome, spending $134.04 million during the nine month period, followed by Schering-Plough Corp., spending $129.94 million. Merck & Co. Inc., spending $127.49 million and Pfizer Inc., spending a total of $96.89 million. Eli Lilly & Co. came in at number five in terms of ad spending for the first three quarters although Eli increased its spending the most to $77.89 million, a jump of 537.2% over the first three quarters of 1997.