For effective pharmaceutical advertising you need to take off the lab coat. It might be intuitive to assume that regulation stomps creation, but structure can also be viewed as a firm jumping-off point. You need to colour within the guidelines.

There were two specific hurdles ahead of us at 3H when we partnered with global brand Johnson & Johnson to develop “Point it out”, a campaign for acne care product RETIN-A MICRO®: 1) Create a campaign that would speak to young adults while promoting a new OTC (over-the-counter) product, and 2) adhere to the strict guidelines of PAAB (Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board).

This campaign also achieved duality, speaking with authority while welcoming the attention of the target (young adults) with its contemporary approach. Our creative had to be crisp and efficient, so we made every element informative – pairing strong headline messaging with a striking visual that instantly communicated the product’s benefits.

Use clear messaging; use bold creative.

Pharmaceutical advertising