The role of advertising in branding pharmaceuticals

Abstract

We live in a world where the branding of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) surrounds us almost wherever we are, most notably through the medium of advertising. In sharp contrast to this, the world of prescription pharmaceuticals is, in the main, just starting to embrace this phenomenon. Despite this, the debate as to whether the pharmaceutical industry can really succeed in creating brands out of its products through advertising, or whether it even needs to, has gone on for many years. The issue appears to revolve around what we mean by branding through advertising.