The opponents remain the same: In one corner, onychomycosis, a fungal infection personified by Digger the Dermatophyte, an animated miscreant. In the other, 350 million consumer toes, with only Lamisil tablets standing between them and thickened, discolored, split or warped toenails.
But the battle has entered a new phase: This month, Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp. is scheduled to roll out a second wave of TV ads, part of a $25 million campaign urging consumers to get more information about this fungal infection.
A version of the 60-second commercial has been running since mid-April. But the new ad will place a stronger emphasis on the two calls to action (877-NAILSRX and www.lamisil.com).
Consumers visiting the Web site or phoning the call center receive a packet that contains information about general nail care as well as treatment for onychomycosis, and a $10 discount offer.
Additionally, online respondents can fill out a quiz, which they can then print out and bring to their doctor’s office.
Reactions to the initial ads will determine where the direct response version will be placed. Christine Sakdalan, brand marketing manager for Lamisil, indicated that buys for the May ads will focus more on local programming, as opposed to the campaign’s national reach during its first month.
The creative will be very similar to the original commercial, with the exception of presenting the response mechanisms earlier in the piece (they currently appear just before Digger is run over by a giant Lamisil pill).
The decision to go with an animated ad came out of Novartis’ desire to break through the sameness of pharmaceutical advertising. When Deutsch New York took the Lamisil tablets account over from Lowe Lintas & Partners Worldwide in late 2002, the agency was faced with the task of changing consumers’ perception of the fungus from a surface malady to an under-the skin disease.
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