AbselonTaylor (AT), the ad agency responsible for the innovative and multi-award winning “Your Dreams Miss You” Rozerem DTC campaign (see here, here, and here), failed to move Takeda with a similar advertising plan for Amitiza, the Japanese drug company’s anti-constipation medication.
According to an inside source speaking anonymously to this reporter, AT’s failed pitch revolved around the theme “Your Bowel Movement Misses You “Your Dreams Miss You” made famous by the ,” which is reminiscent of the tag lineRozerem campaign that feature dream images of Abe Lincoln, a beaver, a deep sea diver, and a purple pony (not all in the same dream).
This reporter was able to obtain a copy of a print ad storyboard that AT presented during the ill-fated Amitiza pitch (see below).
The concept featured an image of a Bristol Type 2 “sausage” stool — indicative of constipation — with the head of a beaver and surrounded by a halo of Type 1 “hard nuts” stools — also indicative of constipation. The beaver head delivers the strong message that you should talk to your doctor if your stool looks like him (or her; this reporter cannot ascertain the sex of the stool)!
[To learn more about the Bristol Stool Scale, see the Amitiza “Symptom Tracker” or read this wikipedia entry.]
“We’re really disappointed that the Amitiza team could not get beyond the toilet jokes and see the potential of this campaign to capture viewers’ attention and create buzz,” lamented Dale Taylor, president of AT.
In the end, Takeda went with Publicis’ Glow Worm to launch its Amitiza DTC campaign (see “Amitiza DTC seeks to move constipation sufferers“).
Not only is Amitiza Takeda’s #2 drug in terms of indication, it is #2 in terms of sales as well (IMS data not available; but you can look it up on Cafe Pharma if you don’t believe this reporter.).
“We think the sales numbers speak volumes in support of our decision to go with Publicis’ Glow Worm vs. AbelsonTaylor,” noted Aimee Berner, marketing director, gastroenterology at Takeda, which co-markets the drug with Sucampo Pharmaceuticals. “We certainly didn’t want another constipated — ROI-wise — campaign on our hands like the one for Rozerem.”
“Our creative for the Amitiza campaign may not win us awards,” said Amy GoodTurd, senior account rep for Glow Worm, “but it sure caused movement in the market!”
