Best of April 2024

Best of April 2024: Healthcare Marketing Borrows from the Hollywood Playbook

April showered us with some show-stopping work as healthcare marketing borrowed from the Hollywood playbook. It feels like we may be finally turning a corner from the "Pharmageddon" format of formulaic DTC spots that are almost indistinguishable from one another. This trend of leveraging Hollywood-style storytelling, unique content development partnerships and star power is notable because it represents a shift towards more engaging, memorable, and emotionally resonant campaigns that can break through the clutter and capture audiences' attention. Here’s three examples that stood out this month.

The Last Barf Bag

This documentary, released to coincide with Dramamine's 75th anniversary, takes a quirky and entertaining approach to explore the history of motion sickness and the rise of Dramamine. Through the eyes of oddball barf bag collectors, the film weaves together humor, nostalgia, and a strong whiff of mission to create a memorable and engaging story.

What makes this campaign effective is its focus on entertainment value first, and education second. By drawing viewers in with a playful, offbeat narrative, the film is able to hold attention and create an emotional connection before delivering its key messages about Dramamine's effectiveness. Marketers can learn from this approach and consider how to use storytelling and humor to make their campaigns more engaging and shareworthy. It’s not often you get so seduced by motion sickness and care enough about the future of the barf bag to dedicate 13 minutes of your life to it, but here we are.

Flonase and Bridgerton’s “Polin” Season

On the heels of Netflix’s hit show Bridgerton returning for it’s highly anticipated third-season, leading allergy brand Flonase unveiled a content partnership ad so clever it had the show’s legion of fans (“the Ton”) confused it was actually a trailer.

*Click image to view “Polin Has Taken Over the Ton”*

Quick confession, I greedily consumed the first season of Bridgeton but couldn’t make it through the second, so I do not currently identify as a “Ton-ie".” Judge as you must, I can recognize brilliant and innovative Pharma marketing partnerships when they come across my feed. The ad opens in all its period-piece glory as a group of ladies and gentlemen walk through a sunlit English garden while exchanging glances at one another and the local “press.” Soon enough, one picks up a purple flower for a sniff and sets off a chain of uncontrollable sneezing from the congregation. They quickly retreat to the local apothecary for the remedy, only to discover that it won’t be ready for 200 years. The spot was developed in partnership with Bridgerton creator Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland. It represents a fascinating piece of storytelling with a few sprays of strategic Pharma marketing genius mixed in.

Opzelura’s “Pursue It”

[ed note: while I’m certain this spot wasn’t released in April, or even in 2024, it seems to have ramped up visibility (at least in my sphere of algorithmic streaming viewership), so I’m including it here.]

In this spot, Morgan Freeman's iconic voice is used to deliver a powerful message of empowerment for vitiligo patients.

*Click image to view Opzelura’s “Pursue It”*

By framing the pursuit of pigment as a heroic quest, and using Freeman's commanding presence to convey authority and trust, the campaign creates an emotional connection with viewers and positions Opzelura as a proven solution.

The use of celebrity VO talent is particularly effective because it matches the tone and message of the campaign. Freeman's voice lends gravitas and credibility to the idea of vitiligo patients as unstoppable heroes on a mission and helps to create a sense of empathy and understanding for their journey. Marketers can take note of how carefully chosen celebrity partnerships can elevate a campaign and make it more impactful. Morgan’s commanding voice is matched with an empowering tone throughout the spot, as he concludes, “It’s time you had a proven choice to help restore what’s yours.”

Key Takeaways for Healthcare Marketers

These examples showcase the power of borrowing from or partnering with Hollywood to create healthcare campaigns that are more engaging, memorable, and emotionally resonant. By using techniques like storytelling, humor, and celebrity partnerships, marketers can break free from the formulaic approach of traditional DTC spots and create content that truly captures audiences' attention.

As this trend continues to gain momentum, we can expect to see more healthcare brands experimenting with Hollywood-style tactics to stand out in a crowded market. The key will be to find authentic, strategic ways to leverage these techniques that align with the brand's mission and values, and that put the needs and experiences of patients first.

With a bit more creativity, emotion, and star power, healthcare marketing has the potential to not only educate and inform, but also to entertain, inspire, and create lasting connections with audiences.