Xpectives News


To The Point-Ubrelvy

June 24, 2020 by Bob Ehrlich0

I like ads that are clear and get to the point. Ubrelvy, a new migraine drug from Allergan, now part of AbbVie, does clarity well. In what I would call a near OTC ad, Ubrelvy intro only took 45 seconds to tell its story. It is positioned as “The Anytime Anywhere Medicine”. That is an OTC like slogan. 


I had to watch this television ad several times to make sure it is a prescription drug. Fortunately for Ubrelvy, the side effects and risks are few and that allows for the 45-second time frame compared to 60 seconds or longer for most DTC. Ubrelvy also has a new 30-second ad and to do that, they cut the section about discussing the drug with your health care provider or using telemedicine as an option. From a messaging perspective, the 30-second ad delivers the selling points just as well as the 45-second spot.


Creatively, Ubrelvy uses a print ad like headline approach with on-screen graphics of the selling messages over scenes of migraine sufferers shown at different times of the day. It is shot in black and white with some color in the supers. The key selling point is ease of use as it is one pill that can stop migraines within two hours. 


There is no consumer print yet which is interesting given this headline approach adapts well to print. The digital approach is clear and concise as the website mirrors television. The website has more information on price support and disease education. It also can connect the patient directly to a telemedicine provider and get a prescription. There is a fee for that service that goes to the telemedicine service.


The consumer media plan is basically 98% spent on television with the rest digital. The new 30-second spot extends the efficiency compared to most DTC ads in the category which are 60 seconds. Ubrelvy is the perfect broadcast brand as the fair balance section needed only eight seconds compared to 25-30 for most brands. Ubrelvy has focused on a memorable slogan and has an easy to understand benefit. Many DTC brands are more complex and require more detailed explanation. Ubrelvy has the benefit of a category well established in consumer expectations for a treatment; that expectation is quick relief in an easy to use form. Simple, clear, and concise was Ubrelvy’s goal and that was accomplished in this campaign.

Bob Ehrlich
Chairman
DTC Perspectives, Inc.

Bob Ehrlich


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