Physicians and patients underestimate promotional volume of Actonel

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that patients and physicians most frequently recall Roche's Boniva messages among the ten surveyed osteoporosis brands likely as a result of the Sally Field marketing campaign. Surveyed physicians most commonly recalled that Sally Field promoted the brand or that Boniva is available as a once-monthly dose. Surveyed patients remember specific details of the advertising campaign such as Sally Field playing with grandchildren; 40 percent of patients who have requested a brand request Boniva from their physicians.

"Roche's use of Sally Field as their spokesperson to promote Boniva has been highly effective. Our study shows that Boniva has the highest message appeal among surveyed brand messages, it highlights the top two patient resonance drivers and its promotional materials have high awareness among surveyed patients and physicians," stated Nicole Westphal, Ph.D., analyst and product manager at Decision Resources.

The new report entitled Brand Perceptions in Osteoporosis also finds that both physicians and patients underestimate the promotional volume of Sanofi-Aventis/Procter & Gamble's Actonel. The most heavily promoted brands are Actonel, with 32 percent of promotional spend, and Boniva, with 30 percent of promotional spend. However, surveyed physicians estimate that 37 percent of the promotional materials they have seen in the last month are for Boniva and 15 percent are for Actonel. Surveyed patients estimate that 50 percent of the promotional materials they have seen in the last month are for Boniva and 11 percent were for Actonel.

"Based on our survey results and analysis, Actonel and Boniva's 2008 overall promotional spend was very similar. However, Roche's success, particularly in the direct-to-consumer space, is probably attributed to the Sally Field promotional campaign. While patients and physicians find Actonel's messages appealing, they frequently attribute Actonel's message to Boniva in brand recall tests. These findings suggest that Actonel's messages are resonating with consumers, but that Sanofi-Aventis/Procter & Gamble needs to better differentiate the agent from Boniva in their promotional campaigns," added Dr. Westphal.