How do you explain to your wife that you signed the house away to the Bellagio and spent a couple grand in various adult establishments on your weekend get-a-way to Las Vegas? Well, if you have Restless Leg Syndrome, try telling her that the medication made you do it.

The more I pay attention to prescription drug commercials, the more I realize just how complicated it must be to create an advertising campaign for a product when you’re required to list all of its negative attributes. Some soft, soothing music and a friendly voiceover do a lot to help but it’s tough to get over some of the side effects (such as increased gambling, sexual urges and falling asleep at the wheel).

What do you think? Would prescription medication advertisements become more effective if they didn’t have to list the side effects on TV, or would other industries take a hit if they were required to list their products’ possible flaws?

Filed under: Campaign Critiques, Miscellaneous, Personal Opinions