Media Credibility and Informativeness of Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising

Abstract In this article, we report the results of a study conducted to determine consumer perceptions of the media credibility and informativeness of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising (DTC advertising) and to examine how those perceptions are influenced by consumer predispositions and demographic characteristics, especially consumer age. This study specifically surveyed older consumers, who are the most significant market segment for prescription drugs and particularly susceptible and vulnerable to commercial persuasion. Older consumers' perceptions of DTC advertising were found to be neutral but their evaluation of informativeness was found to be more positive. Attitude toward DTC advertising and DTC advertising familiarity predicted perceived credibility across various media and attitude toward DTC advertising was the most prominent predictor of perceived informativeness. Age and usage of different media were also found to predict credibility and informativeness of DTC advertising in certain types of media. This study's findings provide insight into how older consumers evaluate various DTC advertising media as an information source.

[1]  W. Gantz,et al.  The influence of researcher methods on television and newspaper news credibility evaluations , 1981 .

[2]  Timothy B. Heath,et al.  The Cognitive Processing of Misleading Advertising in Young and Old Adults: Assessment and Training , 1987 .

[3]  Catherine A. Cole,et al.  Encoding and Media Effects on Consumer Learning Deficiencies in the Elderly , 1987 .

[4]  M. Slater,et al.  How Message Evaluation and Source Attributes May Influence Credibility Assessment and Belief Change , 1996 .

[5]  Michael O. Wirth,et al.  Newspaper vs. TV Credibility for Local News , 1977 .

[6]  M. Hollon.  Direct-to-consumer marketing of prescription drugs: creating consumer demand. , 1999, JAMA.

[7]  Wayne M. Towers,et al.  Media Advertising Credibility , 1976 .

[8]  Jerry Wind,et al.  What kind of patients and physicians value direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs , 2000, Health care management science.

[9]  The Decision Process and Media-Related Interactions of the Elderly: A Synthesis of Findings , 1991 .

[10]  P. Knowles.  Understanding the Older Consumer – The Grey Market , 2000 .

[11]  How the elderly perceive television commercials. , 1980, The Journal of communication.

[12]  Ernest F. Larkin,et al.  Consumer Perceptions of the Media and their Advertising Content , 1979 .

[13]  L. Becker,et al.  Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising: understanding its consequences , 2005 .

[14]  W. Pride,et al.  Advertisement pacing and the learning of marketing information by the elderly , 1991 .

[15]  W. Pines.  A history and perspective on direct-to-consumer promotion. , 1999, Food and drug law journal.

[16]  M. Sirgy,et al.  The Elderly Audience: Correlates of Television Orientation , 1989 .

[17]  The purchase decision process and involvement of the elderly regarding nonprescription products. , 1998, Health marketing quarterly.

[18]  Joel J. Davis.  Riskier Than We Think? The Relationship Between Risk Statement Completeness and Perceptions of Direct to Consumer Advertised Prescription Drugs , 2000, Journal of health communication.

[19]  J. R. Williams,et al.  Direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs. , 1995, Journal of health care marketing.

[20]  A. Masson,et al.  Plugs for drugs. , 1986, Regulation.

[21]  G. Zinkhan,et al.  Consumers'Attention to the Brief Summary in Print Direct-to-Consumer Advertisements: Perceived Usefulness in Patient–Physician Discussions , 2003 .

[22]  Information Processing and the Older Consumer: Marketing and Public Policy Implications , 1982 .

[23]  M. Montagne.  Drug Advertising and Promotion: An Introduction , 1992 .

[24]  R. R. Brand,et al.  Marketing to older patients: perceptions of service quality. , 1998, Health marketing quarterly.

[25]  Philip Gendall,et al.  Direct-to-Consumer Advertising down Under: An Alternative Perspective and Regulatory Framework , 2002 .

[26]  Carolyn M. Brown,et al.  Relationship between direct-to-consumer advertising and physician diagnosing and prescribing. , 2002, American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

[27]  D. Commerce.  Statistical abstract of the United States , 1978 .

[28]  W. Michael Dickson,et al.  Direct to Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising: Consumer Attitudes and Physician Reaction , 1987 .

[29]  Louis A. Morris,et al.  A Segmentation Analysis of Prescription Drug Information-Seeking Motives among the Elderly , 1992 .

[30]  Arthur A. Raney,et al.  An Experimental Investigation of News Source and the Hostile Media Effect , 2003 .

[31]  Carol M. Morgan,et al.  Segmenting the mature market : identifying, targeting and reaching America's diverse, booming senior markets , 1993 .

[32]  S. Allison-Ottey,et al.  "To do no harm" survey of NMA physicians regarding perceptions on DTC advertisements. National Medical Association. , 2002, Journal of the National Medical Association.

[33]  Nancy Stephens.  The Effectiveness of Time-Compressed Television Advertisements with Older Adults , 1982 .

[34]  S. Kopp,et al.  Advertising Prescription Drugs to the Public: Headache or Relief? , 1990 .

[35]  J B Mason,et al.  Profiling the shopping behavior of elderly consumers. , 1978, The Gerontologist.

[36]  Wendy Macias,et al.  A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER (DTC) PRESCRIPTION DRUG WEB SITES , 2003 .

[37]  Pharmaceutical Company Internet Sites As Sources of Information About Antidepressant Medications , 2002, CNS drugs.

[38]  W. Bearden,et al.  Racial Differences in Perceptions of Media Advertising Credibility , 1979 .

[39]  S. Coney.  Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Pharmaceuticals: A Consumer Perspective from New Zealand , 2002 .

[40]  G. Zinkhan,et al.  Direct-to-Consumer Advertising and its Utility in Health Care Decision Making: A Consumer Perspective , 2004, Journal of health communication.

[41]  Pines Wl.  A history and perspective on direct-to-consumer promotion. , 1999 .

[42]  Spiro K. Kiousis,et al.  Public Trust or Mistrust? Perceptions of Media Credibility in the Information Age , 2001 .

[43]  S. Kopp,et al.  Benefit and Risk Information in Prescription Drug Advertising , 2000, Health marketing quarterly.

[44]  M. R. Phillips,et al.  Age differences in memory for radio advertisements: the role of mnemonics , 2001 .

[45]  R. Kravitz,et al.  The educational value of consumer-targeted prescription drug print advertising. , 2000, The Journal of family practice.

[46]  M. Perri,et al.  An exploratory analysis of consumer recognition of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription medications. , 1987, Journal of health care marketing.

[47]  C. Yoon.  Age Differences in Consumers' Processing Strategies: An Investigation of Moderating Influences , 1997 .

[48]  J. Lexchin,et al.  Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs: The Evidence Says No , 2002 .

[49]  Amitava Chattopadhyay,et al.  Music and Information in Commercials: Their Effects with an Elderly Sample , 1991 .

[50]  C. Nass,et al.  Differential Criteria for Evaluating Credibility of Newspapers and TV News , 1989 .

[51]  J. Calfee.  Public Policy Issues in Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs , 2002 .

[52]  Bruce H. Westley,et al.  Some Correlates of Media Credibility , 1964 .

[53]  M. Hoy.  Switch Drugs Vis-à-Vis Rx and OTC: Policy, Marketing, and Research Considerations , 1994 .

[54]  Exploring the Persuasive Effects of a Commercial For a Pharmaceutical Product: the Elderly Vs. Young Adults , 1998 .

[55]  Philip Meyer,et al.  Defining and Measuring Credibility of Newspapers: Developing an Index , 1988 .

[56]  M S Wilkes,et al.  Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising: trends, impact, and implications. , 2000, Health affairs.

[57]  Erik P. Bucy,et al.  Media Credibility Reconsidered: Synergy Effects between On-Air and Online News , 2003 .

[58]  W. Cooley,et al.  Multivariate Data Analysis. , 1973 .

[59]  G. Zinkhan,et al.  Trust in Online Prescription Drug Information Among Internet Users , 2003, Health marketing quarterly.

[60]  Catherine A. Cole,et al.  Age Differences in Information Processing: Understanding Deficits in Young and Elderly Consumers , 1986 .

[61]  A. Ostry,et al.  Direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising in Canada: permission by default? , 2003, CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne.

[62]  Leonard N. Reid,et al.  Satisfaction with the Informational Value of Magazine and Television Advertising , 1983 .

[63]  S. Findlay.  Direct-to-consumer promotion of prescription drugs. Economic implications for patients, payers and providers. , 2001, PharmacoEconomics.

[64]  R. Pitts,et al.  The appropriateness of fear appeal use for health care marketing to the elderly: Is it OK to scare granny? , 1993, Journal of business ethics : JBE.

[65]  L. Phillips,et al.  Age Differences in Information Processing: A Perspective on the Aged Consumer , 1977 .

[66]  C. Schewe,et al.  Communicating with the elderly consumer: the growing health care challenge. , 1989, Journal of health care marketing.

[67]  S. Sansgiry,et al.  How the elderly and young adults differ in the decision making process of nonprescription medication purchases. , 1996, Health marketing quarterly.

[68]  Alice E. Courtney,et al.  Advertising in America: The Consumer View , 1969 .