# What’s up with prescription drug ads all being the same?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-up-with-prescription-drug-ads-all-being-the-same/967650>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Tags:** commercials-ads\
**Created:** [July 9, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-up-with-prescription-drug-ads-all-being-the-same/967650 "2022-07-09T02:26:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-up-with-prescription-drug-ads-all-being-the-same/967650/21 "2022-07-10T17:15:37Z")

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I was on my GP’s website the other day and followed a link to an NHS report on their performance.

They were criticised for prescribing a too-high proportion of particular brands rather than using the correct non-proprietary titles for the required medication. Apparently, they failed to reach the 80% target.

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**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-up-with-prescription-drug-ads-all-being-the-same/967650/22 "2022-07-10T18:39:37Z")

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Except that I don’t happen to remember which of the two drugs you mentioned used that campaign, and it certainly wouldn’t have swayed me to choose it, if I ever happened to need such a product.

But yes, it’s a truism in marketing that even ads that people hate can be effective. A sad commentary on human nature.

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