Makers of popular birth control and birth control methods have ramped up their advertising efforts on social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, as well as various streaming platforms, as discussions continue over the future of abortion in the United States.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in June, Brands like Plan B, Phexxi and Favor have doubled online advertising in some cases Even quadruple to reach and educate consumers, while also combating misinformation about women’s health. The figures also show how spending has changed in the weeks following the high court ruling and paint a picture of the online battleground outside the subject of abortion.
Spending increased
According to Pathmatics, which tracks spending on social media, OTT devices and other formats such as mobile display and desktop According to the data provided, spending by a group of 13 top contraceptive advertisers nearly doubled last month, from $2.74 million in June to $5.25 million in July on video ads. Advertisers spent a total of $552,000 a week after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, $1.3 million the week after, and $2.78 million the week after. According to Pathmatics, several major contraceptive companies spent more on advertising in the second quarter of 2022 than in the first quarter. For example, Foundation Consumer Healthcare, the creator of Plan B, increased ad spending to $2.734 million from $2.2 million in the first quarter of 2022. AbbVie Inc. increased Lo Loestrin’s ad spend from $997,000 to $1.46 million. TherapeuticsMD, which owns Anvera, nearly increased its payout from $484,000 to $958,000, while Evofem Biosciences increased Phexxi’s payout from $103,000 to $202,000. (Digiday reached out to each company for comment and other background information on the spending shift, but did not receive a response.) Another company that has increased advertising is Favor, a direct-to-consumer birth control provider , which changed its name from The Pill Club earlier this year. While the company wouldn’t disclose its ad spending, data from Pathmatics showed Favor’s spending increased fivefold from $72,000 in the first quarter to $415,000 in the second. In addition to focusing on outdoor advertising in states most likely to be impacted by court rulings, Favor has partnered with dozens of influencers to show audiences across the country – by recruiting more you can address social issues of people to go beyond their typical lifestyle content creators. For example, Favor teamed up with comedian Liz Plank, lawyer Alicia Luncheon and app developer Sofia Ongele to interview random people about reproductive rights and post the video on TikTok and Instagram. Favor marketing director Lauren Scrima said in an interview: “We want to point out that it’s absurd for a stranger to make decisions on your body’s behalf, asking a politician or the average person on the street to have a vasectomy.” What if you don’t have a choice? Because it’s similar to a concept we’ve seen with abortion rights.”
Contraceptive ad spend is highest by platform, according to Pathmatics
- OTT Ads: $7.6 million
- Instagram: $3.7 million
- TikTok: $2.3 million
- Snapchat: $2.2 million
Facebook: $4.4 million
according to Bayer Healthcare, which owns Kyleena, also doubled its ad spend from $681,000 in the first quarter to $1.38 million in the second quarter, according to Pathmatics. However, from May to June, spending fell from $624,000 to $441,000. Although Bayer declined to be interviewed, a spokesperson said in an email that the company is “firmly committed to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility” and that “the importance of contraception and education is our constant throughout the year. Advertising strategy.” So far, much of the discussion since the court’s ruling has focused on abortion, but UC Irvine law professor Michelle Goodwin said there are other questions about how the outcome might affect other issues. , such as contraceptive use, people do not pay enough attention. Companies that make and sell products like IUDs and Plan B have a vested interest in ensuring the public is properly informed about their safety and effectiveness, said Goodwin, author of the 2020 book “Managing the Womb.” Additionally, potential state bans on contraceptives have sounded alarm bells for companies that offer them. Goodwin said, “It’s as if the Supreme Court had a decision on gasoline vehicles, but somehow implied that it might also ban some forms of electric vehicles.”
Dealing with misinformation and other topics
While some industries can quickly create new marketing messages that adapt to current events, there is a need for every ad they want to run It’s not easy for a highly regulated pharmaceutical brand approved by the FDA. Andrea Palmer, president of Publicis Health Media, said some contraceptive advertisers are moving money to TikTok and other platforms where people talk about women’s health topics like abortion and contraception. In addition to embracing cultural conversations, she says marketing helps combat misinformation about these topics: “You can find YouTube videos to support anything — it’s scary.” “Over the past few years, Misinformation has always been a hot topic and a hot topic,” Palmer said. “While this is not surprising, it amplifies the need for brand marketers to think about how money should follow the conversation.” Misinformation has been a growing concern for marketers, women’s health advocates, and researchers. For example, a recent report by NewsGuard found more than 100 abortion-related misinformation videos on TikTok that garnered about 18 million people and more than 3 million likes. Analysts also found examples of accounts bypassing TikTok censors or appearing in Google searches. Not every contraceptive manufacturer is increasing. Brands that pulled back in the second quarter included Merck & Co, which cut ad spending on Nexplanon from $1.5 million to $879,000, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, which cut spending on its Paragard brand from $759,000 to $547,000. Probably one of the most notable shifts so far this year is Trojan condom owner Church & Dwight Co. According to a Digiday analysis of Pathmatics data, Trojan spent $2.1 million on advertising in the first quarter of 2022, but only spent $99,000 in the second quarter and $142,000 in July. (The company did not respond to a request for comment on its ad spend or marketing strategy.) Questions remain unanswered about how the Supreme Court ruling on abortion could make room for states to ban all forms of contraceptive advertising . Goodwin, a UCI law professor, also noted other cases in the 1970s that the Supreme Court ruled just a few years after Roe v. Wade. For example, a landmark 1977 decision in Carey v. Population Services International declared that New York State’s ban on contraceptive advertising was unconstitutional. “One of the disturbing aspects of these times is that after Dobbs, there was a lot to reclassify,” she said.
https://digiday.com/?p=460333
