Lundbeck and Otsuka have taken a softer, more empathetic approach in their initial branded advertisement for Rexulti, targeting dementia-related agitation. This marks a notable departure from their earlier awareness campaign, which had a more intense and discordant tone. Instead of focusing on the distressing aspects of the condition, the new ad highlights the enduring love that children have for their parents as Alzheimer’s disease takes its toll.
In May, the partnership received FDA approval for Rexulti’s use in dementia-related agitation, and they subsequently ran an unbranded ad in July to raise awareness about the condition. This earlier campaign featured drastic shifts in tone, oscillating between a soothing piano melody and dissonant sounds while narrating the transformation of caregivers’ hands from comforting to potentially violent.
For their inaugural branded TV commercial within this specific indication, Lundbeck and Otsuka opted for a more gentle and compassionate approach to convey the experience of witnessing a loved one’s decline due to dementia-related agitation. The ad opens with a scene of a woman sitting with her mother, zooming in on their interaction as a voice-over declares, “My mom’s Alzheimer’s never changed how much we love her, but it did change her.” The ad then portrays the mother’s agitation, with both characters appearing as shadows, and the daughter’s efforts to soothe her.
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While this ad effectively communicates the symptoms associated with dementia-related agitation, it does so in a far more compassionate manner compared to the earlier disease awareness video. A piano provides a consistent musical backdrop, gradually intensifying in tempo as the ad demonstrates the positive impact of seeking help from the mom’s doctor.
Following the appearance of the Rexulti label, the ad portrays a touching moment where the shadow dissipates from the mother’s face. In the subsequent scene, her daughter lovingly places a blanket over her shoulders outdoors. There’s a brief instance where the mother wanders off, but she returns calmly to her seat under her daughter’s gentle guidance. The ad concludes with a heartwarming scene of the mother peacefully sitting outside, surrounded by her loved ones, as they watch family videos on a projector.
This advertisement signifies a strategic escalation in Lundbeck and Otsuka’s efforts to leverage the expanded label, which now includes the treatment of dementia-related agitation. It’s worth noting that Rexulti contributed significantly to Lundbeck’s revenue, generating 2.85 billion Danish kroner ($402 million) in the previous year.
