Correct on One Go
Inspection Board I Newsletter 1/2011
Magnifying glass in hand
This is the reason why the preliminary TV spot inspection generates an extra cost of over 1,000 euro in half of the cases for half the companies, not to mention the additional costs incurred for the advertising agency services. For too many decades, the sad way of presenting the statutory information has been by far the most common reason for the rejection of the TV spots. However, the companies advertising on the radio know very well how to highlight the statutory information and so very few radio spots need to be revised.
The spot is designed by an advertising professional, another professional inspects it, but it is the layperson who is supposed to receive the message. He or she depends on the information provided by the pharmaceutical advertisement. Therefore, the statutory information is a vital part of the main message in the spot. It is in the best interest of the company to convey its message so that the consumer can choose the medicine that suits the individual needs.
The Inspection Board requires that the statutory information is clearly presented. The Code of Ethics or the rulings by the Inspection Board, for that matter, do not require that the entire statutory information be crammed in the very last frame of the spot. Some of the text might even be in spoken form, depending on the case. The essential information guiding the consumer towards the correct and safe use of the medicine must be both in spoken and written form.
The visibility of the statutory information depends on many factors. A TV spot does not necessarily get a thumbs up if the font size is the same as in the previously accepted spot. Besides the font size, other factors contributing to clarity include font colour, spacing, background movements, screen duration and amount of information. It is advisable to divide the information in different frames, and if you have the slightest doubts about readability, add a background bar for your statutory information.
Read aloud: take the statutory text included in the forecast version of the TV spot, and read it aloud in the time available. Reading aloud helps to see if the statutory information has been given so that the receiver has no difficulty in taking in the facts provided in the spot. The meeting room used by the Inspection Board I has a TV set at a recommended viewing distance. If you read the statutory information from your computer screen, it may look very clear and easily understandable, but you should also ensure the quality in normal TV viewing conditions.
Let’s talk about this – the Inspection Board is looking forward to hearing from you!