Attack Ads
TV Spot Aims for the Heart of the Super Bowl's Couch Potatoes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, February 13, 2007; Page HE03
Tucked among the Super Bowl ads that featured two auto mechanics who find themselves gnawing on the same candy bar and a fur-coated Kevin Federline hawking insurance was an unlikely spot with a rare public health message: Do something about your high blood pressure.
The 60-second ad, aimed at the millions sprawled on their sofas stuffing their faces with chips, pizza and beer, was eye-catching. It starred a man sporting a red heart costume and carrying a briefcase being jumped by assailants wearing placards emblazoned with "high cholesterol," "overweight" and other risk factors linked to stroke and heart attack.
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The ad -- sponsored by King Pharmaceuticals, which makes a leading blood pressure drug known as Altace -- is designed to nudge viewers to take an online quiz developed jointly by the company and the American Heart Association. The quiz assesses individual risk factors for heart attack, stroke and kidney disease -- all consequences of long-standing hypertension. English and Spanish versions of the quiz are available at http:/
To take the quiz, people must know their blood pressure. Health officials consider readings of 120/80 mm Hg or higher to be elevated. The site offers tips about reducing it through the usual means: a healthy diet and exercise. Drugs are prominently displayed on the site but not explicitly mentioned.
An estimated one in three Americans has high blood pressure, and public health officials believe that one-third of them are unaware of it, because the condition may not cause symptoms.
The goal of the ad was to "break through the clutter" and reach the largest possible audience, said Steve Andrzejewski, chief commercial officer for King Pharmaceuticals, which is based in Bristol, Tenn. ·
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