The secret science of how Ozempic and Jardiance get their names

Lifestyle

by michael kaplan

If you've ever found yourself absentmindedly humming the “Ooh-oh-oh-Ozempik” jingle, David Payton is to blame.

The singer-songwriter, formerly of the Bay City Rollers, co-wrote his band Pilot's 1975 hit “Magic,” and wrote about the trendy weight loss drugs that are constantly played on network television. The song was arranged and sung for a TV commercial.

“I've heard stories from doctors of patients singing songs even though they don't remember the names of their drugs,” a former product manager for pharmaceutical companies such as Merck and Pfizer told the Post. “Of course doctors verify the drug name, but they know what the patient is referring to. They've also seen the commercials.”

In fact, “one of the things that pharmaceutical advertising does is teach people It’s a brand name,” Adrian Farber, a researcher in pharmaceutical advertising, marketing and policy, told the Post. “Jingles are perfect for that.

“How do you learn your ABCs?” Through songs. How do you remember the names of medicines? Through song. The songs are very upbeat, even when talking about the disease and its terrible side effects. ”

(See: Jardiance, “a little pill with a big story to tell” and the crazy jingle.)

It could cost billions of dollars develop drugs, Therefore, it is essential to promote it. And it all starts with the name.

The process often begins with a list of about 1,000 names, said Scott Piagrossi, president of creative at Brand Institute, which names many drugs. “We're trying to create a name that's typical of proven names,” he told the Post. “They can be five to nine letters and two to four syllables.”

But it comes down to the exact characters.

“Say you have an oral drug instead of an injectable drug. Think about something that sounds like a liquid or has an O,” Fernando Fernandez, managing director of BX: Brand Experience Design Group, told the Post. Told. “He may add an X to the name if it is expected to further increase the effectiveness of the product.”

Research shows that consumers prefer taking drugs with the letter “Z” on them, which may have influenced the naming of Ozempic and Zepbound. “Some people say the Z and X make the name stand out and make it look unique,” ​​one major pharmaceutical company executive told the Post.

According to the Canadian Medical Journal, the letters X, Y, and Z are all Communicating “high tech and science” [sic] Sensitivity to drugs such as the sleeping pill Xanax.

There's another reason this executive loves Xanax. “Because it's a palindrome.” But, he says, “people had to learn to pronounce X as Z. They couldn't start with Z because the FDA thought they were promising too much about putting people to sleep.” Maybe,” he added.

The same drug may have multiple names depending on its use. For example, most of today's popular weight loss injectables started out as drugs for type 2 diabetes.

For example, Zepbound has the same formulation as the diabetes drug Mounjaro, and both Produced by Eli Lilly.

The company that came up with the name Zepbound is tight-lipped and its representatives won't even acknowledge doing the work, but one Big Pharma executive told the Post: ”

Similarly, Ozempic is approved to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, while Wigoby, which shares its main ingredient semaglutide with parent company Novo Nordisk, is aimed at weight loss.

“People are hesitant about taking drugs,” the medical advertising veteran told the Post. “You might wonder why you would take a diabetes drug to lose weight if you don't have diabetes. Weight loss drugs are often called different things, even if they are very close to the same thing. It has to be. The name Wegovy is playful, memorable, and clearly effective.”

Amy Schumer, Chelsea Handler and Sharon Osbourne all admit it. Use diabetic version for weight lossElon Musk, on the other hand, blamed his 20-pound weight loss on Wegobee and fasting.

Naming team members often “bring together the brand personality,” said the advertising industry veteran. “They might ask, 'If a drug was a car, would it be a Ferrari or a Mazda?'” Then they find names within those parameters. [and others]”

In the case of eyelash growth agent “Latisse” Promoted by Claire Danes, It had to sound sexier than Lumigan, a glaucoma drug that was born after it was discovered that growing eyelashes was a side effect of Lumigan.

Latisse is “almost in the world of cosmetics, so we focused on artistry and music while conveying the confidence and excitement that comes with having long eyelashes,” says Pierregrossi. Said. “The theme of the art was conveyed precisely because the eyelashes were sculpted.”

Many artistic names were considered, but the one that came out on top was “French painter and sculptor.'' [Henri] Matisse. He is in his name. Additionally, “La” is made up of the initials of the eyelashes, which makes it sound very feminine. ”

The strategy must have worked. From 2009 to 2018, Lattice more will be generated Annual sales are over $70 million.

“Research shows that if you ask for a specific drug, your doctor may try to kick you out of the exam room and prescribe only what you asked for,” the advertising industry veteran said. “After all, they'll give you what you want unless there's a very good reason.”