Are drug advertisements losing their zing?

According to Nielsen IAG, this year's pharmaceutical commercials have been far less memorable for consumers than drug ads aired in 2007, Brandweek reported Friday.

Nielsen IAG ranked the most-recalled prescription drug ads in 2007 and 2008, and found that consumer recall indexes for this year's pharma ads were significantly lower than indexes for the most memorable prescription drug commercials in 2007.

"The overall average has come down. A high bar was set, but now it's just not as high," Fariba Zamaniyan, Senior Vice President, healthcare, Nielsen IAG, told Brandweek. 

Zamaniyan attributed the dip in consumer recall of pharma ads to new, more conservative advertising strategies adopted by pharmaceuticals companies eager to avoid FDA scrutiny.