STAMFORD, CT: Purdue Pharma, makers of OxyContin, the nefarious
cancer pain medication known as "Hillbilly Heroin," has created a
campaign that warns teenagers about the dangers of prescription drug
abuse.
The educational initiative, created with North Castle Partners, the
children's advertising agency that created the "Snap into a Slim Jim"
slogan, is being tested in four US cities, including Cincinnati,
Philadelphia, Palm Beach, FL, and Charleston, WV.
The nonbranded initiative, entitled "Painfully Obvious," warns about the
dangers of misusing prescription medications such as Codeine, Valium,
Vicodin, Dilaudid, and Fentanyl.
"Children 12 to 17 are among the fastest-growing group experimenting
with prescription drugs," said Robin Hogen, executive director of public
affairs for Purdue Pharma. "We wanted to send the message that if you
want to be a social outcast, do these drugs, because it will only create
uncool behavior."
In particular, Vicodin, made by Abbott Laboratories, has been associated
with a number of celebrities who have admitted to abusing the drug,
including actor Matthew Perry and singer/actress Courtney Love.
Purdue Pharma created public service announcements on radio stations in
the pilot cities to drive traffic to the website, painfullyobvious.com,
which has a variety of downloadable support material. The group also
sent out kits that included CDs with posters, brochures, and leadership
guides.
The campaign highlights prescription addiction and its side effects,
including projectile vomiting, shakes, sweating, and "explosive
diarrhea."
"The media is asking if this is a good initiative, and I say that it's
currently the only prescription-drug-abuse plan targeting teens," said
Hogen.
Other communication initiatives that Purdue Pharma have taken include
hiring Landon Gibbs, the ex-head of the Virginia drug division unit, who
goes to conventions to speak to law enforcement agencies and police
departments to help them spot prescription-drug abusers.
Purdue Pharma has hired two new agencies to help out with its
communications efforts: Dewey Square Group in Tampa, FL and Harris
Deville in Baton Rouge, LA.
Hogen is optimistic that the barrage of negative attention surrounding
OxyContin is starting to abate. "We are a victim of being the drug du
jour. We're the newest kid on the block, and some of these other drugs
such as Vicodin have been around for twenty years," said Hogen. "We feel
that we have a responsibility to help educate about this problem. But we
also want the public to understand that there are 50 million chronic
pain sufferers in this country, and we want the media to tell their
story as well."
