Tired of restless nights? Ever feel like nothing you try actually works? What if you could find lasting relief without the side effects?” From catchy slogans to lengthy lists of medical disclaimers, direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical advertisements appear constantly throughout everyday life. This research project examines the impact of DTC pharmaceutical advertising on consumer awareness of the drug or illness featured in these commercials, with a central focus on whether analytical comparison using online metrics supports or contradicts the results of previous findings with alternate methods. It will assess whether the funds spent on such advertising meaningfully contribute to producing lasting health effects through expanded medication consumption.

The study will employ a novel methodological approach that contrasts previous methodologies that solely rely on self-reported or hypothetical behavior with internet-based research and statistical analysis of open-access data. Awareness and public interest will be measured using online platforms such as Google Trends, records of advertisement airtimes from closed-caption tracking databases, and social media keyword frequency to track the spread and persistence of advertisement acknowledgement over time. By analyzing these publicly available datasets, the project will evaluate the correlations among advertisement airtime, online public interest, and prescription behavior. The final product will be an informed report that demonstrates the extent to which DTC advertising influences public awareness as determined by an analysis of open-access data.