King Highlights Popular Blood Pressure Drug in Super Bowl Ad

An advertisement aired during Sunday's Super Bowl has been linked to King Pharmaceuticals, who make the popular blood pressure medicine Altace.

The ad has been criticized both for how it seems to carefully shield its true aim, and for its expense - more than $4 Million, or nearly 80% of the company's total ad budget for 2005. Contrary to a traditional ad, the King ad features only an endorsement of a website that it cosponsors through the American Heart Association. No mention of the company or the product is made.

However, Steve Andrzejewski, the pharma company's cheif commercial officer, is very clear that he expects the ad and website combination to result in more sales of Altace. Andrzejewski says, "Well, after people take the quiz [on the website], they are asked to take it to their doctor and have a conversation with them." This, in turn, is hoped to lead to higher Altace sales.

Altace is a brand name version of an ACE Inhibitor, an effective high blood pressure medicaiton. ACE Inhibitors are available in generic form.