With consumers spending significantly more time researching health-related content – up 20.9 percent in the Ipsos Iris digital audience data for January 2025 – and increased scrutiny from the government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) watchdog team, those marketing health products must ensure their efforts are both accurate and effectively motivating the right consumers to buy for the right reasons.

In recent years, one of the biggest health stories has been the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss medications, including mega-brands Ozempic and Wegovy. Their impact has been positive on patients’ lives – reducing the risk of health complications such as heart disease and diabetes while helping individuals regain confidence and improve their quality of life*.

However, there is a darker side to this story, as businesses capitalise on the surging demand for weight loss solutions.

Examples include compounding pharmacies, telehealth prescribing and complementary medicines, which are either listed by the government’s TGA or known as ‘foods’. The latter trades off the back of the real treatment by claiming they are the ‘natural Ozempic’ and making weight loss claims without a huge amount of – or any – clinical data. The dangers these products potentially present include higher rates of heart attacks and stroke, palpitations, high blood pressure, constipation, insomnia, dizziness and anxiety. 

While these are extreme examples, the TGA is cracking down on advertisers who are targeting consumers with incorrect marketing messages and in ways that are against the Code of Conduct. In one case, a media company was also fined for promoting cannabis telehealth consultations directly to consumers. 

Protecting consumer safety is ultimately the goal. For those of us working in the health category, the majority, of course, would feel strongly about their products being used appropriately by the right audience. However, this is where we need to tread carefully. Research has shown that 60 percent of Australians have a low level of health literacy. So, while consumers are researching health topics more than ever, they may not understand what they are reading, what the treatment is for and for whom, and may incorrectly conclude that the product is right for them without turning to professional advice.

Couple that with the cost of living crisis driving down health care professional (HCP) visits, and you get the perfect storm of people choosing over-the-counter options that are easier to access but may not be right for them.

So, as brand managers, advertisers and agency teams, what can we do?

• Know where your brand sits — is it a scheduled medicine listed by the TGA and therefore bound by the Code of Conduct? Or is it classified as a food product? 

For example, you cannot promote a prescription-only medication to consumers. Products available on the shelf in a pharmacy are subject to different rules – for example, children’s paracetamol is treated differently to, say, an iron supplement or vitamin sachets. 

• Understand the Code of Conduct and advertising standards

The Code of Conduct sets out minimum requirements for advertising therapeutic goods to the public.

It’s not straightforward, so if in doubt, consult your company’s legal or medical team or a professional or peak body, such as Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, for more information. 

• What is on your packaging should serve as your foundation

From there, you can create engaging and creative content to educate consumers about your product’s benefits, how to use it, and who it’s for.

Read on for some great tips for building creative and accurate content for over-the-counter health products. 

• Specific regulations around testimonials and endorsements 

Particularly relevant for PR and social media are the rules governing who can provide testimonials and endorsements for products, as well as how they can be presented. Be sure to consult someone who understands the regulations well before proceeding. 

Tips for building great health content

Real user stories 

There is nothing more emotive than your health. We find that people are often very loyal to a product once they’ve found something that works. Collaborating with your product fans is a powerful way to create authentic content that delivers real impact.  It’s a great idea to check out who your super fans are on your social channels. Most of the time, they are more than happy to get involved! A great method is to have ‘fireside chats’ or use an interview-based method. 

Before proceeding, ensure you understand the correct regulations for your brand. Ensure you follow the testimonials and endorsements clause. You may need to add a statement about the stories being paid/sponsored posts. This Bio Oil ad is a good example.

Elevate quirky features to stand out

Health products can often come with some quirky features, such as a hard-to-say name, a tiny pack that can be hidden on the shelf, or a weird texture. If this feature differentiates your brand, why not make use of it? After all, it is distinctive and memorable. This can be a great way to build a bit of humour in your content, too – if this is the right tone for the brand and audience.

Take the tiny red bottles of FerroGrad C as an example. These formed the entire campaign idea. In the recent Kenalog content series, we focused on a purchase barrier for the brand: it is kept behind the counter and not visible on the shelf. This inspired the content idea – a ‘secret’ for mouth ulcers worth sharing.

Be consistent across your channels

While you should ensure your content is channel-appropriate, it is important to be consistent in your message over time and across channels. 

Brands that chop and change their messaging, what they stand for, or change their brand tone of voice or visual assets too frequently, lose in a world of too much content and communication. 

Being consistent in a health brand helps your customers keep choosing you as it assists building credibility, trust and retaining brand awareness in cluttered categories.

If you feel tempted to overhaul your brand, ensure you understand the core beliefs and what is working about your brand before throwing everything out. 

And finally, it’s important to remember that you can still have fun with your brand while being responsible. We are, after all, in the business of creativity. As we say at DDB, creativity is the most powerful force in business.

*All medications come with side effects and should only be taken with the advice of a healthcare professional. Ozempic/Wegovy is a prescription-only medication available only with a prescription from a healthcare professional. 

Amanda Fuller  is managing partner at DDB Remedy, the DDB Group’s health and wellness arm. She represents the Advertising Council of Australia at the TGACC’s consultative committee and is the 2024 winner of the Women in Business Client Service award. This contributor piece is solely the opinion of the contributor. 

From health claims to environmental claims, marketers need to keep up with changes in legislation and standards. Read more about the updates to the Environmental Claims Code.