Replicating the Advertising-Empowerment-Model: Does Drug Advertising Empower Consumers?
(A2022-107505)

AUTHORS

Isabell Koinig, University of Klagenfurt; Sandra Diehl, Alpen-Adria-University Klagenfurt; Barbara Mueller, San Diego State University

ABSTRACT

Due to current trends, such as aging populations, and shifts in the status of medications from prescription to over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, the OTC drug sector is steadily gaining in importance. These developments are accompanied by a commercialization of the health domain, which has led consumers to seek greater control over their health. A neglected aspect in the marketing literature is advertising’s contribution to consumer empowerment. The present paper seeks to replicate a previous study, investigating whether consumers’ level of empowerment as obtained from pharmaceutical advertising has changed over time. Using the Advertising-Empowerment-Model, data from 2013 and 2021 were compared. Results indicate that it was possible to largely replicate the Advertising-Empowerment-Model. In conclusion, implications and limitations are addressed.