Weight-loss company pulls The Bachelor ad deal
The parent company of a weight-loss drug has pulled the plug on plans to advertise during The Bachelor.
Inova Pharmaceuticals, which distributes the prescription-only weight-loss drug Duromine in Australia, had been planning on running ads during Ten’s dating show promoting messages about weight loss. But it insists it never intended to tie the messages directly to Duromine.
Duromine claims to help stop the production of new fat
In Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 means prescription-only medications cannot be advertised directly to consumers.
However, Ten yesterday announced Duromine as a sponsor of the new season of The Bachelor. This morning, Inova told Mumbrella it had cancelled all plans to be involved with the show to avoid any “misunderstanding”.
Inova Pharmaceuticals was in fact going to run a branded content campaign (‘Can Science Take The Weight Off?’) during The Bachelor around health and “the responsible role that medically-managed weight-loss solutions can play”, but insisted the drug Duromine should never have been associated with the promotion, Ten or The Bachelor.
Inova said its “disease state awareness campaign focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle and the responsible role that medically-managed weight loss can play”, is fully compliant with all local laws and regulations as it “does not advertise or endorse the use of any specific therapeutic product”.
“It was never our intention that Duromine be associated with the ‘Can Science Take The Weight Off?’ campaign (or any consumer-related promotion) and we are gravely disappointed that an error on the part of Network Ten has created that association,” an Inova Pharmaceuticals spokesperson told Mumbrella.
“No-one from Inova Pharmaceuticals would ever have allowed an association with Duromine to arise.”
Inova said the move to cancel the campaign was a “serious decision”.
Neither Ten nor Inova Pharmaceuticals have been able to clarify how the brand name Duromine ended up on an official media release from Ten.
The Bachelor now has one less sponsor
A Ten spokesperson simply said it was a miscommunication.
Ten told Mumbrella: “When we sent a media release yesterday morning announcing The Bachelor sponsors, a product of Inova Pharmaceuticals was named as a sponsor. We have retracted this part of the release due to a miscommunication in the process. Duromine was misreferenced as a sponsor instead of Inova Pharmaceuticals.”
Duromine is a prescription-only medication that describes itself as a “new generation medical agent for weight loss”. It is an appetite suppressant and claims to help stop the production of new fat.
It says it is an amphetamine-like drug which is designed to fight obesity in adults and adolescents aged 12 and over.
Free TV Australia – which administers the Code of Practice for commercial television – has said all enquiries about the matter should be directed to Ten, and would not comment further.
The full statement from Inova Pharmaceuticals:
Yesterday, Tuesday July 24th, Network Ten issued a media statement erroneously stating that Duromine® is a sponsor of upcoming season of The Bachelor Australia. Network Ten has subsequently retracted that part of their statement.
Duromine was not and is not a sponsor of The Bachelor Australia and it was never intended that Duromine be associated with any consumer advertising activity. It is unlawful to promote prescription products to consumers in Australia and iNova Pharmaceuticals is fully aware of and compliant with its obligations in that regard.
To ensure total transparency, iNova Pharmaceuticals does sponsor a disease state awareness campaign focussed on promoting a healthy lifestyle and the responsible role that medically managed weight-loss solutions can play. The campaign is titled “Can Science Take The Weight Off?”. The campaign is fully compliant with all local laws and regulations and it does not advertise or endorse the use of any specific therapeutic product. Given the campaign’s focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle, TVCs associated with the campaign were scheduled to appear during the upcoming series of The Bachelor Australia, featuring former Australian Rugby Union player Nick Cummins, on Network Ten.
As stated, it was never our intention that Duromine be associated with the “Can Science Take The Weight Off?” campaign (or any consumer-related promotion) and we are gravely disappointed that an error on the part of Network Ten has created that association. No one from iNova Pharmaceuticals would ever allowed an association with Duromine to arise. So there is no misunderstanding with respect to our intentions, iNova Pharmaceuticals has taken the serious decision to cancel all scheduled advertising relating to the “Can Science Take The Weight Off?” campaign during the upcoming series of The Bachelor Australia.
The full statement from Ten:
When we sent a media release yesterday morning announcing The Bachelor sponsors, a product of iNova Pharmaceuticals was named as a sponsor. We have retracted this part of the release due to a miscommunication in the process. Duromine was misreferenced as a sponsor instead of Inova Pharmaceuticals.
Statement from Free TV Australia at 2:29pm:
All inquiries on this matter should be addressed directly to Network Ten.
The original release from Ten, received at 6:00am yesterday:
Launch date and sponsors announced for The Bachelor Australia
Network Ten and Multi Channel Network have today announced sponsors for the upcoming season of the highly anticipated entertainment series, The Bachelor Australia. Hyundai will return for the second year in a row, and will be joined by first time sponsors TRESemmé, TRADIE, Blistex, Aspen S26 and Duramine.
The Bachelor Australia season six will premiere on Wednesday 15 August at 7.30pm with Australian international rugby star and underwear model Nick ‘The Honey Badger’ Cummins embarking on a journey to find true love.
Network Ten executive general manager, revenue and client partnerships Rod Prosser said: “Aussies love nothing more than a good love story, and with The Honey Badger, this season will be like none other. Because of its family friendly, highly-integratable, brand safe environment, The Bachelor Australia continues to be a compelling brand for advertisers to align with. It’s great to be working with Hyundai again for its second straight season and to have TRESemmé, TRADIE, Blistex, Aspen S26 and Duramine join The Bachelor Australia family.”
Ten’s social and digital show Bachelor Unpacked will also be returning this season. It will be exclusively available on The Bachelor Australia’s Facebook page immediately following the show and then on tenplay and ten daily from the following day.
MCN national director, content and brand partnerships, Tania Jones, said: “The local and international success of the format and the program’s ubiquitous effect means we engage viewers across multiple screens, making it attractive for all key demographics and brands looking for multi-platform opportunities. I’m certain The Bachelor Australia will once again capture the hearts of Aussie’s and most importantly, entrench itself in pop culture. Its extensive social media footprint also means we can continue to build on the success experienced last season for the Bachelor Unpacked.”
Hyundai’s return is bigger and better than ever. As part of its sponsorship, Hyundai will be providing Hyundai Konas for use throughout the season and audiences will have the chance to win a Hyundai Kona, delivered to them by the ultimate wingman and host, Osher Günsberg. The high performance i30N and the brand new Santa Fe will also make an appearance in show.
TRESemmé has created a series of ‘Get the Look’ video tutorials, showing to audiences how to recreate Bachelorette styles with Bachelor stylist Helen Dowsley. TRESemmé will also be giving audiences a chance to win a trip to Sydney to meet The Bachelor with an integrated tenplay and Woolworths promotion. TRESemmé looks will also feature on a Bachelor group date.
Hyundai Motor Company Australia’s general manager, marketing communications Andrew Knox said: “Partnering with Network Ten and The Bachelor Australia is a great way for Hyundai to showcase our SUV range in a program that captures the attention of so many Australians. 2017 was a great success and we look forward to an even bigger 2018.”
TRESemmé brand manager, Lauren Sutcliffe said: “TRESemmé is thrilled to be partnering with The Bachelor Australia and supporting our Bachelor and Bachelorettes in their quest to find love. Every woman knows that a perfect hair day gives them the confidence to walk a little taller and face whatever challenges life – and love – has to throw at them. TRESemmé offers salon quality products to make sure every day is a perfect hair day.”
TRADIE general manager, Ben Goodfellow, said: “TRADIE Underwear & Workwear is delighted to partner with The Bachelor Australia and support The Honey Badger on his journey to find true love. Some say the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but we know the Badger will be far more impressed by a lady with great taste in ridgy didge Aussie undies from TRADIE. All the best Badge, go get her!”
CEO of Key Pharmaceuticals, Clive Addison, said: “Blistex are dedicated to creating lip balms you can count on. Lips are there for life’s important moments like your first kiss. We’re excited to be partnering with The Bachelor Australia to celebrate lips and be part of these special moments – because lips matter.”
Hosted by Osher Günsberg, The Bachelor Australia promises a season filled with romance, roses, tears and plenty of drama, as Australia follows The Bachelor’s journey to find true love.
topics
Duromine
Inova Pharmaceuticals
Nick Cummins
television
Ten
The Bachelor
The Bachelor Australia
TV
In an article on Adnews yesterday, that’s not how it was communicated:
“Speaking to Adnews today, Ten GM Rod Prosser said Duromine will be a ‘quieter’ sponsor and the network will be ‘treading very carefully’ with how it’s advertised and it won’t have any in-show integration.
Ultimately, he said the sales team felt comfortable with Duromine’s sponsorship position.”
Interestingly enough, the Adnews article has been taken down. If you google the headline and click the cached option you can still find it. And I’ve included the screenshot –
Link to screenshot article here: https://imgur.com/a/kGEW6jr
User ID not verified.
Who is their media agency?
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Someone cottoned on that even announcing the sponsorship with the brand name potentially contravenes regulation and Inova could be liable for big fines. My guess is the agency and Ten did not seek their approval before announcing the deal. Rookie stuff.
User ID not verified.