The Results Are In: Nielsen Study Confirms Consumers Take Action After Seeing Ads on Cardinal Health's Retail Pharmacy Digital Advertising Network

DUBLIN, Ohio, April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent audience-research study conducted by Nielsen found that Cardinal Health's digital advertising network for retail pharmacies, called Pharmacy Health Network, is an effective way for advertisers to market products to consumers at the point-of-purchase.

Pharmacy Health Network streams advertisements and educational content to flat-panel LCD screens placed in retail pharmacies, enabling advertisers to target consumers while they wait for prescriptions to be filled.  Nielsen interviewed consumers as they were leaving Pharmacy Health Network locations included in the study. The study revealed that 41 percent of respondents recalled seeing advertisements displayed on Pharmacy Health Network screens, and that consumers are taking action based on what they see on screen:

• Approximately half of consumers surveyed indicated that they felt encouraged to discuss a product or brand they had seen on Pharmacy Health Network with their pharmacist;
• Sixteen percent indicated that after seeing ads on Pharmacy Health Network, they later discussed those products or brands with their physicians;
• Twenty percent took materials from the brochure rack that accompanies each Pharmacy Health Network screen; and
• Eleven percent purchased products that they had seen promoted on Pharmacy Health Network.

John Disher, senior manager of Pharmacy Health Network, said that in a time when savvy consumers are significantly impacted by the credibility and quality of advertising and marketing messages, Cardinal Health was particularly pleased that the Nielsen study found that more than 80 percent of respondents rated the network's programming as excellent or good; and nearly 90 percent found the content to be informative.

"We're thrilled that advertising messages heard on Pharmacy Health Network are being extended outside the pharmacy," said Disher. "Consumers are taking action and talking with their physicians about products they learn about on our network. Pharmacy Health Network has received an overwhelmingly positive response from advertisers and consumers alike, and we look forward to expanding the number of stores and advertisers that participate in the program."

Pharmacy Health Network is also the first and only in-pharmacy advertising network to be featured in Nielsen's Fourth Screen Report, which measures audience exposures in digital out-of-home network locations. Nielsen's Fourth Screen Report indicates that Pharmacy Health Network garnered more than 1.2 million advertising exposures over a four week period.

Participating retail pharmacies receive installation and ongoing maintenance for a flat-panel LCD screen and directional, targeted audio system, on which the health-related content plays. Participants also receive a custom brochure rack to provide pharmacy customers with easy access to health-related materials, coupons, brochures, business reply card and other promotional and educational materials.

Companies and agencies interested in advertising on Pharmacy Health Network can visit www.phntv.com or call 800-210-4025.

About Cardinal Health

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $103 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while  reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com and @CardinalHealth on Twitter.

SOURCE Cardinal Health