Analgesics And Alcohol: US Ad Row

An advertising battle over the Tylenol warning label which advises people who consumer three or more alcoholic drinks daily to ask a doctor about the potential for liver damage from combining acetaminophen and alcohol has prompted televisions networks to take a closer look at the situation.

Both CNN and NBC television networks will refuse Tylenol and Advil commercials if comparative safety claims are made. CNN said it would stop running the spots pending a review of the whole issue, while NBC said the spots were being temporarily suspended while the matter was studied. CBS has stopped running the Advil spot and has asked Johnson & Johnson for more information. The Advil ad has also been pulled by the Fox network, which is reviewing a new J&J ad. Spots about competitors' safety claims will not be shown on ABC, but pitches avoiding such claims will air.

Young & Rubicam created the Advil ad in question for Whitehall-Robins; the spot has an actor pointing out the warning label. J&J asked that the ad be pulled and began running counter-commercials and newspaper ads to deal with the Advil message. The newspaper ad says: "You can be assured, if you're an occasional or moderate consumer of alcohol, you can continue to use Tylenol with confidence."