Medical advertising is exactly what it sounds like: advertisements for medical products or services. They can be used to not only convey the benefits and pitfalls of new medications or equipment but swiftly explain them to consumers and professionals alike. This particular genre of medical narration voice over falls into two distinct groups: commercials and commercials with (often long) legal product information tags.
As an experienced medical voice talent with more than 25 years of steady work in the industry, I’ve narrated a fair share of medical advertisements. These commercials are common, and if you’ve ever had a sick day and spent it watching daytime television, then you’ve absolutely seen a medical ad. While they may seem like a slim niche, medical narration for commercials actually has a broad list of applications that can be summed up in seven surprisingly different categories.
- Drugs and Treatments
- Hospitals and Clinics
- Medical Insurance
- Vitamins, Supplements, and Holistic Alternatives
- Health Apps and Online Services
- Targeted Ads for Medical Buyers
- Public Service Announcements
Here is a breakdown of these types of medical ad narration with examples of each that I have voiced:
Drugs and Treatments
Medical narration for commercials that have to deal with drugs and treatments is probably the most common medical form of medical advertisement that you’re already aware of. These are the ads that pharmaceutical companies will often put out to introduce a new drug and demonstrate how they can provide a benefit to a better quality of life, followed by a shotgun burst of medical jargon, disclaimers, and prompts.
Hospitals and Clinics
Put simply, medical advertisements for hospitals and clinics are most often branding ads that appeal to emotions and are specifically designed to inform consumers about programs and services put in place on a system-wide hospital level. They’re quick, to the point, and intended to get their message across through a relatable scenario where you might be in need of a specific treatment. Trust and care are the hallmarks of these ads.
Medical Insurance
A sense of security features prominently in medical insurance ads. They give consumers a glimpse into the unknown, and pitch us a hypothetical future where our current insurance needs might go unmet. They can be used to announce additional coverages, specific plans or policies, and even outline potential reasons to switch, upgrade or stay.
Vitamins, Supplements, and Holistic Alternatives
When we talk about vitamins, supplements, and holistic alternatives as a form of medical advertisement, we’re in the realm of things that support good health. Like in this commercial for probiotics that I voiced, yogurt with a green arrow that points down, or health-conscious meal supplements, then you’ve seen a medical advertisement for vitamins, supplements, and alternative healthcare options.
Health Apps and Online Services
Medical Advertisements that promote new health apps and online services work the same as any commercial; they announce a freshly streamlined product or service. Usually focusing on a service that facilitates your needs through online means, medical ads for health apps have become incredibly popular in recent years as we proceed into an increasingly digital healthcare space.
Targeted Ads for Medical Buyers
The average person probably won’t see these types of medical advertisements because, as the heading suggests, they’re targeted specifically to hospital officials and medical staff in charge of purchasing medical supplies. Targeted medical ads can usually be seen over social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and are fine-tuned to reach their niche demographic of high-ranking medical officials.
Medical Narration for Public Service Announcements
Public service announcements, or PSA’s, are one of my favorite forms of medical advertisement – especially through the last two years of pandemic madness. They tug on our heartstrings. Remind us of organizations that do good things and how we might help them. PSA medical ads announce a healthcare message to the public, inform us of programs of incentives or needs and appeal to us to help make our world better.