A top pharmaceutical manufacturer, who planned to update video advertisements featured on television and social media, sought a comparative analysis of their and their major competitor’s marketing ads for a similar product. Since commercials do not always convey the intended message, unpeeling audience reactions via public commentary unveils best practices for future media marketing techniques.

To achieve these goals, insights were drawn from a deep analysis of a large dataset pulled from social media sites including Twitter and Reddit. Details were shared in a comprehensive report and included hashtag, lexicon, stakeholder, and trend analysis, as well as metrics like total mentions over time. Recommendations, such as tweaking nuances in visual and verbal cues, ensured the richest and largest audience reach.

Findings indicated online communities’ perception of ads and sentiment toward elements in each product’s commercial. One negative theme uncovered was that actor portrayals of patients created a lack of authenticity. Clients adjusted their marketing techniques and created customized messaging for specific audiences. Future video ads would also feature actual patients to enrich signaling with authentic voices, rather than professionals, as suggested in the project report.