UPDATE: November 2024

Announcing PAAB's Draft Creative Imagery in Health Professional Directed Pharmaceutical Advertising

We are pleased to announce the release of the DRAFT Creative Imagery in Health Professional Directed Pharmaceutical Advertising, a culmination of dedicated efforts by the Creative Imagery Committee to support the development of creative within the pharmaceutical industry.

Stakeholder Feedback Invited Until December 2nd
The draft guidance document is now live and open for comments from all stakeholders until December 2nd. We highly encourage industry professionals, healthcare providers, and other interested parties to review the document and share their valuable feedback.
How to Access and Comment
• Access the Draft Document: HTML or PDF
• Submit Your Feedback: Please send your comments to info@paab.ca

Our aim is to finalize the guidance document by the end of 2024. This comprehensive resource will assist the industry in developing creative imagery that is both engaging and compliant with regulatory standards, ultimately enhancing the quality and credibility of pharmaceutical advertising.

Next Steps After the Comment Period
Following the conclusion of the comment period, the PAAB will consolidate all feedback and present it anonymously to the committee. This ensures an unbiased review process where every suggestion is considered equally. The committee will then deliberate on the feedback to make any necessary adjustments to the guidance document.

Your insights are crucial in shaping a guidance document that reflects the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders. Together, we can foster an environment of innovation and compliance in pharmaceutical advertising.

For any questions or additional information, please contact us at info@paab.ca.

Update: April 2024

Exciting Developments Ahead from the Creative Committee!

Over the past six months, the Creative Committee has been hard at work! Meeting six times, our dedicated members have embarked on a pivotal journey to reshape and standardize the very language we use. From tackling the nuances of Canadianization to decoding the alignment with the TMA, each session has been a melting pot of ideas, sparking vibrant discussions and bringing diverse perspectives to the forefront.

PAAB called upon agencies to craft spectrums of creatives, a challenge that was met with enthusiasm and innovation. These creations became the cornerstone of our discussions, illuminating various viewpoints and igniting a flurry of proposed approaches and probing questions.

The journey has been one of collaboration and discovery, and we're thrilled to announce that PAAB is currently refining some proposed revised approaches, thanks to the rich feedback generated from our lively discussions. The forthcoming draft standards aim to safeguard credibility while also supporting audience engagement, health product brand identity and differentiation.  We are eager to bring them to the committee for further exploration and refinement.

As we gear up to share these developments with our wider community, let's take a moment to celebrate the committee members and their teams. Their commitment to open, candid discussions has been instrumental in driving us forward, laying the groundwork for a future where creative discussions can be more focused and aligned.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to redefine the landscape of creativity.

A heartfelt shoutout to all those involved — we look forward to continuing the discussion.

April 2023

In recent years, PAAB has seen a shift in the creative landscape globally. In an effort to create a degree of synergy with the global community while upholding Canada’s high standards for truthful and trustworthy advertising, PAAB put out a call for agency volunteers to create a committee of leading industry creative experts. Our objectives are to explore the global landscape, needs of the Canadian market, and propose standards which can be used by agencies when developing/Canadianizing creative. 

The committee will have its first meeting on April 12^th where they will strive to outline core objectives. Please follow Creative Imagery Committee on the PAAB forum to receive updates on the committee’s progress.