For more than two decades, the drug maker has capitalized on a marketing campaign that labeled its two widely prescribed heartburn medicines – first, Prilosec and, later, Nexium – as ‘The Purple Pill.’ The phrase and distinct look were used in a plethora of marketing materials, and largely succeeded in becoming synonymous with the medicines.
Recently, though, AstraZeneca began facing generic competition in the US for Nexium, the newer of its two drugs, and last month accused two different generic drug makers of ripping off its trademark purple look. But will consumers be confused by a Dr. Reddy’s pill that is not entirely purple? And can AstraZeneca successfully argue that purple is closely associated among consumers with its drugs?
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