Commercial Actor Replacements That Caught Everyone's Attention

Can we count a commercial actor switch that got attention if the actors are animated? We’re going to say yes, mainly because the difference is huge. Abilify is a medication that is “used to treat certain mental/mood disorders (such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome, and irritability associated with autistic disorder),” says WebMD. “It may also be used in combination with other medication to treat depression.” In the 2010s, Abilify ads used a cartoon-style of animation with calming, pleasant colors. These ads won a lot of praise from those in the animation industry. However, in 2022, the company switched to a very different, computer-generated animation style.

The new ads for Abilify Maintena (a once-monthly maintenance treatment for bipolar I in adults) used a fairly realistic, Pixar-like animation style. They’re very different from the traditional Abilify ads, but the new style apparently went over well with the company’s target audience. “We wanted to pick an animation style that would resonate with our patients and certainly we didn’t want to offend or minimize the illness,” April Mitchell, a VP involved with the campaign, told FiercePharma. Three animation styles were tested with bipolar I patients, who overwhelmingly preferred the CGI style. It’s interesting that the more realistic animation won out, especially since the original plan for the commercial was to shoot in live action (the original pandemic shoot dates made animation a more attractive option).