Ad is good for business and for learning

     Benson druggist Mike Williams said that an advertisement created by Campbell Pharmacy student, Elizabeth Coble, is helping to build his pharmacy business. But selling his community pharmacy to the public isn’t the only reason he enlisted student talent to create the advertising campaign.
     “I wanted to advertise my business, but I also wanted to provide students with practical marketing experience,” said Williams. “I wanted them to see that owning a pharmacy entails more than just knowing what pills are good for what ailments.”
     Williams, who is the owner of Benson Drug Company, was a member of the charter class of the School of Pharmacy. He credits Campbell’s approach to pharmacy practice and opportunity with helping him decide to purchase the Benson Drug Company in 2000.
     “Community pharmacy is one of the cornerstones of health care,” said Williams. “A basic part of the training at Campbell University is focused on helping patients with their overall health care, not just teaching the technology part of the profession.”
      When Williams approached the School of Pharmacy in the fall of 2004 with the idea of sponsoring an advertising contest for pharmacy and pre-pharmacy students, the school was delighted, said Dr. Robert Cisneros, assistant professor of pharmacy and contest coordinator. The contest, which offered cash prizes for first, second and third-place winners, required contestants to come up with an idea that promoted the drug store’s pharmacy services.
     Elizabeth Coble’s pen and ink illustration of an old-fashioned mortar and pestle and apothecary jars standing beside a modern prescription bottle seemed to capture the message Williams wanted to express.
     “I wouldn’t describe Benson Drug as old-fashioned, but it is traditional,” said Williams, whose drug store has been in the same building for over 100 years. “I wanted to convey the fact that we follow the same traditions of friendliness and personal attention that Benson Drug has always followed, while providing the latest technology and skills.”
     For her winning ad, Coble, who is from Ramseur, N.C., received a cash prize of $200; first year pharmacy student Gail Warner, of Buies Creek, N.C., won 2nd place, a $100 prize; and Theodora Precup, of Hickory, N.C., won 3rd place and received a $50 prize.
     “It’s kind of hard to track advertising response,” said Williams. “But plenty of people have said they’ve seen our ad, and it’s good.”    
     The Campbell University School of Pharmacy was established in 1986 as the first new school of pharmacy to open in the United States in 35 years. In 1990, the charter class distinguished itself with a 100 percent passage rate on state and national board examinations. Subsequent classes have maintained a record of 99 percent passage rate on the national board exam and 99 percent on state board exams. The School is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Additional courses are taught at the School of Pharmacy Department of Clinical Research located on Campbell University’s RTP campus.


Photo Copy: Winning ad for Benson Drug Company

Bulletin 0015-6/21/05