Industries · Pharma & healthcare
Media for pharma and healthcare brands in New Zealand
Regulated advertising, sensitive audiences and long approval chains. KBR plans, buys and measures media for health brands with compliance built into every step, so campaigns launch on time and reach the right people responsibly.
The short answer
What does a healthcare media agency do?
A healthcare media agency plans and buys advertising for health brands in a way that respects the rules. In New Zealand that means working within the Medicines Act, the Advertising Standards Authority's Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code and the pre-vetting most media require, while still reaching enough of the right people to make a difference.
KBR does that as an independent agency with a senior team. We know where approvals slow campaigns down, which platforms have extra health-advertising rules, and how to target without relying on sensitive health data. You get a plan that your medical, legal and regulatory team can sign off and that performs.
Why it's different
Health advertising has extra moving parts
Regulated content
Medicine ads must include specific information, can't use testimonials and must not mislead. Media plans need to allow for formats that carry it.
Approvals take time
Most mainstream NZ media require a TAPS approval number, on top of your own medical, legal and regulatory review.
Platform health policies
Google, Meta and other platforms restrict health ads and health-based targeting, and some categories need certification.
Sensitive audiences
Health information is sensitive. Good targeting relies on context and quality environments, not personal health data.
What we do
How we help health brands
Disease-awareness and DTC campaigns
Reach the right people with clear, compliant messages across TV, BVOD, video, audio, outdoor, search and social, and point them to credible information.
Launch planning
Media plans built around launch milestones, Pharmac and supply timing, and the approvals each piece of creative needs.
Approvals built into the plan
TAPS, medical, legal and regulatory review and platform certifications scheduled from day one, so nothing goes live late or unapproved.
Responsible targeting
Context, life stage and quality publishers instead of sensitive health data, with brand-safety controls on every buy.
Search and AI search
People research symptoms and treatments online. We make sure accurate information from your brand is easy to find in Google and AI answers.
Measurement you can trust
GA4, consent-aware tracking and reporting that links media to awareness, site engagement and enquiries, without collecting what you shouldn't.
How we work
From brief to launch, with compliance in every step
- 01Brief and compliance checkObjectives, audiences, product status and the approvals each channel will need.
- 02Plan with approvals built inChannel mix, budget split and a timeline that includes TAPS and review windows.
- 03Launch and monitorPlacements, brand safety and pacing checked weekly, with changes approved before they go live.
- 04Report and learnClear reporting on reach, engagement and outcomes, and what we'd change next time.
Experience
Health brands that trust KBR
FAQ
Common questions
Can prescription medicines be advertised to consumers in New Zealand?
Yes. New Zealand is one of the few countries that allows direct-to-consumer advertising of approved prescription medicines. Advertising must follow the Medicines Act 1981 and Medicines Regulations 1984, which set required content such as the words “Prescription Medicine”, the active ingredients, a risks-and-benefits statement and where to find more information. It must also meet the Advertising Standards Authority's Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code.
Do health and medicine ads need to be approved before they run?
In most cases, yes. Mainstream New Zealand media generally require a TAPS approval number before they will run advertising for medicines and many other therapeutic and health products. TAPS is the Therapeutic Advertising Pre-vetting Service run by the Association of New Zealand Advertisers (ANZA). We build TAPS and your medical, legal and regulatory review time into the media plan so approvals never hold up a launch.
How do you target health audiences without using sensitive health data?
We plan around context, life stage, interests and the content people choose to read and watch, rather than inferred health conditions. Platforms such as Meta and Google restrict health-based targeting, and health information is sensitive under New Zealand privacy law, so a good plan doesn't rely on it. Search, contextual placements, video and trusted publishers do most of the work.
Which channels work best for healthcare and pharma brands?
It depends on the job. Disease-awareness campaigns usually lean on TV and BVOD, online video, audio and outdoor to build reach, supported by search so people can find credible information when they look for it. Launches and consumer health products add social, programmatic and retail media. We plan the mix around your objectives, your approvals and your budget.
Has KBR worked with pharmaceutical and healthcare brands?
Yes. KBR has planned and bought media for Wegovy, Roche, MSD and LifePlus, among others, with compliance-aware planning, structured approvals and responsible targeting.
Related services
Media strategy & planning
Channel strategy, budget modelling and KPIs linked to sales and leads.
Learn moreBuyingMedia buying
TV, BVOD, YouTube, search, social, programmatic, audio and outdoor.
Learn moreMeasurementMeasurement & analytics
GA4, dashboards, attribution, first-party data and verification.
Learn moreSearchSEO & AI search (GEO)
Visibility in Google and in AI answers from ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
Learn moreNext step
Get a free media review for your health brand
A 30-minute call with a senior strategist. We'll look at your current media, approvals process and reporting, and tell you plainly what we'd change.