P&G launches ad campaign for Pepto-Bismol

NEW YORK Procter & Gamble is using a new ad campaign to boost sales of Pepto-Bismol stomach medicine, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The $12 million-plus TV and print campaign includes a man dressed in a pink sweater vest who plays a telephone hotline operator taking calls from people with stomach problems.

The brand has faced increased competition from other more than 100 over-the-counter remedies, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Immodium Advanced tablets, which also treat diarrhea.

The company is broadcasting the ads during morning news shows and daytime soap operas in order to reach parents and caretakers, the Journal reported.