Consumer Reports has just posted the second in our series of CR AdWatch videos that add commentary and context to widely seen pharmaceutical advertisements. You’ll recognize this ad immediately: It’s the one that has Abe Lincoln and a talking beaver offering consolation to an unfortunate insomniac.

The ad—the latest in a series—is memorable not only for its quirky cast of characters, but also because the drug it promotes (Rozerem) does not appear to pose the same risk of chemical dependency as other prescription sleeping pills. Yet as our commentary notes, that doesn’t mean your first move after a sleepless night should be to beg for a prescription. I’ll let the AdWatch crew tell you the rest themselves.

Credit for the video belongs to our host, Associate Editor Jamie Kopf Hirsh, to CRTV News producer Ann Burr Tenthoff, and to the rest of the Consumer Reports Health team. And by the way, here’s a link to their earlier AdWatch video on a remedy for restless legs syndrome. We hope you’ll find them interesting and thought-provoking.—Kevin McKean, Editorial Director

Learn more

• Read about non-drug approaches to insomnia.
  
• CR Best Buy Drugs assesses drugs by effectiveness and cost. What insomnia drugs are the best overall buy?
  
• Not sure whether you've got insomnia or not? We'll tell you the symptoms, how common it is and how all treatment options compare in our Insomnia Treatment Center.