Is The End of Animated Characters in Drug Ads Neigh?

Merck has decided to dump its furry white vs black feline critters in its new direct-to-consumer advertising campaign for Belsomra saying that “the original ad served its purpose"; namely, breaking through the TV drug ad clutter to be noticed. Read the story below.
I have to ask if this is a trend now that each brand using mascots has already "broken through" AND the FDA is beginning to look more closely at the use of animated characters in ads (read "FDA Will Apply the 'Uncanny Valley' Hypothesis to Test the 'Eeriness' of Animated Characters in Drug Ads"). Or is it just Merck who got the jitters because those furry felines were particularly "eerie"?
Merck Will Try Belsomra Ads Without Mascots and Focus on Digital MediaOriginal Article