Sneaky Advertising Makes Me Mad
So here's
a message to Ortho:
Stay away from my daughter. If you want to market a beauty product,
do so. If you want to sell a hormone
to ME, go ahead and try it. But don't combine the two and target my
kid behind my back. |
Okay, I'm reeeeeeeeally mad now. Last night I'm thumbing through
People magazine and what should I see? A two-page, glorious advertisement
for the birth control pill Ortho Tri-Cyclen, with the headline:
"Announcing a birth control pill that's also a BEAUTY aid."
(The word "beauty" is highlighted in the ad.)
Okay, I'm steamed. I'm furious about this. Shown is a lovely, wide-eyed
girl—not a woman—a GIRL. And this ad is *targeting* GIRLS.
Our daughters, in other words.
Here's the pitch:
"Only Ortho Tri-Cyclen: The first pill proven to control blemishes
as well as prevent pregnancy." GOOD GRIEF! How can they stoop so
low? I've got a teenager, and I know damn good and well that they'll do
*anything* to be pretty—starve themselves, mutilate themselves, whatever
it takes. Further stated: "Which can mean Ortho Tri-Cyclen can be
a good choice for women 15 or over..." Excuse me..."WOMEN"
15 OR OVER?? *What* women would these be? The ones who are not yet capable
of choosing which classes to take, much less pharmaceuticals? The ones
who pick up People magazine to drool over Brad Pitt? The ones who worry
more about a pimple than world peace? The ones who don't know that advertisers
could sell hooves to a canary???
Oh, but they go on... They do mention that their pill is a good contraceptive
too. Also something that 15-year-olds need to consider, right? Gee—my
face will be pretty, the boys will want to have sex with me, and the bonus
is—I can't get pregnant! (Have I mentioned that this ad infuriates
me?)
But wait—there are MORE advantages to taking this pill, so
tell your moms, kiddies, that Ortho Tri-Cyclen can also do the following:
"lowers the level of a hormone that is likely to cause acne
[oh, please mom, can I have it? Please, please, please???] ...works
with your body to reduce cramps, increase regularity, and lighten
your flow. There is evidence that they might actually provide women
with protection against developing ovarian cancer and cancer of
the lining of the uterus" [kids don't understand the word "endometrium."].
"In addition, the Pill may decrease the incidence of acute
pelvic inflammatory disease—a condition which, if left untreated,
can cause infertility."
Ohhhh, that last one is a LOW blow, even by advertising standards.
Now you've got girls frightened into thinking that they'll be infertile
if they do NOT take this pill. And I'd like an in-depth explanation
of just *how* this drug prevents the bacteria that causes PID. Very
interesting....never heard of that before. Maybe they should market
it as an antibiotic. But never mind—such an explanation would
be too technical for children.
This is bottom-line, sneaky advertising at its worst, and Ortho
Pharmaceuticals is going to hear from me before the day is out.
And a funny thing—nowhere in this "beauty" ad is
the warning that most women gain between 10-15 pounds on the birth
control pill. But I guess they wouldn't want the pretty teens to
know *that*, would they? (And when I say "in this ad"
I mean the front part—on the back they dutifully list the many
hazards of taking BC pills, in molecule-sized type.)
My daughter started her period last year, and I take my job as mentor
very seriously. I'm teaching her about the value of good foods, lots of
water, we're doing exercises together and talking a lot. But she is a
menstruating CHILD, and companies like Ortho and their misleading ads
just make my job more difficult. Her body is still forming, and I would
rather cut off my hands than let her introduce a pharmaceutical hormone
into her sweetly budding, unadulterated reproductive system.
So here's a message to Ortho:
Stay away from my daughter. If you want to market a beauty product, do
so.
If you want to sell a hormone to ME, go ahead and try it. But don't combine
the two and target my kid behind my back.
Whew--I feel better now.
Gayle H.
Austin, TX
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