Marketing Deviltry
Canadians are more concerned than ever about the state of their health. We know more about the foods we consume, the habits we acquire, the lifestyles we lead that can be inimical to our health because we are more educated, because news media keep us more informed, because medical science continue vital investigations into how all these elements combine to affect us. We have the knowledge fairly universally now, other than those among us whose brains have been trapped in a vise of ignorant bliss the last few decades.When it comes to the use of nicotine products; cigarettes, cigars, we know full well that we put our lives at risk somewhere down the road by their habitual use. Adults who have acquired some level of self-awareness and responsibility to self and community exercise free will and determine that they will cease and desist. A determination that does not necessarily come easily, but many things in life present their own particular difficulties. Agreeing with oneself to take responsibility for one's own health and longevity outcome is one of them.
Most people who smoke regularly, who have lost relatives or friends or acquaintances to lung cancer know full well the harmful effects that accrue to one's soft body parts through the continual intake of nicotine. Most people within the smoking community - public censure and lawful public disallowance of smoking in public places aside - bring themselves to that point where they decide they appreciate the prospect of a longer, healthier life than that of the brief pleasure on earth as a confirmed smoker.
That segment of society excludes, however, the fastest-growing segment of new smokers: our impressionable young people who are anxious to be regarded as adults, as cool, as sophisticated. After all, smoking and lifestyle have always been portrayed by advertisers as a glamorous twosome. Teen-agers aren't particularly taken with wholesomeness; they prefer to be noticed, to feel comfortable with their smoking peers, to become progressively "mature" in appearance. To them old age and good health are dim far-away prospects they needn't bother themselves with for they're invulnerable, ageless and cool.
While it may be true that most mature adults have the capacity to take their lifestyles in hand and determine to improve their longevity and health prospects, many doubt themselves, and they're given reason to believe they need help. A conspiracy develops whose purpose it is to convince people they cannot do this on their own (despite convincing statistics to the contrary) and a new industry is born catering to peoples' insecurities, carefully nurtured by the pharmaceutical industry, aided by the medical community.
People are being treated like indecisive idiots and they appear to like it, how about that? The Canadian Cancer Society has allowed its credibility to be suborned by buying into this creation of yet another marketing strategy to part people from their disposable income in convincing them they haven't the inborn fortitude to help themselves. Instead, they're convinced by marketers, advertisers, health authorities and now the Cancer Society that they need a crutch: the nicotine patch.
The drug industry has suddenly embraced the viability to their botton line residing in the campaign against smoking. And the prospect of acquiring an ever greater market share of any kind of drug has pharmaceutical companies salivating. A mere ten years ago a few nicotine replacement "therapy" products were available by prescription; now there's a veritable bounty available over the counter and the pharmaceuticals like Pfizer couldn't be happier. You need help? We'll give you patches, gums, inhalers, lozenges; take your pick.
People who really don't need this assist fall prey to the convincing advertisements tossed their way, cleverly written and portrayed, humorous and enticingly comforting - and another product-consumer is born. And a dependence upon a drug whose use is meant to destroy an earlier dependency enters the picture. An unneeded and counter-productive remedy for a solution that most people are more than capable of successfully pursuing on their own.
While the very real problem of emerging dependencies among the young is being overlooked. Where are the cool advertisements encouraging young women to understand that it isn't cool to endanger their lives in a bid to appear sophisticated? Where are all those creative public relation talents who could produce humourously clever pieces to convince young people that smelling bad, looking awkward, creating yellowing teeth and fingers aren't all that admirable?
Right, there's no money to be made there.
Labels: Realities
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, January 24, 2007
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