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Glory days

Today: a baseball story for the dog days.

We begin with a team mired in the cellar of the National League East – the Philadelphia Phillies. Even though they have two infielders good enough to be starters in the upcoming All Star Game, their pitching is inconsistent, their hitting untimely, and their fielding abysmal. On July 19, 20 and 21 they will host a series with the team that holds first place in their division, the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are excellent players in every respect, and their won/lost record is currently the best in baseball.

What do the Phillies need? Isn’t it obvious? They need Viagra. And, believe it or not, they’re going to get it.Just a little over the top

If you haven’t heard the news, Viagra is (this is where Dave Barry would say “and I am not making this up”) an official sponsor of Major League Baseball (MLB). Which leads me to believe it must be the official erectile dysfunction medication of the two leagues.

You may have seen the television advertisements that feature Texas Ranger first baseman Rafael Palmeiro as the most recent Viagra Guy. And you’ve got to hand it to him – he does a pretty good job of keeping a straight face.

What you may not be aware of is the unusual promotional campaign cooked up by Viagra and Major League Baseball. Four National League teams (the Braves, Marlins, Mets and Phillies), and three American League teams (Angels, A’s and Rangers), will each host a special series of games in their home ballparks this summer to honor a winning era of their respective franchise. Viagra will be the highly visible sponsor of all of these series for which the official title is – again, no kidding – “The Triumphant Glory Series.”

That’s right: Triumphant Glory, brought to you by Viagra.

Mommy, what’s Viagra?

 

 

Viagra and Major League Baseball certainly have every right to buy and sell advertising as they please, but is it really appropriate to peddle Viagra at family oriented events where a large number of children will be present? And if you think I’m talking about the sexual connotation, I’m not – even though it’s going to be an interesting challenge for mommy to explain to the kids what Viagra is.

Two things are being sold here. Viagra is selling a message that equates their product with victory, championships and Triumphant Glory (and I’m not going to touch that one with a ten-foot pole – pardon the expression). And Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, is quietly selling this sub-text message: drugs are just as wholesome as baseball, they solve problems, and they’re good for us. This message – sent over and over and over again on television, on the radio, in magazines, and now at the ballpark – is helping to create a culture that’s becoming dependent on prescription drugs. And dependency is a good thing — when you’re the one making billions of dollars a year selling it.

And keep this in mind: Most baseball promotional dates are aimed at kids. In Philadelphia, for instance, other promotional giveaways this season include a growth chart, a kid’s lunch box, a bobble head doll of the Phillie Phanatic, and a Spongebob Squarepants rally towel. Fans who attend the Triumphant Glory Series will receive a painter’s cap printed with the Viagra logo, and I’m sure that when the school year begins, many of those caps are going to show up at grade schools in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Oakland and other cities. Is this is a small thing? Sure. It’s subtle. It’s practically subliminal. And that’s the most effective way to get the “feel good” message through.

Is that a Valium in your pocket?

According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the money spent on direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs tripled between 1996 and 2000, when the pharmaceutical industry spent $2.5 billion on advertising. Without a doubt, this year it will be considerably more. And much like the giant tobacco companies, one of their primary target audiences is the impressionable minds of kids – the future drug buyers of America.

Right now Claritin is the only other patent drug that’s an official MLB sponsor. But with Viagra popping up in ballparks (sorry, I couldn’t resist), can Ritalin bat day, or Prozac backpack night, or Valium thermos twilight doubleheader be far behind?

 

 

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

Sources:
Web sites for the Philadelphia Phillies and Major League Baseball “Promotion of Prescription Drugs to Consumers”
New England Journal of Medicine, 346 #7 “Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising” Kaiser Network AdWatch

Copyright 1997-2002 by Institute of Health Sciences, L.L.C.

 

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