Month: November 2017

Debunking Mike’s Hard Lemonade

sahaguc Alcohol

I chose to research alcohol ads because it is the number one abused drug in the United States. The reason why I chose Mike’s Hard Lemonade “What’s Out There Starts Here” commercial is because it streamed while I was watching Hulu one night. My first thoughts regarding the ad were misbelief and shock of the outrageous content presented. Ever since then, I’ve noticed it everywhere! Hulu streams this commercial constantly during their break periods and they are inevitable unless you pay more for their no commercial plan.

History: Mike’s Hard Lemonade first launched in 1999. It established an entirely new beverage category called Ready-to-Drink beverages. Mike’s Hard lemonade was founded by Anthony von Mandl. He is the Founder and Chairman of The Mark Anthony Group, an American private alcoholic beverage company. According to the Mark Anthony Brands International website, their mission is to “provide products that are the finest quality and value in their category”. In addition, their website also states that they are committed to genuinely caring about their customers and providing services in an honest manner. Some interesting facts regarding the company includes the relocation to Seattle, Washington in 2005 from Colorado but announced their relocation to Chicago in 2013. The company grew from a one-man wine importing business to the largest Ready-to-Drink company in North America. According to the Origlio article, Mike’s Hard Lemonade was created as an alternative for beer because they found that “25% of men didn’t particularly want to drink beer but couldn’t be seen holding anything else in their hands”. In addition, Origlio states that Mike’s Hard Lemonade had a remarkable success due to the fact that “Mike’s sold its first 10 million cases without a cent of advertising”. Since then, Mike’s Hard Lemonade has been success in their Ready-to-Drink category due to their large numbers of flavor options and alcohol content. The credentials of the company also point to their success. According to their website, their business deals with over 450 distributors and delivers over 21 million cases of their products each year. In addition, their business has a “direct relationship with every provincial liquor board across the country” (About Us).

The “What’s Out There Starts Here” commercial displays young individuals especially young women either partying or living a luxurious life. This ad is associating their drink with cool, sexy people doing fun activities. The commercial is targeting youths by displaying activities they would potentially participate in or would “hope” to participate in such as the shot of the flying attendants welcoming the viewer into the private jet. This commercial ad is communicating to their viewers that if you drink Mike’s Hard Lemonade, you can be as cool and sexy like the people in the ad. The commercial narrator literally states, “there’s a door out there waiting for you, what’s out there starts here”. I concluded from the following statements and visuals that the message being conveyed to their viewers is that drinking Mike’s Hard Lemonade will open multiple doors such as success and women. Young individuals are especially susceptible to messages such as these due to their vulnerability. In addition, I came across this commercial watching South Park on Hulu. Although South Park is not intended for young kids, the age range for the show is 15 years or older. This means that kids as young as 15 years of age are being exposed to influential alcohol advertisements such as these. I found this especially worrisome due to the commercial displaying a car door opening with the narrator saying “there’s this door” to open. I found this worrisome because this scene can be interpreted in multiple ways. One way this car scene can be misinterpreted especially by youths is that it’s okay to drink and get in a motor vehicle intoxicated. As previously stated above, the mission statement of The Mark Anthony Group is to genuinely care for their customers and provide services in an honest manner. However, this untruthful and deceptive commercial was aired during a cartoon series. According to the National Survey of Drug Use and Health, “Approximately 8.7 million Americans under the legal drinking age (12-20 years of age) were current alcohol users. This statistic includes 5.4 million binge drinkers and 1.4 million heavy drinkers”. These statistics may be the reflection of the lack of regulation of alcohol advertising and exposure of deceptive ads.

According to the Mike’s Hard Lemonade website, these beverages contain 5% alcohol. Their website also includes the fermenting process. They ferment malt grains with yeast, filter it to produce a neutral alcohol base, and add sugar lemon flavors. The type of alcohol used in alcoholic drinks such as Mike’s Hard Lemonade is a chemical called ethanol. Ethanol is a by product of fermenting grains due to the response of yeast with the sugar. Drinking alcohol in excess amounts is dangerous and can cause short-term and long-term harm. One of the consequences for drinking too much alcohol in a short span of time is alcohol poisoning. When one is drinking alcohol excessively, the body is unable to process alcohol content as fast as one consumes it. According to Short & Long-Term Effects of Alcohol website, the body can only metabolize 0.25 ounces of alcohol per hour and therefore, it’s absorbed into our bloodstream. On the other hand, drinking too much in the long run can put you at risk of different forms of cancer and other health problems. Alcohol is a depressant and therefore, depresses the central nervous system. In addition, alcohol alters brain chemistry and disrupts normal chemical balances. The reason why alcohol can help us feel more confident and relaxed is due to the alcohol repressing the part of the brain responsible for inhibition. However, more parts of the brain start to get affected with greater alcohol consumption. Regular heavy drinking interferes with neurotransmitters in our brain that are needed for good mental health. According to Short & Long-Term Effects of Alcohol website, alcohol affects the GABA and glutamate sites in the brain resulting in the physiological effects of drinking such as slurred speech and slow movement. However, the reason most individuals are motivated to drink is due to the activation of the reward system in the dopamine site of the brain. These disruptions can cause negative changes in the brain that are linked to mood and behavior. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, most heavy long-term alcohol users “will experience a mild to moderate impairment of intellectual functioning as well as diminished brain size”. The most common intellectual impairment is the ability to think abstractly and can lead to brain disorders. However, the “What’s Out There Starts Here” commercial did not mention any of these consequences and/or effects of drinking alcohol such as Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

Mike’s Hard Lemonade “What’s Out There Starts Here” commerical is very deceptive due to the unrealistic material presented. How does drinking an alcoholic beverage open doors for anyone? This ad uses distorted presentation because it claims to open opportunities such as becoming successful and wealthy. Apparently, according to this ad, flying in your own private jet and getting with attractive ladies is associated with Mike’s Hard Lemonade. The ad also evidently uses repetition as an advertisement technique by constantly repeating the words “open the door”. This technique is used to drill into the minds of viewers in order to keep the product in recollection. In addition, the commercial used objectifying women as a technique to attract viewers. As previously mentioned, this ad contained several young and attractive women throughout the entire 30 seconds. Using attractive women as a technique is effective because it conveys the message that one can be that “ideal” woman or be with that “ideal” individual. All these advertising techniques are harmful to society because they convey a very unrealistic and deceptive message especially to susceptible youths. According to Alcohol Advertising, “most alcohol advertisers have pledged to comply with one of three voluntary self-regulatory codes designed to limit targeting of teens”. This means that the target audience should not consist of and/or primarily appeal to anyone under 21. However, from my observations, this Mike’s Hard Lemonade commercial does both. Since the commercial was aired during South Park, the target audience consists of individuals 21 and under. In addition, this ad consists of material that primarily attracts and appeals to people around the age of 21 including individuals under that age.

Before I did the research, I would have recommended Mike’s Hard Lemonade to anyone over 21. However, after extensive research and the encounter of such ads displayed by Mike’s Hard Lemonade, I would not recommend it to anyone. I personally did not like how multiple Mike’s Hard commercial contradicted with the mission statement committed by the Mark Anthony Group. Their commercials closely targeted and displayed content that would appeal to youths. In addition, they marketed several deceptive and untruthful ads that are harmful to society. It is apparent that they do not care for their customers and do not provide honest services.

Resources

About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.markanthonyintl.com/#ABOUTUS

Alcohol Advertising. (2016, September 01). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0391-alcohol-advertising

Cognitive Impairment and Recovery From Alcoholism . (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa53.htm

Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.mikeshard.com/faq/

Short & Long-Term Effects of Alcohol On Brain Function & Cognitive Ability. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://americanaddictioncenters.org/alcoholism-treatment/mental-effects/

Beautiful People, Sex, and Giant Tricycles?

charboc2 Alcohol

I will go on in further detail as to why I picked this ad in particular, but if you search up “Mike’s Hard Lemonade commercials” on Youtube, you will see that this was one of the only class-appropriate advertisements that this company had to offer. Their print ads are mostly consisted of their signature bright yellow, the title of their company in a lemon, and a catchy slogan that makes one think that only good times will come after they have this refreshing, fruity beverage. We will see throughout this blog that this is not the case.

 

To start this blog off, I am going to be painting you a little picture that is a memory from my childhood. Now I know that many of us as children often saw our parents drink the casual beer or glass of wine with dinner, my parents loved their red wine and as a child I wondered why they would drink the same thing every night. So as the curious child I was, when they were not looking I would sneak a sip, they would know I did it, and more so they would know that I would have the look of disgust on my face as they turned around. Parents do not really worry about kids drinking at such a young age because our taste buds have not matured yet and we can not really handle the “refined taste” of wine or even beer.

 

Fast-forward a year or two and I remember being at our outside dining table, eating dinner on a hot summer day, and my parents had something other than wine or beer at the dinner table. What was it? It was a translucent yellow liquid in a beer-like bottle with the words “Mike’s Hard Lemonade” on it. My 11 year old brain jumped at the idea of some fresh lemonade at dinner (I was only allowed to have water at meals), so I asked if I could try it and they said  “sure”, expecting me to be utterly disgusted like with their other “adult beverages”. I took my first sip and a fruity and fresh taste hit my lips, I kept drinking and could have drank the whole bottle if my mother had not yanked it away from me saying “Corinne, this is not a drink for you!” It was not until then I realized that it was actually alcoholic. I do not think I’m the only one who had this experience at a young age, because this drink in my opinion, is advertised towards young people, and there inlies the problem.

To give you a little bit of background about the alcohol I will be doing my blog on, Mike’s Hard Lemonade was first introduced in Canada in 1996, it started out as a mixture of malt liquor, natural flavors and carbonated water. Mikes hit the markets in the United States in April 1999 and it changed to a mix of lemonade flavor and an unflavored malt liquor base, due to differing tax and beverage laws. (Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co.) The company was founded in 1999 by Anthony von Madl. The company it’s headquarters from Colorado to right here in Seattle in 2005 to be closer to it’s parent company (Mark Anthony Group Inc. in Vancouver B.C.)  Just recently in 2013, the headquarters moved again, this time to Chicago.

When Mike’s hit the markets in the US, they changed the recipe because of the popularity of FMB, according to the Forbes website, Ronald Holden wrote in 2017; “It was part of an explosive new category called FMB, flavored malt beverages, which originated in the 1990s. Producers realized that a malt-based beverage, regardless of flavor, was taxed at the same rate as beer, whereas wine coolers would pay double that rate and spirit-based beverages as much as ten times that rate.”

Nowadays, Mike’s Hard is one of the most diverse products on the market. Mikes Hard lemonades come in over 40 different flavors ranging from ones such as Mike’s Hard Raspberry Elderflower Lemonade, Mike’s Hard Chocolate Cherry, to Mike’s Traditional Margaritas!

Now the mastermind behind Mike’s Hard Lemonade was Anthony von Mandl, as I stated before. Von Mandl is the founder if The Mark Anthony Group, a private alcoholic beverage company in Canada, also considered the parent company of Mike’s Hard. He had his own ideas of what the main consumer of this drink would be and that becomes apparent when you watch the commercials used to advertise these products. According to Origlio Beverage in a post written in 2015, Anthony von Mandl is  quoted saying; “We found that up to 25% of guys didn’t particularly want to drink beer, but couldn’t be seen holding anything else in their hand.” So that is what prompted them to make a tasty, alcoholic beverage that wouldn’t look too girly, since it is still in a beer-shaped bottle.

 

We can conclude from this that their target audience has always been young men. This is pretty obvious from the content, creativity, and placement of their advertisements.  

 

Now in the specific ad I chose, you can see the number of sexual innuendos and crude humor instances that is involved in the commercial. Now what if I told you that this was one of the tamest commercials that I could find? If you would like, you can do your own youtube search for Mike’s Hard Lemonade commercials and be subjected to the vulgar ways of advertising that this company uses, you can not say you were not warned. . In my opinion, this company probably uses bright colors, sexual jokes and attractive, young people to pull in the youth and make their product seem like a fun thing to buy. They use the abundance of penis jokes to appeal to the immature audiences that are more likely to start drinking their drinks at a young age because they taste good and are not really considered an adult drink (e.g. whiskey,vodka, etc.) . The fact is that young (probably younger than 21) adults are the most subjected to these ads (found on youtube or tv), there are young people featured in them, they are all about sex, and the jokes are immature and definitely not very clever.

 

Now I will tell you, I tried my darndest to find a whole ingredients list for Mike’s Hard Lemonade but the thing just does not exist! On the Mike’s Hard Lemonade Website, it is stated; “mike’s® products are classified as beer under Federal law which does not require ingredient or nutritional labeling on beer as regulated by the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)”. So basically, the general public does not really know what are all the ingredients in a Mike’s hard lemonade, but the active ingredient would be considered malt liquor, it is the fermented malt grains that create the alcohol that gets one drunk. As we have learned in class, alcoholism is a huge problem in the United States, so obviously it is considered addictive. According to the 2015 NSDUH, 15.1 million adults ages 18 and older had AUD (Alcohol Use Disorder). This makes it very obvious that alcohol, especially one that tastes like candy and is very easy to binge-drink on, is very dangerous and addictive, especially when it comes to young consumers. It is also worth noting that Mike’s Hard lemonade has over 20 grams of sugar in one bottle! So Mike’s actually has two addictive substances in one, tasty bottle.

 

As I highlighted before, Mike’s hard lemonade uses many advertising techniques to get people interested in their product and a lot of these techniques are most likely geared toward young consumers. In the specific advertisement that I referenced in the beginning and many of their other advertisements, the attention grabber that they like to use is the sexual jokes or images, they use the word “hard” or “harder” to suggest multiple meanings in their commercials. In a shorter commercial that you can watch here

 

They are heavily relying on animation, bright colors and child-like, cartoony acting and imagery. There is nothing that will grab someone’s attention like sex jokes and a distorted reality that might imply that if a consumer drinks their product, their life will be full of beautiful people, sex, and giant tricycles? They also always end their commercials or even their print ads with a catchy slogan at the end such as “Drink on the bright side” or “What laughter tastes like”.

 

I would never recommend this drink to a friend or family member. After extensive research on this product, I can conclude that first of all, it is chalk-full of empty, sugary calories that will make one feel horrible a couple hours after drinking. Also, since it is so low in alcohol percentage, but it tastes just like regular juice, it is easy to abuse and especially easy to binge-drink for teenagers. And lastly, I make a point not to buy or endorse products that sell sex and exploit men and women to grab the attention of young people, I hope those of you reading this will feel the same after reading my blog.

 

Work Cited

 

Mike’s Hard Lemonade. (2017). FAQ. Retrieved from https://www.mikeshard.com/faq/

 

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (June 2017). Alcohol Facts and Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics

 

Oran, Olivia. (February 2015). Mike’s Hard Lemonade Up for Sale- Sources. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mikeshard-m-a/mikes-hard-lemonade-up-for-sale-sources-idUSKBN0L820M20150204

 

Holden, Ronald. (May 2017). America’s Fastest Growing Beer Brand. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronaldholden/2017/05/22/americas-fastest-growing-beer-brand-mikes-hard-lemonade-to-refocus-on-25-29-year-old-males/#17bb1d524d7c

 

Origlio Beverage. (July 2015). Anthony von Mandl: Founder and Chairman of Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co. Retrieved from http://www.origlio.com/blog/anthony-von-mandl-founder-chairman-mike%E2%80%99s-hard-lemonade-co

 

Should you join the Bud Light party?

bailey28 Alcohol

By Claire Bailey & Matthew Nguyen

Alcohol is one of the most widespread and commonly used/abused drug in the world. We chose alcohol because we felt it was relevant to ourselves as college students, given the stigma behind alcohol and binge drinking in universities. We chose this specific commercial because we thought there were lots of clever strategies Bud Light used in order to glamorize alcohol and their product. It was fun, interesting and enjoyable to watch. Bud Light is such a big brand name too, we wanted to dive deeper into their purpose and understand what the company was all about. 

History

Anheuser-Busch is the original company who manufactures Budweiser, the first version of their American-style beer. Bud light is one of their products under the Budweiser brand that serves as a lower caloric beer option. Bud light first appeared on the scene after multiple failed attempts to compete with Lite Beer from Miller. Miller had launched their version of light beer in 1973, four years before Anheuser-Busch’s “Budweiser Light.” With this headstart, Miller was able to dominate the beer industry and institutionalize their product. When someone ordered a light beer in a bar without any specifications, a Lite Beer from Miller was the default beverage to serve customers (Lefton, 2007).

The “Gimme a light” bar call campaign was the game-changer for Anheuser-Busch. It consisted of ads broadcasted across radio stations with the assumption that when one ordered a light beer without specification, they were given anything but a light beer. Only when the customer specified they wanted a “Bud Light” would their request be granted with a cool refreshing Bud Light beer. The combination of humor and accessibility in their ad campaign projected sales through the roof. Anheuser-Busch continued to push their product using this leverage and the power of the big brand name “Bud Light” (Lefton, 2007).

The mission of Bud Light is to make their beer a fun, social and acceptable drink. Their target audience at the time were 21-27 year olds. They wanted to capture new drinkers and get them hooked. Bud Light is all about being with friends and family, hosting a party or enjoying a sporting event. Do not underestimate the power sports played in the success of Anheuser-Busch. Marketing executives saw the opportunity to connect people’s passions for their sports team with drinking a Bud Light. This tactic further separated the company from its competitors. They also utilized the “health conscious” movement Americans were going through in the 2000s. Emphasizing lower caloric value especially caught the attention of female drinkers (Lefton, 2007).

Bud Light is currently America’s and the world’s biggest beer brand (Lefton, 2007). The product has dominated pop culture and made itself a household item. At this point in the game, unless a new company creates something more revolutionary and fitting for the 21st century, Bud Light is untouchable.

Intended Audience

The intended audience for the Bud Light Superbowl Commercial is essentially all Americans of legal drinking age. This ad was aired during Super Bowl 50, which means lots of American football sports fans will view this commercial; possibly even people who don’t watch sports because it will be on television in the family room. Bud Light utilizes humor, celebrities, the sense of unity, America’s favorite pastimes and gender inclusion (i.e. not just males) to capture attention and make it memorable. Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer first grab the audience’s attention because they are celebrities. These comedians use humor in the ad in order to make the viewer laugh and build positive associations with Bud Light beer. Every scene includes Rogen and Schumer in some sort of gathering place where Americans thrive. For example: a bar, a construction site, a basketball game, a rodeo, New York City and a political pep rally. This helps show how Americans can come together and relate to one another. It shows that despite our differences, we are all the same type of people. A subtle tactic they used in the ad was making sure there were males and females in the crowds. This sends the message that Bud Light is for everyone (“Seth Rogen,” 2016).

Active Ingredients

Bud Light beer is specifically made with barley, rice, water, and hops. While these ingredients aren’t considered drugs by any means, the brewing process of turning these ingredients into beer creates ethanol. Ethanol, mostly known as “alcohol,” is one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive drugs in the world (Martin, J. Laura. 2016). In low doses, alcoholic drinks can cause euphoria, reduced anxiety, and increased sociability. In higher doses, however, drinks containing ethanol can cause loss of consciousness, severely impaired motor skills, sedation, loss of memory, death, and depression of the central nervous system’s ability to function. This suppression of activity in the central nervous system is caused by alcohol increasing the effect of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called y-aminobutyric acid, also known as GABA. The euphoric effects of alcohol are caused by increased dopamine levels in the brain (Lobo, I. A., & Harris, R. A. 2008).

Because alcohol is so widely available, it is very accessible, and therefore easy to get addicted to. Alcohol, because of its psychoactive effects, is addictive, and can lead to issues such as alcoholism, liver damage, birth defects, dependence, etc. Other than health issues, drinking alcohol also can lead to risky situations, such as driving while intoxicated, unsafe sex, etc. (Brust, J. C. M. 2010). According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in 2015, 88,000 alcohol-related deaths occurred (CDC, 2016). Almost 10,000 of those deaths were due to drunk driving, which means drunk driving caused about 31% of all fatal driving accidents that year. Economically speaking, alcohol also has a literal price; in 2010, alcohol misuse cost the United States $249 billion (Sacks, J.J., Gonzales, K.R., & Bouchery, E.E. et al 2010).

Advertising Techniques

Before evaluating this commercial for its advertising techniques, we must understand the context. This commercial was made specifically for the 2016 Super Bowl, at a time when political tensions were high in the United States. This commercial tries to help ease the tension by uniting the country under one common interest: drinking cheap beer. We must also understand that because this is a commercial produced specifically to be shown during the Super Bowl, it was created with the idea that it would be seen by millions of people, as the Super Bowl is one of the most watched television programs annually. Because they understand that this advertisement would reach a lot of audiences, they didn’t limit their budget, and created a very dynamic commercial. They use a lot of advertisement techniques, such as using celebrities. Two very popular comedians, Seth Rogen and Amy Schumer, along with other actors (Michael Peña and Paul Rudd), are tools used in the advertisement as their notoriety helps sell their product (Bud Light Beer). Products and services tend to have more credibility when they show celebrities endorsing them. Beyond celebrity endorsement, the idea of unifying the country through beer is very patriotic, and patriotism also appeals to audiences as well. This idea of unity is also a part of their bandwagon advertising technique, as they are asking everyone to join their “caucus.” More simple techniques are also used, such as humor, and visual imagery. The commercial itself is very lively and energetic. The cinematography used is almost movie-like, and it gives the commercial a sense of grandeur. All of these techniques combined together have created a very strong advertisement. However, it is not entirely accurate to the actual act of drinking, as it doesn’t mention any of the effects of alcohol. The advertisement doesn’t really talk about drinking or getting drunk, it just celebrates the beer. It does not mention the short-term or long-term effects of alcohol, such as intoxication, or alcohol dependence.

Overall Opinion

Overall, after doing research on alcohol (ethanol) as a recreational drug, it’s fair to believe that alcohol can be dangerous when used irresponsibly. Because heavy alcohol use can lead to adverse effects on one’s health, such as liver damage, birth defects, dependence, and withdrawal, it shouldn’t be recommended that one drinks in excess. Binge drinking can also lead to dangerous situations such as drunk driving, and can lead to poor health after long-term use of alcohol. In extreme cases, it can even lead to death, such as the 88,000 deaths due to alcohol in 2015 (Brust, J. C. M. 2010). However, there has been studies shown that moderate alcohol use actually has health benefits. According to the NIH, moderate alcohol use may cause lowered risk for heart disease and stroke, as well as a decreased risk for diabetes (U.S. Department of Agriculture (2015). Although alcohol is okay to consume in moderation, the issue is that it is not always consumed this way, and is instead misused and abused. Binge drinking and alcoholism is all too common in our society, as most people do not understand the concept of drinking in moderation. In conclusion, we’d recommend drinking alcohol only in moderation.

Sources:

 

(2016). Seth Rogen ‘The Bud Light Party’ Bud Light Super Bowl 2016 TV Commercial. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYv9WbgDvN4

 

Brust, J. C. M. (2010). Ethanol and Cognition: Indirect Effects, Neurotoxicity and Neuroprotection: A Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(4), 1540–1557. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2872345/

 

Lefton, T. (2007). The Making of Bud Light. Sports Business Daily. http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2007/06/20070611/SBJ-In-Depth/The-Making-Of-Bud-Light.aspx

 

CDC (2016). Alcohol and Public Health: Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI). Average for United States 2006–2010 Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Due to Excessive Alcohol Use. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://nccd.cdc.gov/DPH_ARDI/Default/Report.aspx?T=AAM&P=f6d7eda7-036e-4553-9968-9b17ffad620e&R=d7a9b303-48e9-4440-bf47-070a4827e1fd&M=8E1C5233-5640-4EE8-9247-1ECA7DA325B9&F=&D=

 

Lobo, I. A., & Harris, R. A. (2008). GABAA receptors and alcohol. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 90(1), 90–94. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2872345/

 

Martin, J. Laura. (2016). Alcohol use and safe drinking. Medline Plus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001944.htm

 

Sacks, J.J., Gonzales, K.R., & Bouchery, E.E. et al (2010) national and state costs of excessive alcohol consumption. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 49(5):e73– e79, 2015. PMID: 26477807 https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics

 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (2015). Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, Part D. Chapter 2, Table D2.3, p. 43. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/pdfs/scientific-report-of-the-2015-dietary-guidelines-advisory-committee.pdf

 

Sleeping Pill

mot Uncategorized

Sleeping Pill

 

Vicks ZzzQuil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWCApuwSP3E

The drug ad that I choose is sleeping pills. Sleeping pills are helping people to get a better sleep while they are having trouble sleeping. But there are many types of sleeping pills so it is hard to choose which sleep aid is best for ourselves. The most common one are Lunesta, Ambien, Sonata, Restoril. Some of the generic sleep aids; Zaleplon, Triazolam, Belsomra. They are different brand name with it. I choose Vicks ZzzQuil because I am similar with the brand that I usually used for my cold medicine. But I had never use sleep aid before so it good for me to learn about it. I would always used VICKS dayquil and nightQuil for my cold medicine all the time. I choose this specific ad for ZzzQuil sleep aid because it look interesting about the way they advertise and the commercial compare to the other sleep aid which this brand is try to convince more people about the medicine.

History
When I search through about the zzzquil medicine, on the websites it show the history of how it started and the different type of medicine for cold, rub that they products. “VICKS” is the brand that had many medicine for cold and others. It started in 1890s, Vicks croup and pneumonia salve by the the company VICKS usually produce cold medicine Vicks VapoRub in the 1919,

Cough drops in 1931, Sinex Nasal spray in 1959, Vicks Nyquil in 1966. It was the flu epidemic in 1918, which made the sale of VapoRub increased $900,000 to 2.9 million. Later on they change they change the company name to Vicks Chemical Company. In the 1985, the company was sold to Procter & Gamble. The company started to produced zzzquil in 2012 for the sleep aid. When I look carefully at the products it say that ZzzQuil is the number one sleep aid brand. When there is “#1 selling sleep-aid brand” which make me think that they are trying show the people about their medicine based on their brand. According to the article said that the sale for the Vicks NyQuil had sales more than $100 million ( Neff, 2012 ) They launched the products on July of 2012 and started to see that the products were good sales. I can see the reviews from the people that had used the medicine and it was helpful for them to fall asleep. There are many good reviews about it. As for credentials the brand had been products others medicines before they products the ZzzQuil.

Intended Audience
I found this ad while searching the sleep aids and it is on youtube. In the commercial there is a boss that kind of bother the worker ( Hannah). I think the commercial target to adult and people that had work, family. Because in the commercial it showing how she want to get thing done and had concern about the work that need to be done. In the same time she couldn’t fall asleep. So that is why the zzzquil is work best to have a good sleep at night. The commercial talk about the medicine work well it say “ ZzzQuil help you fall asleep less than 20 minutes” which the ads try to show that the medicine work well. So many people would buy the products. It is hard when you can’t fall asleep. I personally used to have a hard time to sleep but never use the sleep pill before. I mostly used cold medicine that cause drowsiness, sleepy after use it. But for this ad showing that there are many things that Hannah worries about for tomorrow. For that reason if she use ZzzQuil she would fall asleep fast without over thinking about her boss demand her. They want the attention from the people who had trouble sleep for example, workers, college students and full time workers. I think their idea is that how life is hard for you, you don’t have think too much there is a sleep aid that can help fall asleep without any trouble.

Active ingredients
The active ingredient in zzzquil is Diphenhydramine HCL (25mg in liquicaps) , is an

antihistamine used to relieve symptoms of allergy, and common cold. This active ingredient works by blocking a certain natural substance that your body makes during an allergic reaction. Some of the side effects are drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, stomach upset, blurred vision, or dry mouth/nose/throat ( WebMD). The maximal effect is typically around two hours after a dose and can last up to seven hours.
Diphenhydramine used for insomnia and it has sedative properties. It can cause psychological dependence and cause sedation. There are many side effects when taking ZzzQuil at bedtime, it can help fall asleep more easily. That contains diphenhydramine which can blocking histamine receptor in the brain. So, when ZzzQuil blocks your histamine receptors, it causes drowsiness to help you sleep( Rodriguez, 2016). The package have the directions of how to take it which is only one dose per day. But it is dangerous if taking the medicine with alcohol or after taking it. In the commercial they don’t tell about any of the details of side effects or what is contains in it. However when you buy the ZzzQuil medicine there are warnings, usage, and active ingredients.

The ad only focus on how the medicine work well for people who had trouble sleeping. I think it true every commercial show positive side of it in order to get a good result.

Advertising Techniques
The commercial use word that convince people about the medicine, “ fall asleep less than 20 minutes” That make people want to buy it because it is hard to fall asleep when having a trouble sleep. So if it can make people fall asleep fast like that. Personally I would use this medicine because when I have a hard time fall asleep or when I wake up in the middle of the night I couldn’t sleep at all. That is why I would buy it. For that reason which make people ask the doctors for sleep aid prescription. The attention grabber in the ad is that showing the boss is still bother the worker even when she try to sleep. Which it can happen to college students as well. I would say when people had thing to be done they would be worry about it until they are finish. I would say they did really good on the commercial which they show the problems then the had the solution to it. which the last part of it as a ZzzQuil medicine.
Another thing is that “ most sleep aid have pain medicine in it but for this medicine there is no pain medicine.” Which shows on the products websites. The words are grabbing attention to the people. There are many other sleep aids over the counter, so that’s why they would any kind of method to grab people attention to buy their medicine.

Overall Opinion
Even though I haven’t try zzzquil for sleep aid. I would recommend this medicine to a friend because it just that we have to know the side effects of it and the usage. So it will not harmful to who ask the doctor advise first then look into the information about more. Not because of commercial that I would use it. It is the brand that is why I would choose to use it. We know medicine has side effects on it, so I would not use it until I talk the doctor and do some research about it first. After I get some fact about this drug, I know that it can help sleep better. But not to use it every night. As it say on the back information of the medicine which is not for children under 12. As long as people use ZzzQuil as recommended for short periods of time, it’s not likely to misuse or dependence. And asking the doctor advice before using any medicine is the best way to prevent something that can harm to our body. I would say that not to use electronic devices on when trying to sleep. Which can help sleep better when there is no distraction.

S., J., & M. (2017, October 06). ZzzQuilTM Liquicaps. Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://vicks.com/en-us/shop-products/zzzquil-sleep-aid/zzzquil-liquicaps

Zzzquil Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-161075/zzzquil-oral/details

Diphenhydramine. (2017, October 27). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine

Sleeping Pills | Sleeping Aids | Sleeping Medicines. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://www.sleepassociation.org/sleeping-pills/

Wolfson, E. (2013, May 08). The Rise of Ambien: Why More Americans Are Taking the Sleeping Pill and Why the Numbers Matter. Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/elijah-wolfson-/ambien_b_3223347.html

Neff., J., & Jack Neff Jack Neff, editor at large, covers household and personal-care marketers, Walmart and market research. He’s based near Cincinnati and has previously written for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Bloomberg, and trade publications covering the food, woodworking and graphic design industries and worked in corporate communications for the E.W. Scripps Co. Follow View all articles by this author. (2012, October 15). Vicks Wakes Up Sleep-Aid Niche. Retrieved November 02, 2017, from http://adage.com/article/news/vicks-wakes-sleep-aid-niche/237720/

ZzzQuil Sleep-Aid

meerdil Uncategorized

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgMoFTBX6EQ

ZzzQuil OTC Sleep-Aid

I was particularly interested in researching sleep aid medication because I have personally struggled with insomnia for most of my life. I have tried medical and nonmedical treatments including stress reduction, screen light shifting apps, melatonin, Benadryl (same active ingredient as ZzzQuil), and more. I am particularly sympathetic to the issue of sleeplessness because I know firsthand how detrimental to your health and wellbeing it can be. I also always want to be a conscious and critical consumer, particularly when it comes to medications. For these reasons I wanted to delve further into popular Sleep Aid medication, and ZzzQuil is the brand I have heard of and seen the most advertisements for. I remember seeing this add when it was airing years ago and I found it to be quite appealing. It simply shows people sleeping soundly in many different situations, and then shows a girl with bed-head waking up looking well rested and content. The video is warm and comforting looking, and quickly draws the viewer in.

ZzzQuil is a product line within the company of Vicks, which also makes cold and flu medication. Vicks has been making products since the 1890s and gained massive popularity in 1919 with their production of Vicks VapoRub which still sells today. The Vicks legacy, according to the website, “is about more than just cold and flu medicine. It’s about giving families the opportunity to continue life-even on sick days-for more than 100 years” (1). The pharmacist Lunsford Richardson began the company in 1890 when he took over his brother-in-law’s retail drug business (2). In 1985 the brand was then sold to Procter & Gamble (2). Procter & Gamble is a massive American consumer goods corporation, which recorded $83.1 billion in sales in 2014 (3). Procter and & Gamble own other massive and well-known brands such as Tide, Bounty and Crest (3).

The ad opens to a scene in which a bottle of ZzzQuil sits on a bedside table, and man is asleep and snoring, very obviously in deep sleep. It then cuts to another man sleeping, this time while hugging a pillow with a content look on his face. Then a woman is pictured as she drops her arm and falls into a deep sleep, her mouth open and relaxed. Here there is a cutaway to a simple purple background and a picture of the ZzzQuil bottle, and the words: “Introducing ZzzQuil Sleep-Aid” Next we see a couple sleeping very heavily with their faces squished together. Then we see another man with his arms over his head also snoring. The purple screen returns with the words: “It’s not for colds. It’s not for pain. It’s just for sleep.” Now we see a young girl sleeping with messy hair, and the words: “Because sleep is a beautiful thing.” She sits up as light comes into the room and birds chirp. She looks content and well rested.

The intended audience of this ad is American adults, primarily middle aged. Most of the people shown in the video were single men, however there was one couple and two single women as well. The youngest looking person was show last and she was shown in the best light waking up with a smile. The ad seems to say: “you can wake up fresh and beautiful if you use this medication too.”

The active ingredient in ZzzQuil is diphenhydramine HCL, which is an antihistamine. Histamines are the body’s reaction to allergies and they also promote wakefulness. Diphenhydramine HCL reverses the effects of histamines decreasing allergic reactions and promoting drowsiness. This is the same active ingredient present in Benadryl, a drug promoted as an allergy medication with drowsiness as a known side effect.

Some possible side effects of Diphenhydramine HCL include dysphoria, hallucinations, heart palpitations, dizziness, anxiety, and disorientation. Maximum drowsiness affect occurs after 2 hours, and can last for up to 7 hours. One important piece of information that is not stated in the ad is that you should be able to sleep for at least 7 hours after taking it. The drug may still be affecting the body when a person wakes up if they do not take this into account. It can be very dangerous for a person to drive for instance, with diphendydramine HCL still affecting their system and causing drowsiness and disorientation.

The ad states that the medication is a “non-habit forming sleep-aid” with fine print stating that it is for occasional sleeplessness. This is deceptive and easily misunderstand able section. It is not made clear that it is has limited habit/abuse forming capabilities, and that this is only true when used as directly. Stating that it should be used for occasional sleeplessness only in the fine print is neither prominent nor specific enough to be acceptable. Many people will see the ad and believe it is safe to take every night. While the drug has limited potential for addiction, it can be used recreationally in harmful ways, and it can create a psychological dependence simply because a person comes to believe they can no longer sleep without it.

The ad uses calm, nursery like music to evoke the idea of sleeping like a baby. It pictures many different people sleeping deeply and very soundly. The people look incredibly comfortable and are all getting rest. Finally they show a young girl waking up looking rested and beautiful. The ad then says: “because sleep is a beautiful thing,” invoking the idea that you and your life will be more beautiful with the addition of ZzzQuil. The visual imagery is very calm and comforting, like you would hope your sleep would be. The morning is depicted as bright and beautiful, with the sun shining and birds chirping. The opening also placed the bottle of ZzzQuil in the foreground for emphasis before focusing on the people sleeping.

My overall opinion of this drug is that if used sparingly, it has very little potential to cause harm. I have used this drug in the past (under the brand of Benadryl) for occasional sleeplessness and have found it to be beneficial. The emphasis must be on sparingly however, because there is not enough evidence to show if the drug is safe to use long-term daily and whether it causes dependence. In conjunction with other healthy sleep habits such as turning off devices a few hours before bed, practicing stress reduction, and keeping the room dark and cool, ZzzQuil may be a safe and effective addition for sleeplessness on occasion. I believe that sleep plays a vital role in health and that once in a while we all face trouble falling asleep. If not relied on, ZzzQuil may be a beneficial drug.

 

  1. Vicks History. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://vicks.com/en-us/vicks-history

 

  1. (2017, September 19). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicks

 

  1. Procter & Gamble. (2017, October 26). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procter_%26_Gamble

Lunesta, Hypnotically Addictive

starkej2 Sleeping Pills

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0rXFhsM8w  

 

I chose to blog about sleeping aids because I know a lot of people suffer from sleeping problems or disorders and getting a good night’s sleep for some people can only come from the help of these drugs. So I really wanted to learn more about sleeping aids and the companies that make them. I chose to focus on a specific sleeping aid called Lunesta because I specifically remember seeing ads for Lunesta a few years ago when I was watching a show on tv. Lunesta has the active ingredient eszopiclone and is used to help people fall asleep that have sleep problems like insomnia. Lunesta is supposed to help you relax so you can fall asleep and to help you stay asleep so you can get 7 to 8 hours of a deep sleep.

 

The company that produces Lunesta is called Sunovion formerly known as Sepracor Inc. Sepracor Inc was founded in 1984 and had a rocky road in the drug industry before its acquisition to Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. in 2010 (Sepracor, 2002). Lunesta was FDA approved in 2004 prior to the acquisition of the company to Sumitomo Dainippon Parma Co. In 2010 Sunovion also got the drug, Latuda FDA approved which is a treatment for adult patients that have schizophrenia. Latuda was also approved for marketing in Canada (2012) and in Europe (2014). And just this year Latuda was FDA approved for the treatment of schizophrenia for 13-17 year olds. Latuda was also approved for the treatment of depressive episodes in bipolar 1 disorders in adults. In 2011 Sunovion partnered with CARE to help improve the lives and the health of those in need. In 2015 Sunovion received the Scrip Award for Management Team of the Year and the Silver Stevie Award for Global Clinical Development Organization (Sunovion, 2017). Sunovion’s mission is “to broadly contribute to society through value creation based on innovative research and development activities for the betterment of health care and fuller lives of people worldwide” (Sunovion, 2017). Their vision is to help lead the way to a world that is more healthy. The values they believe in are to place the customer first, acting with the highest of standards and caring for their people.

 

The audience that the company, Sunovion is trying to reach is definitely adults. The majority, I would assume to be around middle age as there are certain side effects that elderly people have had when taking Lunesta. Lunesta is not recommended for people that are not adults and the dosage is usually smaller for those that are elderly. The advertisement that I am focusing on only has adults in it and I would say that they are all about middle aged. This would make sense since Lunesta is not for kids and adults that have less health issues, usually younger adults, are better candidates for having less side effects. Or at least having side effects that aren’t as troublesome.

 

The active ingredient in Lunesta is eszopiclone. Eszopiclone is apparently highly addictive and only meant for a short time use. People who are addicted to Lunesta show many signs that people addicted to other drugs show. For example they may take Lunesta longer than they are prescribed it, isolate themselves from their loved ones, repeatedly put off quitting Lunesta, start taking more than their prescribed dosage, etc. When people addicted to Lunesta quit taking it, they may experience withdrawal symptoms like insomnia or anxiety. (Addiction to Lunesta, 2017). The ad for Lunesta said nothing about the high potential for addiction of it. Which can be very misleading as getting 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night is a very attractive idea. Since Lunesta is such an addictive drug it can sometimes lead to an overdose which can cause extreme drowsiness, abruptly passing out, difficulty breathing and even a coma (Addiction to Lunesta, 2017). Taking Lunesta with other drugs (other sleeping ads or alcohol) could lead to an overdose and could also be fatal, which is another huge drawback of Lunesta.

 

The ad for Lunesta starts out with this glowing butterfly, looking pretty similar to the glow in the dark stars that you put on your ceiling as a kid. Very hypnotic and enjoyable to watch as it floats around the screen. The woman narrating the ad has a very calm, hypnotizing voice. Sounding as if she is trying to put you to sleep with her words alone. The butterfly (which is symbolic for the drug, Lunesta) flies around to a couple different households in what seems to be a sleeping city and puts people sleep. The butterfly keeps flying around until it is the morning and the people it helped sleep are now waking up looking well rested and ready to start their day. The ad does give some side effects to using Lunesta, but they all seem rather ambiguous, like drowsiness and a bad taste in the mouth. The side effects that the hypnotic voices tells us don’t seem that bad. What the ad doesn’t tell you is that the potential to become addicted to Lunesta is pretty high. The ad makes Lunesta seem like the perfect sleep aid that has little to no side effects. When is reality Lunesta is highly addictive and has some very uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

 

At first I thought Lunesta was a really great sleep aid. It did a really good job at what it is supposed to do. It provides 7 to 8 hours of deep sleep. Who wouldn’t want that? However Lunesta does too good of a job in my opinion. Since it’s really good at giving a person at least 7 hours of deep sleep, it is highly attractive. I myself would love to get that much sleep every night. I would definitely not recommend Lunesta to any friends or family that have any problems with addictions. Lunesta has a high potential for addiction and can have the withdrawal symptom of insomnia, which is what Lunesta is supposed to help with. I would however recommend it to someone that is having really bad sleeping problems and has had no history with addictions. Lunesta is really good at it’s job and if it wasn’t so addictive, would be a really great product because a lot of the other side effects that are common are not too severe.

Citations:

Lunesta. (September 19, 2016) Retrieved from https://www.drugs.com/lunesta.html

 

Sunovion website. (2017) Retrieved from http://www.sunovion.us/who-we-are/our-mission.html

 

Sepracor Inc. History. (2002) Retrieved from http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/sepracor-inc-history/

 

Addiction to Lunesta. (2017) Retrieved from https://www.addictioncenter.com/sleeping-pills/lunesta/

What a Snooze!

quirozk Sleeping Pills, Uncategorized

Sleep, it’s a majestic act that we do, or at least try to do, everyday. We crave it at night, and we cannot seem to let go in the morning. The best part about sleep, is that you don’t even have to do anything, and yet it is the best hobby. Your body cannot fight sleep; we are ticking time bombs that need sleep in order to recover from all the things we do in a day. However, we cannot always assume that everyone is going to get the same amount or comfort of sleep. For example, those less fortune might not even have a bed to rest on. Others, cannot physically fall asleep due sleep, even though the body relies on it. These are only fragments of examples that could lead someone to seek an aid to restfully fall asleep.

Vicks does a comical approach in influencing their audience to consider taking these sleeping aid, ZZZQuil. Of course Vicks is extremely well-known for their cough medicine, Nyquil. Another fan favorite is Vicks Vapor Rub, also mainly used for treating a stuffy or runny nose. Vicks alone has been around since the late 1800’s, that is a great amount to gain a reliable reputation and trust from consumers. Vicks originated as a small cold remedy company created by a pharmacist, Lunsford Richardson. The small company soon bloomed with the help of free samples, billboards and newspaper advertisement. Because the company was such a success, it soon started to manufacture cough drops and thus the products that are sold today.

This ad highly stands out from other sleeping aid advertisements because of the humor of the commercial and also because of the accessibility of this medication. The laughable approach makes this advertisement unique and it draws the consumer in. It creates a sense of trust and a funny, yet memorable, product to potentially use. In addition to this, the accessibility to ZZZQuil is much too easy for those over 18. The sleeping aid is an over the counter drug, with a low cost. Since the access to this drug is very convenient, it will attract a diverse population of consumers versus a prescription sleeping aid.

An aspect of this advertisement commercial that makes this product more inclusive, is  whom is in the commercial. Vicks, included potential patients that could use this mediation; this includes men and women of varies ages (all over 18 of course). Another double taking aspect of this advertisement is the execution and style of the commercial. This advertisement shows individuals in a deep sleep, deep enough where it is funny and entertaining. We all know, that no one looks like sleeping beauty when they are in deep sleep, we all toss and turn and some of us even snore. Even though the actors and actresses in this commercial look “silly”, the sleep that they are portraying looks extremely comfortable. It is an unbothered sleep that is craved by those who have a rough time falling asleep.

Because the advertisement is a commercial, it is nearly accessible for anyone who has a television. However, because of the trends of this society, YouTube has also become a popular platform that shows advertisements between videos. Thus, virtually anyone who has a television and/or computer can be exposed to this ad. Of course, it might not affect some like it does to others, for example, those who clearly have trouble falling asleep might be more inclined to try the product. And again, because Vicks has been around for a long time, it has gain the status of being trust worthy and safe, even if that is not the case.

The active ingredient in ZZZQuil is named Diphenhydramine HCL, which according to Vicks “is not habit forming”. This is a sleeping aid that helps people fall asleep quicker and stay asleep between seven to eight hours. Although it is not habit forming, it could become necessary for some consumers to use it more than occasionally. Also, an idea that must also be discussed is for those who might use this come often can create a tolerance for this medication. This could lead to other serious matters, such as maybe trying something with a stronger active ingredient. Dependency could also be generated, if the first time trying it worked wonderfully, why not continue to try it for future occasions.

An interesting point to also consider about this advertisement, is the lack of side effects announced. This add does not announce any side effects at any time during the commercial. It also excludes, how much should be consumed and how often. If consumers solely rely on the commercial, it deprives them from the entire information from the drug that must be discussed. And because there at times we have a misconception of over the counter drugs being always “safe”, some might not look into further detail on the side effects when purchasing the medicine. Nevertheless, some side effects include but are not limited to, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness and constipation, none of which are listed in this specific advertisement.

Although celebrities aren’t used in this advertisement, or the excess use of weasel words, Vicks is still very successful in selling this product to their consumers do to their simplicity. Sleep is obviously something that we all experience, we are biologically wired to sleep when out body needs it the most. However, this ad does use excess expressions to demonstrate how powerful the product actually is, making you fall asleep no matter what. For example, a couple is shown where one person is on top of their partners face. We all know this would be very uncomfortable to sleep through, but the message is about being able to fall asleep no matter what, no matter the position. In addition to this, the ending shows a person waking up with a big smile on their face, clearly happy they took ZZZQuil as their sleeping aid. Of course, this ad wants to show only the positive aspects of the medicine, and perhaps hide some of the negative effects that could arise.

Although the advertisement is amusing and very entertaining, I do not see myself using this product nor would I recommend it to others. Dependency could be formed if the first try was a good experience. Overall, through this ad, it seems as if nothing bad could ever happen, this is due in part because no side effects were said nor displayed, leaving the consumer without the full knowledge that they need.

Although it may not be for everyone, natural remedies and other lifestyle changes could potentially help, such as teas, not eating too late at night or doing small meditations. Also, not everyone can have such privilege but, having a set routine of what time to go to sleep can also make a great impact. Other alternative could also be viewed in further detail by those who lack sleep.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgMoFTBX6EQ

 

Vicks History. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://vicks.com/en-us/vicks-history

 

Zzzquil Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-161075/zzzquil-oral/details

 

Diphenhydramine. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682539.html

 

Sleep Away

soltera Sleeping Pills

 

While watching T.V after a long day of work, you will more likely to watch about 50 ads during the commercial breaks. Since it’s the end of the day, sleeping aid companies such as Belsomra, Union and Nyquil, may take advantage of the opportunity to advertise their medications at this time of the 24 hours day we have. These ads for insomnia catches these adults attention at the perfect moment, which I find pretty brilliant. I specifically focused on Belsomra and their video. They created a cute and fun ad to promote their sleeping pills. I found this as super interesting because any adults can relate to, first of all, not sleeping at nights, and second of all, having pets either cuddle with you or not letting you sleep at all. This is definitely a good way to grab people’s attention who happens to be struggling with sleeping.

The company that markets Belsomra is Merck Sharp and Dohme Corp. The company is known as Merck in the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Committed to improving health and well-being around the world, Merck is an innovative, global healthcare leader. They include diabetes, cancer, vaccines and hospital acute care as their core product categories. They mainly focus on research that is related to conditions that represents some of today’s significant health challenges—like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. They are the ones in the front line to fight against emerging global pandemics such as ebola. They look forward in taking advantage of the financial strength to fulfill their passion of improving health and improving lives worldwide. Merck is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world that has been changing the world for a little over 125 years. Merck’s beginnings can be traced as far as 1668 in Germany. It was a pharmacy called “At the Sign of the Angel” that was later transformed into a drug manufactory in 1827. In 1917, during the entrance of World War I, George Merck, fearing anti-German sentiment, turned over a sizable portion of Merck stock to the Alien Property Custodian of the United States. They did this to end their Merck and Co.’s connections to its German parent. In 1919, Alien Property Custodian sold Merck shares, worth $3 million, to the public. George Merck remained control of the corporation. In 1984, Merck had become the largest U.S.-based manufacturer of drugs in the three largest markets—the United State, Japan, and Europe. Even though there have been several bumps throughout the way, Merck has managed to stay successful over the 125 years. Today there vision is “To make a difference in the lives of people globally through our innovative medicines, vaccines, and animal health products. We are committed to being the premier, research-intensive biopharmaceutical company and are dedicated to proving leading innovations and solutions for today and the future.” Merck wants to be able to help people by providing medicine and vaccines. Their mission statement is, “To discover, develop and provide innovative products and services that save and improve lives around the world.” They look forward to make improvements on their products to give better services and improve people’s lives.

People with insomnia have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or awakening too early, or any combination of the three. As a young adult, this ad does not catch my attention. Yes, I may have sleepless nights, but I don’t suffer from insomnia and I’m not desperate for sleeping aids. This advertisement targets mainly middle age adults to elders. In the video, you notice the lady that is having trouble sleeping is an older adult. Studies has shown that older adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Men and women ages 65+ years have a harder time sleeping throughout the night. The lady represents the older age adults. Also, you relies that it’s a lady who seems to be suffering with insomnia. Women are twice as likely to have insomnia as men, actually. Hormones is one of the reason why many women aren’t getting their sleep. Researchers have found that there are no differences in sleep until puberty starts. At different times of the month women may have harder time getting sleep. Women are also prone to mood disorders, which is related to sleepless nights. Another reason could be the overlap of caregiver responsibilities and work. And the video was the first video on the YouTube page.

One of the main sleep-inducing ingredient in these sleeping aids are diphenhydramine, an antihistamine. Antihistamine have been used by people to reduce fever or cold symptoms, but doctors have been aware that they also make people feel drowsy. Belsomra tablets also contain suvorextant, which is a highly selective antagonist for orexin receptors OX1R and OX2R. The orexin receptors in the brain play a role of keeping a person awake. When suvorexant is applied, its therapeutic effect blocks the binding of wake promoting neuropeptides orexin A and B to receptors OX1R and OX2R. This causes the person to fall to sleep. It’s recommended to take a dose of 10mg once per night and must be taken within 30 minutes of going to bed. If the 10mg isn’t effective, 20mg dose can be taken per day. If someone takes higher doses, it could be dangerous causing drowsiness the following day that may cause auto crashes if they drive. There hasn’t been any major cases where people are addicted, but what could happen is that people may increase their tolerant and what/need a higher dose. It’s also dangerous taking it with alcohol. This could cause abnormal behaviors such as aggressiveness, confusion, agitation, and/or hallucination. If the person is suffering from depression, taking the tablets could worsen their depression. The ad is very good at being transparent including the side effects and dangerous risk that comes along taking Belsomra.

Merck had a unique way of adverting Belsomra. At the beginning of the video, the lady closes her book ready to go to sleep. She reaches for the “sleepy” pet—craftily using this pet metaphor, sleepy cat and lively dog—representing her need to sleep. Sleepy cat gets out of her hands and runs off while she searches for it. This is implying her inability to sleep, also known as insomnia. “Wakey” dog is barking at the cat not letting the cat sleep. The lady then takes Wakey dog to his bed that says “Belsomra” causing the dog to go to sleep. You’re right. Belsomra is the medication that will help you get the sleep that you need. Sleepy cat finally hops onto the bed to cuddle with their owner. This is a great ad because it builds a connection with their audience. They disproportionately try to avoid showing any form of loss, especially the loss of something we are attached to emotionally. They do an excellent job avoiding this by showing the loss of sleep in form of a beloved pet. This triggers the audience making them more interested in the product and wanting to learn more about it. The ad is pretty straight forward. They later show the lady outside taking a walk with their dog that signifies the lady being fully awake.

Personally, if a family member or a good close friend is suffering from insomnia, I would like them to give the sleeping aids a try. I would want them to feel well rested daily and not worry about not being able to sleep the next night. There aren’t any great cases of people over-dosing on sleeping pills to get high or because they are addicted to it. Also, there are many cases of people misusing the drug. They are sleeping pills. It’s self-explanatory. At the same time, I wouldn’t want my friends and/or family to rely on sleeping pills. I have a personal belief that we can train our mind and bodies to do what we wish it could do.

 

 

Citations

Belsomra (suvorexant) for the Treatment of Insomnia. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from http://www.drugdevelopment-technology.com/projects/belsomra-suvorexant-treatment-insomnia/

Company Fact Sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from http://www.merck.com/about/our-history/facts/home.html

Conroy, P. D. (n.d.). 3 Reasons Women Are More Likely to Have Insomnia. Retrieved November 02, 2017, from http://healthblog.uofmhealth.org/health-management/3-reasons-women-are-more-likely-to-have-insomnia

PharmaLive. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from http://www.pharmalive.com/favorite-dtc-campaigns/

NuvaRing

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The drug I chose to research was birth control. People generally think of a drug causing instant notable psychoactive effects, thus birth control likely wouldn’t be the first thing to come to mind when you hear the word “drug”. Nonetheless it is a prescription drug. More specifically, I decided to research NuvaRing. NuvaRing is a contraception method that involves inserting a “ring” into your vagina, where it sits for up to three weeks and releases a continuous dose of hormones. It has been shown to be 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. The reason I chose to research birth control is because the advertising techniques birth control companies use are always so happy go lucky, and I’ve always found them to be incredibly ironic and comical.

 

The company that invented NuvaRing is Organon. Organon is a Dutch pharmaceutical company started in the Netherlands. The company was bought by Schering-Plough which is a corporation based in New Jersey. The company has now been acquired by Merck & Co since 2009. The company specializes in reproductive medicine, contraception, psychiatry, HRT, and amnesia. The company sells to international markets. Manufacturing their drugs in numerous countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Ireland, China, Japan and the US. According to CNN, NuvaRing is sold in more than 50 countries, and there have been over 44 million prescriptions filled for women in the US alone. According to CNN, 3,800 claims have been filed against Merck alleging that the manufacturer has “failed to adequately warn consumers about a heightened risk of blood clots associated with the use of NuvaRing”. NuvaRing has been known to have the potential to cause blood clots in its users. According to CNN, there have been handfuls of deaths reported from blood clots causing heart attacks in women who use NuvaRing. One young woman died, in 2015, from a heart attack due to blood clotting. The pharmaceutical company agreed to pay $100 million in damages, although to her family no amount of money would do any justice.

 

The intended audience for this drug is women. To state the obvious, it’s a birth control method designed for a woman. Besides that point, the advertisements are filled with women looking uncomfortable until they switch to NuvaRing, where they are free to be who they want to be, take their hair down, put some sunglasses on and sit back and relax. These women don’t have to worry about anything. They can sit back and relax by the pool! Or in another advertisement, like the one below, the woman’s mind is so jam packed with the thoughts of everyday life, that she doesn’t have any space to fit in the effort of remembering to take her birth control. Once she takes NuvaRing, she can focus on other things that fill their mind, like puppies!! These advertisements can be found in women’s magazines, TV commercials, doctors’ offices, etc.

According to drugs.com, the active ingredients in NuvaRing are ethylene vinylacetate copolymers, and magnesium stearate, which make up the physical ring itself. The ring also contains 11.7 mg etonogestrel, which is a drug that prevents ovulation, and 2.7 mg ethinyl estradiol, which is a synthetic form of estrogram. These active ingredients have been reported to have an effect on mood. Many people reported having intense mood swings. Allergic reactions and hives have also been prevalent with the usage of these drugs. According to rxlist.com, The more severe side effects have included blood clots, vaginal infections and irritation, nausea, vomiting, changes in weight or appetite, and many more.  These drugs are not considered to be addictive, but women tend to use them for prolonged periods of time that can impose serious health risks on the body. According to bodyecology.com, These health risks include, an increased risk of cervical and breast cancers, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, infertility, gall bladder disease, and many more. To be completely fair and honest, the NuvaRing.com website does make it pretty clear that there may be risks associated with their product.

The advertising techniques they used were all enlightening. They chose bright happy colors, the sun was shining, the women are singing and swimming, and when the lady finally “breaks away from her daily birth control” she’s free to let her hair down and kick back by the pool where she is served a refreshing drink (with a lemon in it!) by a handsome man. These of course are all deceptive. Starting NuvaRing is not going to have men serving you drinks by the pool. You’re not anymore “free” than you were beforehand. You won’t automatically gain the self confidence that is portrayed by the main actress. In another advertisement, on their website, nuvaring.com, they are portraying this woman as “busy”, with so many things filling her mind. Those things just so happen to be a puppy and some groceries, which in my opinion is promoting the gender stereotype that women belong in the kitchen. But after using NuvaRing, the women is seen meditating, she is now mindful and at peace, filled with blue skies and lotus flowers.

 

To be completely honest, I have a pretty neutral opinion on the drug. I personally don’t have any experience with this drug, so I don’t have any personal advice or experience to give. I have heard success stories and horror stories from women who have used this drug. For some people it is very convenient and works really well for them. For others, they experience horrible side effects, and for a select few, they even faced death. I think deciding to use this drug all depends on personal preference and what you think is best for you. Everybody’s schedules, priorities, and situations are different. For me personally, I don’t like the idea of a foreign object being inside of me for long periods of time, and the heightened risk of blood clots that have been reported by many, doesn’t seem worth the risk in my opinion. Although all birth control methods come with a “risk”, the risk has been said to be significantly higher with the use of NuvaRing in comparison to other contraceptive methods such as the patch, or the pill.

 

References:

Kaye, R., & Shepherd, S. (2015, April 07). Families, lawsuits, raise questions about NuvaRing. Retrieved October 25, 2017, from http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/06/us/families-lawsuits-raise-questions-about-nuvaring/index.html

Common Side Effects of NuvaRing (Etonogestrel, Ethinyl Estradiol Vaginal Ring) Drug Center. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://www.rxlist.com/nuvaring-side-effects-drug-center.htm

How NuvaRing Works. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://www.nuvaring.com/how-nuvaring-works/

The Dangers Every Woman Needs to Know About the Birth Control Pill. (2011, April 27). Retrieved October 25, 2017, from https://bodyecology.com/articles/dangers_birth_control_pill.php

To Sleep-Aid or Not To Sleep-Aid

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The media of our society is a master at distorting the reality around us. They are one of the major institutions that play a key role in what shapes our ideas around many of our opinions on factors such as body image, beauty, gender roles, licit and illicit drugs, the list could go on. An important note to make before proceeding is that, in this article, the term drugs will be referring to over the counter medicines, prescription medicines, and substances that don’t have medical benefits such as cocaine or heroin unless stated otherwise. When looking at how the media shapes our understanding and opinions on drugs, the advertisements for these products are extremely important to look at and analyze critically. Often these advertisements depict an exaggeration of the drug’s positive potential ability while also downgrading, or completely passing over, the potential negative side effects of the drug being advertised. If you’ve ever watched a few hours of television or looked on YouTube for drug advertisements, evidence which can support the allegations above can easily be found, you just need to watch a few advertisements to see it.

There are numerous categories of drugs such as alcohol, cold medicine, and tobacco which can be examined and analyzed to evaluate how media successfully builds up and perpetuates society’s perception of drugs. In this blog post, the category examined will be sleeping aids. In the category of sleeping aids, we will be looking at one drug and an advertisement that has been aired on television, and/ or online, for that drug. The drug advertisement we will examine and analyze is “Vicks® ZzzQuil™ Sleep-Aid for Those Sleepless Nights” which was marketed by the drug company Vicks®. This is a one minute advertisement that has been aired both on television and on online websites. This advertisement was chosen because it is marketed by a well- known company and is a product that many adults have probably used at least once in their lives.

The company marketing ZzzQuil™ is Vicks®. Vicks® was founded in the 1890s by pharmacist Lunsford Richardson in Greensboro, South Carolina. When his shop first opened, he created and sold twenty- one homemade remedies for the ill. The shop was successful due to its Pneumonia Salve, but the company did not introduce its first major product until the Vicks® Cough Drops in the 1930s. From there, Vicks® has developed cough syrups, nasal sprays, cold medicines such as NyQuil™ and DayQuil™, and the sleep aid, ZzzQuil™. According to the company’s mission statement found on Vicks®.com, the company claims its “legacy” revolves around the idea that the company is not merely there to provide cold and flu relief, but to allow “families” to continue with their everyday life regardless of health. Vicks® has been present in our society for over a hundred years and many individuals have used a Vicks® product at least once in their lives. Vicks® was founded around 127 years ago and, throughout its history, it has specialized in the creation and refinement of cold and flu medications and other related medications such as sleep aids. (Vicks®, n.d.)

As with any advertisement, “Vicks® ZzzQuil™ Sleep-Aid for Those Sleepless Nights” has an intended audience. When watching this advertisement, there are some assumptions that can be made about who the intended audience is. One can assume that the audience targets are restless sleepers, those with insomnia or symptoms of insomnia, people with a lot on their mind, or someone in a similar situation as the three described. This can be assumed based on the content of the advertisement. The advertisement is set in a bedroom during the late night when individuals are typically fast asleep. In the bed, you have an extremely restless woman who is tossing and turning while trying to cover her ears with the pillow under her head and get some sleep. Another woman is also in the room. She is dressed in a professional manner, sitting at a desk which is at the end of the bed. This woman, presumably the other woman’s boss, is reminding her about a plethora of tasks that need to be remembered and/or accomplished. After approximately fifty seconds of advertisement, it mentions the product, Vicks® ZzzQuil™, which the advertisement is trying to help sell. In the last ten seconds of the advertisement, you hear a man saying, “when life keeps you up, ZzzQuil™ helps you fall asleep in less than twenty minutes”. This is accompanied by the woman now comfortably sleeping with soothing, light music in the background and a bottle of Vicks® ZzzQuil™ on her bedside table. It is due to the man’s line and the physical brain activity that leads to the assumption of who the audience is.

In Vicks® ZzzQuil™, there is only one active ingredient: Diphenhydramine. (Vicks®, ZzzQuil™ Warming Berry Liquid, n.d.) Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine used primarily to treat minor allergic reactions, seasonal allergies, and cold symptoms but is also promoted heavily as a non- prescription sleep aid. Diphenhydramine is not addictive, but it has potential for abuse and may be dangerous if not used correctly. There are several notable dangers of diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine can cause an acute asthmatic attack due to thickened bronchial flow in the respiratory system. Large doses of Diphenhydramine can have adverse effects on infants who are breast feeding and can decrease the rate in which breast milk is produced. Safety has not been established for young children and Diphenhydramine can potentially cause heightened side effects if taken. Individuals who have various health issues such as hepatic disease, bladder obstruction, and hypertension are more likely to experience adverse reactions than an individual with no health issues. (Reference, n.d.)The advertisement left out some key information about Vicks® ZzzQuil™. First, the advertisement did not mention any potential side effects at all. These side effects include drowsiness, upset stomach, blurred vision, mental/mood changes (e.g., restlessness, confusion), and difficulty urinating. (WebMD, n.d.)The advertisement failed to inform its audience of the correct dosage and that it was not safe for younger children. The advertisement fails to mention potential risks with mixing the drug with other drugs such as alcohol or other forms of Diphenhydramine (e.g., topical). Overall, this advertisement portrayed an exaggeration of the drug’s positive potential ability while completely passing over the serious potential negative side effects of the drug.

In the Vicks® ZzzQuil™ advertisement, several techniques were implemented to help promote the product. The creators of the one minute advertisement used the following techniques: transference, emotional appeal, promises a benefit, simple solution, exaggeration, and a slogan. Transference, the attempt to make an audience associate positive images, words, or idea with a product and its users, is used in the Vicks® ZzzQuil™ advertisement by creating a positive association with a good night’s sleep and taking Vicks® ZzzQuil™. This is accomplished though the image of the woman struggling to sleep without the product and the ease of sleep with the product. Illustrating the struggle to sleep due to an abundance of thoughts travelling through your mind which many people have experienced at least once in their life establishes the technique of an emotional appeal. This advertisement promises the positive benefit of a good night’s sleep. It exaggerates the positive effects of the product while marking it as a simple solution to an overflowing mind. The product advertisement ends with the product’s slogan “When life keeps you up, ZzzQuil™ helps you sleep”. Several of these techniques can make the advertisement deceptive. The techniques used by the advertisement creators paint the product with rose colored lenses. In other words, the advertisement only portrays the positives of ZzzQuil™.

Overall, I am naturally hesitant to recommend any drug to a good friend or a family member and this does not exclude Vicks® ZzzQuil™. There are many alternatives an individual could try before resorting to medicine. If there are issues with sleeplessness, an individual could try the following to see if the issue ceases to be a problem:

• Exercise daily. Driving exercise is recommended, but lighter exercise works fine as well. Exercises may include: swimming, dancing, running, etcetera.
• Practice a ritual and sleep routine. Have a set routine for when you get ready and go to bed. Avoid activities that can cause stress, anxiety, or excitement. Strong emotions can make it hard for your mind and body to relax.
• Wind down. Do something to calm your mind like reading a book or listening to soothing music. This is a transition from the bustle of the day to the relaxation of sleep.
• Make your room sleep friendly. Experiment with bed set up, room smells, room temperature, and other aspects to find the right fit for you when you go to bed (Foundation, n.d.)

Although not all the methods listed have been medically proven to be effective, it is worth the shot to see if these remedies, and others, can help before turning to Vicks® ZzzQuil™. As noted in earlier in this post, diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Vicks® ZzzQuil™, can have adverse effects and is not recommended for everyone. If I were to recommend a sleep-aid drug, Vicks® ZzzQuil™ would not be at the top of my recommendation list.

 

Works Cited:
Foundation, N. S. (n.d.). Healthy Sleep Tips. Retrieved from National Sleep Foundation: https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-tools-tips/healthy-sleep-tips
Reference, P. D. (n.d.). diphenhydramine hydrochloride – Drug Summary. Retrieved from Prescribers’ Digital Reference: http://www.pdr.net/drug-summary/Diphenhydramine-Hydrochloride–diphenhydramine-hydrochloride-1140
Vicks®. (n.d.). Vicks History. Retrieved from Vicks®: https://vicks.com/en-us
Vicks®. (n.d.). ZzzQuil™ Warming Berry Liquid. Retrieved from Vicks®: https://vicks.com/en-us/shop-products/zzzquil-sleep-aid/zzzquil-warming-berry-liquid
WebMD. (n.d.). Zzzquil. Retrieved from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-161075/zzzquil-oral/details#side-effects