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