O/T Offensive ED Ads

[Mike_Cirba]

Jerry, do you have any numbers to back up the claim that many teens and early 20 something men are using Viagra recreationally?

As far as hard numbers...no.

[Mike_Cirba]

With no offense meant to Sir Bob and his well-understood modesty around grandchildren, I do find it passing strange in a world where people are regularly blowing each other into little bits, we find it so intimidating to talk about people making each other feel good, and sometimes, even making another feel loved.

[Bob_Huntley]

Mike,

I too abhor people being blown apart, I saw it happen between 1940-45 in London during WW11. Ordinary bombers, V1s and V11 Rockets, there was not much distinction between the three except that one experienced the sound of the explosion of the V11 Rockets before you heard the whine of their descent.



My complaint is that crappy advertising destroys what  semblance of propriety that society  should enjoy.

Bob

[Mike_Cirba]

Bob,

I can't even imagine going through that and have no cogent response.

I do understand your larger point, though.

Best Regards,
Mike

[John Kavanaugh]

I think these ads are good for the modern marriage.  I like seeing 50 year olds get hot all over each other.  It sure as hell beats some old guy only being able to get it up by chasing young bar whores.  Children so rarely see affection between their parents it is nice to show them that just maybe Daddy does love Mommy.  Just not quite enough for Mommy to share bath water...Ten years ago V stood for variety.

[George Freeman]

Shivas,

Is it your opinion that ED drugs are bad and you disagree with their existence?  If so, you must be against the possibility for older couples to regain the ability to be sexually active when they would not have been otherwise?

I agree there isn't a drug for everything, but there is for this...

Your response might be that it isn't the ED drugs you disagree with, but the fact that they are being advertised on national television...well, it is 2007, and the single most dominent advertising medium is still television, regardless of what it is you're trying to advertise (tampons, ED drugs, puppy chow, etc).

Cheers

George

[John Kavanaugh]

Shivas,

Would you agree that these ads have made it easier for men who choose to stay at home with their aging menopausal women to seek help.  Isn't saving the institution of marriage more important that someone being offended at the idea.  Don't you think it is important for our children to understand that physical attraction can exist past what they see on popular TV.  To understand that monogamous relationships can be fullfilling for life.

I believe that ads like the first Levitra ad got older men to look at their wives in a different light.  Isn't the culture of Milf a good thing?

[Rich Goodale]

Bob

When I lived in Silicon Valley in 2000-2, the morning radio used to have ads for Viagra, just when I was driving my (then age 3 and 7) girls to school.  After the youngest said something to the effect of "Dad--what's 'extra defunkshun?'" I made it a habit of playing the "Barbie Salsa" CD's on the school run........

Rich

[John Kavanaugh]

How about product placement?  Any examples?  Did anyone watch John Adams last night...I thought Abigail was over the top hot.  Showing a 44 year old actress pregnant in 1775 turned my stomach.  note: Abigail was actually 31 in 1775.  Has there ever been a man on TV who did not marry too up?  I am offended by the need for every wife to be beautiful and witty.  How bout some realism somewhere?  note:  I loved the New York mobster on the Soprano's with the fat wife.  That is the one example that I just could not get enough of when he defended her to the death.

[Voytek Wilczak]

I don't find these ads offensive, just damn depressing.

Cialis, Viagra, Avodart...

Man, I need some Prozac after watching all these ads.

[Craig Sweet]

Did that ad pay the bill so I could watch the golf on "free TV"?

If someone thinks running those ads on TV is responsible for the spike in teenage STD's then they had better think again.....heck, I seriously doubt that teenage girls are the target during golf tournaments.

For the life of me I do not understand how some people come to the conclusion that seeing two people fix a broken faucet, or sit in bath tubs that are 2 feet apart, is going to cause the collapse of western civilization.

[Bob_Huntley]

For the life of me I do not understand how some people come to the conclusion that seeing two people fix a broken faucet, or sit in bath tubs that are 2 feet apart, is going to cause the collapse of western civilization.

Craig,

Hyperbole has never been much of response to a reasonable question.

Bob

[George Freeman]

George:  I take it, then, that your position would be that everything that is necessary or desirable in life requires an advertisement for it.

Please explain that position as it relates to shooting people in self-defense, disciplining children and getting off herion....

Shivas,

I hardly think that "self-defense, disciplining children and getting off heroin" are items that companies produce products for that they are trying to advertise in a traditional fashion...

Everyone is saying that these ad's are offensive and done in bad taste?  In my opinion, the drug companies have done a pretty good job of keeping these in good taste, even moving towards using the term "ED" exclusively instead of the medically excepted "Erectile Disfunction".  I could think of myriad of ways to advertise this condition in "bad taste".

To everyone who thinks these ads are done in bad taste, how would you create an ad for this drug and have it be anymore in "good taste" while still having people have any idea what the commercial is for?  And "I wouldn't advertise it" isn't a sufficient answer as this is a capitalistic society....

[Kalen Braley]

The problem in my mind is the inconsistent message that is being sent by the FCC.

Its OK to have Cialis talking about the right moment, or Enzyte for natural male enhancement, (which by the way doesn't work and is being sued left and right), or Viagra ads addressing 4 hour long erections, etc, etc. Meanwhile Tobacco, Liqour (until recently), Nudity, Pornography are out. 

It seems arbitrary what is and isn't allowed.  And god forbid a wardrobe malfunction occurs where nothing short of a multi-million dollar federal investigation has to be launched.

Is it too unreasonable to be consistent in the application of alleged "morality" in America?  Is there no one at the FCC who can ask the simple question "Is it possible small kids are watching thier childhood golfing heros, and if so do we really want to expose them to these types of commercials?"

[tlavin]

I wonder if Cialis can change its ad campaign based on a phonetic application to the drug's name.  If you get Wood every time you "see Alice", should they have a drug named "see Alan" for the gay community?

On a serious note, it is obvious that this demographic is gobbling up these products, so you can't blame the companies for getting their ads to those who are buying the stuff.

[Richard Choi]

Based on totally unscientific sampling here, I would say most people are not offended at all with ED commercials.

While it is unfortunate that some do find them offensive, if we limit all TV broadcast to only those that offend no one, I doubt that there will be much to fill the TV for more than a couple of hours a day.

As I have said before, with DVR's today, you have the ability to skip any commercials you want. Whether or not you want to view these commercials are entirely up to you.

When there is such a big disagreement between people on what is and what is not offensive, giving each people a choice seems to me the best of all possible options.

[John Kirk]

Yes, offensive.

My father used to refer to the profusion of pharmaceutical ads as "selling sickness".

I tried a few of them Viagra pills a few years back.  They work like a charm, but they made me feel funny.

[Steve Kline]

Richard - you are confusing the point. I have no problem with the ads being shown during programming that is primarily for adults. But golf is not that programming. The PGA Tour wants kids more involved and the advertising should be keep in mind that children are watching. Show all the Cialis ads you want during the Office or any other show that most people don't have their kids watching. I

[Jim_Kennedy]

The 'audience' for golf telecasts averages 53 years old, is 93% male, and  watches about 3 1/2 hrs of golf per week. Of that group 94% would rather be out playing, 3% would rather watch it on the tube, and 3% would rather be attending the event. 

I couldn't keep my young sons in the house to watch something as boring as televised golf. They were outdoors somewhere getting meaningful exercise playing meaningless games with their friends. Both remain mentally and physically sound to this day.

 

 

[Richard Choi]

I would have to agree with Jim, the percentage of under 18 watching a golf tourney is fairly low to begin with.

And these commercials are shown during NFL telecasts where there are much greater number of younger viewers watching.

I still do not agree that this is offensive at all.  I just don't understand why ED is offensive? Would you be offended if they had Anti-AIDS ad during the day as well?

[Wade Whitehead]

The problem in my mind is the inconsistent message that is being sent by the FCC.

Its OK to have Cialis talking about the right moment, or Enzyte for natural male enhancement, (which by the way doesn't work and is being sued left and right), or Viagra ads addressing 4 hour long erections, etc, etc. Meanwhile Tobacco, Liqour (until recently), Nudity, Pornography are out. 

It seems arbitrary what is and isn't allowed.  And god forbid a wardrobe malfunction occurs where nothing short of a multi-million dollar federal investigation has to be launched.

Is it too unreasonable to be consistent in the application of alleged "morality" in America?  Is there no one at the FCC who can ask the simple question "Is it possible small kids are watching thier childhood golfing heros, and if so do we really want to expose them to these types of commercials?"

The problem is this:

The FCC rates shows based on content, themes, language, etc., and requires that ratings mesh with the time of day they are run.  However, commercials are not rated.  Any commercial can air anytime.

If they rate one, they should probably rate the other, and time slots permitted for each should be aligned.

WW

[Jim_Kennedy]

WW,
Not correct, there are gov. and assoc. rules about specific airtimes for specific products. Something to also remember, many advertisers on cable will buy blocks of time and even if they recommend that their ads be shown at certain times, the station sometimes inserts them at their convenience.

PhRMA has guidelines for ED ads, the viewing audience must be gauged as at least 80% adult. This means no baseball, no football, many other sports, but not golf, not with its 93% older male demographic.

[Evan Fleisher]

      I was embarrased for the guy...

Bringing some levity to the topic, Evan's statement above can be a reply for many of the tangents this topic has gone on ...

Nice catch, dude!

[Buck Wolter]

While I admit my argument linking Cialis to STD's in teenagers was weak -- those who don't think the ads are offensive should listen closely the next time it comes on. I have a very inquisitive 5 year old who when he hears new words will ask what they mean -- this topic came up not long after having him ask me probing questions about one of these ads that I hadn't noticed was on.

In context I don't have an issue -- I almost wet myself watching The Simpson's Snuke episode (Perhaps I need some Flowmax ) but it was at 10:00 at night.

[JohnV]

Jerry, do you have any numbers to back up the claim that many teens and early 20 something men are using Viagra recreationally?

Craig,

No numbers, but this was an interesting story from Scotland:

14 year olds taking Viagra