Okay, maybe it’s not the stupidest — but it’s up there. The Sally Field “Boniva” commercial.
For those who don’t know Boniva, it’s a once-a-month pill for osteoporosis. I’m not a doctor, I don’t study osteoporosis so I know very little about the drug aside from what the commercial keeps ramming down my throat — that you can take it once a month. Focus group this spot and I don’t know if people would walk out knowing that it’s for osteoporosis, but they’ll certainly tell you that it’s a once a month pill.
Because, really, that’s all they talk about. There’s several spots in this campaign, but the one that annoys me the most is where Sally talks about her friend who HAS TO SET ASIDE TIME ONCE A WEEK TO TAKE HER CALCIUM PILL. Oh, the horror! Really, once a week? How does she make it through? And what the hell is Sally’s friend doing to have to set so much time aside for this pill? Does she do a calcium ritual? Maybe get some chicken bones from Thursday nights dinner and shake them about as she dances on one foot chanting about strong bones?
I take three pills a day — and that’s not including any supplements or the most disgusting vitamin drink in the world that I drink every morning. (I do need to set time aside for that because it involves mixing — but it’s no more than 30 seconds and really, as nasty as it is, it’s worth it.) I know people who take far more than that and I’ve never heard anyone say — “oh, this one weekly pill. It’s SO TIME CONSUMING!” So this commercial drives me crazy every time it comes on.
If Boniva was pushing themselves against a daily pill competitor, I’d get it. But if your main selling point is that taking a WEEKLY PILL is *handtoforehead*oh so very painful!*dramatic sigh* — then really, maybe you should spend some time thinking about actual benefits of your product than harping on one silly point.
Now, I like Sally Field and I think she looks fantastic — and I realize this is all scripted — but seriously. She just looks stupid here going on about the PAIN OF A WEEKLY PILL. You’re a big star, Gidget — demand a better script!
