Happy Feet Fight Flu
Filed under: Animation, Warner Brothers, Family Films, Newsstand
Pharmaceutical juggernaut Roche is using the upcoming CGI film Happy Feet as a vehicle to tell people to get flu shots. According to a press release from Roche, "Happy Feet presents a wholesome storyline in a wintery backdrop that serves as an ideal platform for communicating to consumers, especially moms, about the flu."Roche will be tying in with the film through TV, print, and online spots, meaning it'll be hard to avoid this sucker. I'm still having trouble deciding if this is a great idea, or a potentially bad idea. I know it's a good thing to be informing the public about flu shots, especially for the young and the elderly, but what comes next? Will we see Mickey and Minnie touting the latest children's cough medicine? Shrek showing everyone the benefits of dental hygiene and a new mouthwash? Statler and Waldorf plugging for adult incontinence products?
It's one thing to use a good opportunity to inform the public, but it's a bit different when you're using it to help your bottom line. Roche manufactures a flu shot, so of course they'd be interested in having more people line up to get them. It's not the first time a studio has used their characters to sell products, but as far as I can remember it's the first time a pharmaceutical company has gotten involved in the process.
It might seem far fetched now, but imagine your child's favorite character talking to them about some new wonderpill, and it's a bit scary.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-30-2006 @ 6:52AM
Jay said...
'Happy Feet' presents a wholesome storyline in a wintery backdrop that serves as an ideal platform for communicating to consumers, especially moms, about the flu.
Reply
10-30-2006 @ 9:13AM
Gio said...
I agree with you in keeping things to a balance. You're right. Pinguins being atached to sell a health product will eventually open a whole can of..sushi.
This time it's not really so bad, for at least it's a vaccine.(thanks God it's not being plucked in the actual film)
Don't be too surprised my friend to see Mickey drinking Red Bull in the future, or Pluto (named after a non-planet)to sell Alpo. Anytime a light exposes the flickering of a certain 24 fps cellulloid into a flat white wall, it's main objective is to
make money.
For now I will accept a litle Happy Feet "brought to you by Roche", just don't push it Mister!!
Reply
11-14-2006 @ 11:00PM
Futile Brands said...
There appears to be some confusion in your article. Roche is not trying to inform people about the flu vaccine, it is telling people to 'ask your doctor about antivirals'.
It is promoting is $80 a treatment Tamiflu drug.
Reply
12-14-2006 @ 11:30AM
Bryan said...
Well it worked for Disney and Mcdonald's...Get'em while their young.
There is a much bigger issue here, which is the safety and efficacy of these vaccines. Hard to imagine a harmful substancce being sold by a cute furry penguin.
People are visiting their physicians demanding drugs and vaccines that have been sold to them by commercials. Shouldn't the need for medications and vaccines be determined by the doctor?
For those of you who think that the drug companies have our best interest at heart...here is your cup of joe, take a big wiff.
One example: www.youtube.com type in "Bayer HIV."
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