So the wonderful folks at GlaxoSmithKline, in an effort to make sure they’re reaching every single person whether they’re interested in an antidepressant medication or not, has put together a new “service” called Life is Waiting. (It’s actually called “Hope for You,” but you wouldn’t know that through the advertisements.)
Promoted heavily by TV advertising (because, hey, why not? they got the dough), the ads make absolutely no mention that this “service” is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company pushing an antidepressant medication (Paxil CR to be specific). So what the heck, I signed up for this free “service” to check it out.
Not surprising, I found a not-so-thinly veiled integrated marketing campaign for Paxil CR, disguised as the HOPE For You program. Let’s walk through the steps of this program, shall we?
Step 1. A free download PDF described as helping you learn more about depression and the program delivered on its promise. Providing the exact same kinds of information people can already get for free online about depression and anxiety (sans pretty marketing pictures showing people getting “happy”), I didn’t really learn anything new about depression or anxiety in this brochure. However, I did learn a lot about Paxil CR at the end. Thanks GlaxoSmithKline!! (As an aside, doesn’t GlaxoSmithKline sound like a company suffering from multiple personality disorder??!)
So the HOPE For You program appears to be nothing more than repackaged existing mental health information so far.
Step 2. Download and print your Voucher for a FREE 30-day supply of Paxil CR. Wow, nothing surprising there.
Step 3. Talk to your doctor and ask if Paxil CR is right for you. Be sure to bring your Doctor Discussion Guide and your Voucher. Umm, okay. So far this “service” seems to be centered around taking an antidepressant, which seems to be very similar to every other pharmaceutical program I’ve seen.
Step 4. Once your doctor prescribes Paxil CR, track your improvement by using your Personal Progress Monitor. Umm, wheeeeeeeeee!! A PPM!! Yay!!! Would this be similar to taking a Beck Depression Inventory quiz every week in psychotherapy? Because, no offense to the multipler personality disordered pharmaceutical company, but psychotherapists have been offering this free service to their clients for, oh, I don’t know, 20 years??
So, in a nutshell, the HOPE For You program is:
- A bunch of marketing literature about depression and anxiety and how Paxil CR will solve those issues
- A “Dr. Discussion Guide” to talk to your GP about the fact that you want PAXIL CR, not some other name brand antidepressant!
- The Progress Monitor — a self-administered depression tracking quiz, versions of which are freely available elsewhere (including here on Psych Central!)
- A tour of the above “program features.”
Save your time and money (for the Paxil CR).
Time and time again, research has shown that for effective treatment of depression, psychotherapy combined with antidepressants is the most effective. You don’t need to track your own depression scores because any competent therapist can help you do that with them.
GlaxoSmithKline barely mentions the importance of psychotherapy in this program. Its marketing materials look exactly as though they were written by a pharmaceutical marketing department, right down to the shallow tips and advice on how “to feel better.” It’s like someone who took a Psychology 101 class in college wrote this simplistic material.
And of course, I would expect no better from a run-of-the-mill pharmaceutical company. Why help promote existing psychoeducational resources when you can pour hundreds of thousands of marketing dollars into a typical, shallow marketing campaign that even the most simplistic will see through? The issue isn’t the mediocrity with which this campaign was created, but rather the television ad (and indeed, the website) suggest that the HOPE For You program is something different, unique, and worth your time. Pharmaceutical companies can advertise wherever they’d like, but please, don’t hide the advertisement masquerading as some sort of “new” legitimate self-help program. Because that’s all this is — a pharmaceutical ad wrapped up in some feel-good text and photographs.
And Americans wonder why their prescriptions cost so much? Look no further than this example.
(No Ratings Yet)
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8 Responses to “Life is waiting for…?” (Pingbacks/trackbacks not shown below)
ROFL! I have done this, too. I’ve gotten myself on so many pharmaceutical mailing lists this way. They all do it. It’s entertaining to see how they all put our prescription money to use. I got a really cool CD for my computer from a similar program by Zoloft (Pfizer Pharmaceuticals), and so much more–including the free one month supply coupons from every one of them I got on the list with. That’s all it is–marketing. I work in pharmacy, so I don’t mind being on mailing lists with these companies, but the general public needs to be leary of such marketing techniques.
Well I started suspecting that it was a drug company and if you look carefully on the TV screen you will see the GSK logo in the corner, though the company does not openly talk about either Paxil or itself. I think the laws that we use for political campaigns should be applied to this types of ads too - “This ad is brought to you by ABC the maker of XYZ.”
teebird at 8:17 pm on
September 6th, 2005
Thanks for the info - I logged onto the site because I suspected some drug company was behind it and wondered what the drug was…they cloak sales behind some psuedo-psycho babble and feigned concern.
silver.surfer at 10:47 am on
October 10th, 2005
Why would one expect any more from a drug company? Mock indignation for an overlord capitalist vulture acting like an overlord capitalist vulture seems a little strained. However, if one already had been taking Paxil and lost their health insurance and can’t afford to buy the medication (such as myself), a coupon for a “free” month’s supply might mean a few days of lessened anxiety and debility. Of course, I usually can’t afford so-called “free” offers.
Looks like the website is offline now. I’m glad I found this site to help explain what it was all about.
On another note, I find it quite interesting that ‘back in the good ole days’ they used to have corner bars and tap rooms for everyone to socialize after work within walking distance of everyone’s home. Now there’s a CVS/Eckerd Drugs/Drug Emperiom/etc etc etc….
I believe we have to start to enjoy life a little more…open up with people/neighbors …
It’s amazing you have to pay a psychiatrist for something that you can talk to someone about at the nearest bar…
oh well…bring on the drugs
Eric at 9:33 pm on
October 31st, 2005
This reminds me indirectly of those other commercials where they have different kinds of people running around in slow motion, smiling and feeling great. And there’s catchy, fun music playing. And there’s sunshine and ocean waves and golden retrievers and meadows. And then the announcer says, “Ask your doctor if Zirflabolanovil is right for you!” And you’re like, “but… but what does Zirflabolanovil do?” Who has actually gone to their doctor and asked whether Zirflabolanovil is right for them? I mean, without knowing anything about what it does, who has actually wondered if they should be taking it? Yarrrrgh! Hate these leeches!
Julie Ding at 5:37 pm on
November 2nd, 2005
Sucker! 
Commercials are just excuses to get a snack, go to the bathroom or just plain change the channel. You’re not supposed to actually watch them, and worse yet you’re not supposed to do anything they tell you! Wanna buy some steak knives? I can get em for ya cheap…Love your site!
Jacy at 10:46 pm on
November 16th, 2005
I got out of bed to look at the “life is waiting” website but I could not get there…. I kept geting “timed out” message. Had I known that it was paxil I would not have even bothered. I hate paxil. My b’friend is on paxil, he thinks it’s a miricle drug. Paxil is the one thing we fight about. I hate the side effects.. Any suggestions for another medication that works like paxil but without the side effects???
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ROFL! I have done this, too. I’ve gotten myself on so many pharmaceutical mailing lists this way. They all do it. It’s entertaining to see how they all put our prescription money to use. I got a really cool CD for my computer from a similar program by Zoloft (Pfizer Pharmaceuticals), and so much more–including the free one month supply coupons from every one of them I got on the list with. That’s all it is–marketing. I work in pharmacy, so I don’t mind being on mailing lists with these companies, but the general public needs to be leary of such marketing techniques.
Well I started suspecting that it was a drug company and if you look carefully on the TV screen you will see the GSK logo in the corner, though the company does not openly talk about either Paxil or itself. I think the laws that we use for political campaigns should be applied to this types of ads too - “This ad is brought to you by ABC the maker of XYZ.”
Thanks for the info - I logged onto the site because I suspected some drug company was behind it and wondered what the drug was…they cloak sales behind some psuedo-psycho babble and feigned concern.
Why would one expect any more from a drug company? Mock indignation for an overlord capitalist vulture acting like an overlord capitalist vulture seems a little strained. However, if one already had been taking Paxil and lost their health insurance and can’t afford to buy the medication (such as myself), a coupon for a “free” month’s supply might mean a few days of lessened anxiety and debility. Of course, I usually can’t afford so-called “free” offers.
Looks like the website is offline now. I’m glad I found this site to help explain what it was all about.
On another note, I find it quite interesting that ‘back in the good ole days’ they used to have corner bars and tap rooms for everyone to socialize after work within walking distance of everyone’s home. Now there’s a CVS/Eckerd Drugs/Drug Emperiom/etc etc etc….
I believe we have to start to enjoy life a little more…open up with people/neighbors …
It’s amazing you have to pay a psychiatrist for something that you can talk to someone about at the nearest bar…
oh well…bring on the drugs
This reminds me indirectly of those other commercials where they have different kinds of people running around in slow motion, smiling and feeling great. And there’s catchy, fun music playing. And there’s sunshine and ocean waves and golden retrievers and meadows. And then the announcer says, “Ask your doctor if Zirflabolanovil is right for you!” And you’re like, “but… but what does Zirflabolanovil do?” Who has actually gone to their doctor and asked whether Zirflabolanovil is right for them? I mean, without knowing anything about what it does, who has actually wondered if they should be taking it? Yarrrrgh! Hate these leeches!
Sucker! Commercials are just excuses to get a snack, go to the bathroom or just plain change the channel. You’re not supposed to actually watch them, and worse yet you’re not supposed to do anything they tell you! Wanna buy some steak knives? I can get em for ya cheap…Love your site!
I got out of bed to look at the “life is waiting” website but I could not get there…. I kept geting “timed out” message. Had I known that it was paxil I would not have even bothered. I hate paxil. My b’friend is on paxil, he thinks it’s a miricle drug. Paxil is the one thing we fight about. I hate the side effects.. Any suggestions for another medication that works like paxil but without the side effects???
