February 10, 2011

Yes, Aspirin is a Pain Reliever!

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Lately I’ve noticed an increasing number of TV commercials that seem….off kilter. Not dumb or offensive or annoying. Just ads that seem to have a really weird underlying premise. Here’s an example:

Guy on airplane: Do you have something for pain?

(Flight attendant hands him a couple of aspirin.)

Guy: Bayer aspirin. Oh, no, no, I’m not having a heart attack. It’s my back.

Flight Attendant: Trust me, it works great for pain.

(Later, feeling chipper.)

Guy: Thanks for the tip.

What’s the deal here? Are there really full-grown adults around who don’t know that aspirin is a pain reliever? Has Bayer done such a stupendous PR job selling its product as protection against heart attacks that there are now a significant number of people who no longer realize its primary function? Or is there something else going on here? I haven’t been transported to an alternate universe accidentally, have I?

(Though that would actually explain a lot. Maybe I should look into this.)

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