Tuesday, October 20, 2009

From The Sublime -- To The Ridiculous -- "Ice Cream Wars" -- Schering-Style


I was going to leave this one well-enough alone, when I first saw it Sunday night, but it is a slow news day, and commenter asked after it. . . so, what the hey.

I'll let all the other fine bloggers tell the back story (do go read, to understand) -- but here are a couple quick (largely artless) renderings (offered as public domain, royalty free satires, for use, and rebroadcast, by the entire wired world!), to match a commenter's suggestions, below.

From this Pharma Marketing blog:

. . . .you don't have to take it lying down is how Schering-Plough views it. That company has denied Massachusetts, Vermont and Minnesota doctors a scoop of ice cream on a cool autumn afternoon in Boston! Dude, that's rad! Here's a sign seen at the ACEP Scientific Assembly in Boston. . . .

[That blog Hat-tipped Whitecoat -- who had the orginal picture -- of the sign, not my photoshoppings -- and story]:
. . . .The exhibit floor was busy. Everyone walks around looking for free pens and other trinkets. When I called home, my kids didn’t tell me how much they missed me, they asked me what I got them. . . .

My suitcase is going to be stuffed full of junk just to make them happy. Funky pens. Highlighters. Yo-yos. Bags. Thanks to all the vendors for giving me FOUR of everything to avoid fights when I get home. . . .

The legal picture of the day was at an ice cream stand. Sorry you docs in Minnesota, Vermont, or Massachusetts. Either your butts are too fat or there is some legal decision stating that ice cream cones may unduly influence your decision to prescribe medications. . . .

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice job!

Anonymous said...

As an SP employee who worked one of the conventions where the sign was placed, we garnered more people walking by and taking pictures then we garnered coming to the booth for medical information. Out of the hundreds of companies exhibiting, SP was the only company with that "disclosure", which by the way was larger than area set up for ice cream. CYA all the way..thats the SP motto. Can't risk screwing anything up so FRED can rip off another smerck for multi millions...So funny

Anonymous said...

As Janet Woodcock (FDA CDER Director and ex-Assoc. Commish) says:

"Carrot and Stick"

Condor said...

Thanks, one and all -- I did one more graphic, tonight, on this -- nuthin' like excess, no?

A little more seriously, I am put in mind of Alphonse Capone, who was reputed to have said that if he was going to go to jail, it would not be for some "tax books". . . .

The object lesson there, was to pay attention to the little things, so that one could (presumably) get away with the big ones.

That has CEO Fred Hassan written all over it -- as does the sneering contempt for local Vermont law that resides just below the surface, and "between the lines" of the signage in question.

Is it a silly law? Probably.

But once again, Schering-Plough has done itself (and its shareholders) no favors by being loutish about using a sign.

The booth staff could have simply said "if you're from Vermont, please have one of your New York colleagues BUY your (bring you) ice cream. . ." An inside joke -- to build rapport -- instead, it is now (quite appropriately!) Pharmalot fodder.

Attaboy, Fred!

Namaste