This is not a headline you read too often! Boots, is the UK’s largest chain of pharmacies and retail chemists has been criticised for underestimating the demand it would generate from one of its advertisements.
England rugby captain, Jonny Wilkinson has proved too popular in creating the demand for viewers to get a free cholesterol test at the company’s stores. Viewers complained to broadcast watchdog Ofcom that when they had asked for a test, they were told it was only available to people over 45 and some were asked to make an appointment.
Clearly Boots felt unable to say “only available for oldies” and have reaped the consequences. The ads pushed the message that "Jonny's only human. And just like you he'll have a three in four chance of high cholesterol when he's 45. Get tested free at Boots". Clearly this was a close as the creative genius at Mother (the agency) could come to mentioning age. I cannot feel too much sympathy.
It was probably bad luck on the company that the ad campaign ran during a period when the UK was having one of its periods of soul searching about obesity. I can just see parents all over the country gazing at their over-weight sons and daughters as they watch the Jonny Wilkinson and deciding they had better find out if all of that junk food was driving them to an early grave.
Dick Stroud: www.20plus30.com
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