Furious Seasons

November 06, 2008

Astra Zeneca Reps Told To Use Disney Characters In Seroquel Marketing

Sorry for the late start today, folks, but this ought to get your heart pounding faster: Pharmalot, which apparently got tipped off, reports that:

"An AstraZeneca regional sales manager allegedly directed the sales reps in her region to use some of Winnie the Pooh’s well-known friends - specifically, Tigger and Eeyore - to promote the Seroquel antipsychotic. We are told the idea was conveyed at a national sales meeting and on field rides with sales reps, who were told to use Tigger as a bipolar patient and Eeyore - the down-in-the-mouth donkey - as a depressed patient. The reps were allegedly encouraged to use Tigger dolls as giveaways, for instance."

And here I thought Tigger just had ADHD.

Seriously, though, AZ says it's investigating the allegations and won't comment further. Whomever cooked this up should be fired for outright stupidity. Why the hell would you adopt Disney characters to market a bloody antipsychotic to, the clear target, children?

Big Pharma reaches a new low.

Posted by Philip Dawdy at November 6, 2008 11:51 AM

del.icio.us Digg it reddit

Comments

Mr. Dawdy, your headline seems to be missing its "allegedly."

Posted by: lkhllywd at November 6, 2008 12:25 PM

Jimminy Cricket! This is horrible!!!!!

Next thing the drug reps will be using Disney for is Prince Charming for Viagra. (That's how you live happily ever after).

Too bad Bettleheim is dead, he could update his book about psychoanalyzing Disney Fairy Tales and add drug reps to it.

Posted by: susan at November 6, 2008 12:41 PM

Mr. llkhllyd: why don't you go fuck yourself?

Posted by: Jones at November 6, 2008 12:57 PM

Are A.A. Milne's characters in the public domain? If not, I imagine Disney's armies of lawyers might object to the commercial use of IP that they seem to have the strongest claim on, if Milne's family no longer holds the rights.

Posted by: Puckett at November 6, 2008 01:58 PM

Puckett!

Dude, you have been away from here way too long. Missed your pithy comments.

Posted by: susan at November 6, 2008 02:49 PM

I always knew there was something I liked about Tigger and Eeyore.

Posted by: Sophia at November 6, 2008 04:12 PM

Dear Philip:

Hi Ho Hi Ho it's off to Seroquel land we go! I must admit it's a sleeping beauty too! I guess disney will have to start producing more diabetic candy if this continues!

Yours Truly,
Stan

Posted by: Stan at November 6, 2008 06:18 PM

...and Joe the Camel for Chantix?

Posted by: MedsVsTherapy at November 7, 2008 06:00 AM

All-American fantasy land comes full circle, what the damn hell!

Posted by: Stephany at November 7, 2008 10:14 AM